Unusual Electrical Stuff

eveares · 15 Jun 2018

First, a old plug that I got with a Nikon Labophot 2A microscope. As seen from the picture below, the pins on it are stamped/pressed! Has anyone seen this before, and did it comply with BS1363 when it was made? The plug is a two part sealed and non serviceable hard plastic plug.

(Yes I cleaned half of the earth pin.)

[GALLERY=media, 101519]Never seen this before until now. by eveares posted 15 Jun 2018 at 10:11 PM[/GALLERY]

Second, we had to replace the steel tines on a Blacker & Decker Electric Lawn Rake from 1983, and during the process my mother who was insisting on taking it apart her self, took it apart to far and took the motor apart in the process.

When I was putting the motor and it's brushes back together, I noticed the thin grey wires for the motor windings simply slid loosely into tiny brass holes.

Were these original spot welded in as it seeps a dubious connection from the terminal block on the top to the actual windings?

[GALLERY=media, 101520]Loose friction fit to motor wingdings 1 by eveares posted 15 Jun 2018 at 10:11 PM[/GALLERY]

[GALLERY=media, 101521]Loose friction fit to motor wingdings 2 by eveares posted 15 Jun 2018 at 10:11 PM[/GALLERY]

Regards: Elliott.

winston1 · 15 Jun 2018

BBC micros used to have moulded plugs with those sort of pins, though not sleeved in those days. I was furious when a PAT tester cut them off a few years later because they were not sleeved considering regs are not retrospective. I left instructions that he was not to be paid, whether that happened or not I don't know.

plugwash · 16 Jun 2018

Indeed very unusual plug on the BBC micro, moulded and with pins that appear to be some sort of stamped/folded metal.

And this from an era when most appliances coming simply with bare wires that you fitted your own plug to.

Lectrician · 16 Jun 2018

winston1 said:
BBC micros used to have moulded plugs with those sort of pins, though not sleeved in those days. I was furious when a PAT tester cut them off a few years later because they were not sleeved considering regs are not retrospective. I left instructions that he was not to be paid, whether that happened or not I don't know.

Then you were a fool.

magicmushroom666 · 16 Jun 2018

I think that brass sleeve is actually a crimped ferrule on the end of the cable

Tigercubrider · 16 Jun 2018

Lectrician said:
Then you were a fool.

Why?
I would certainly not cut a plug that predates any legislation from something that I did not own.
To damage a pice of equipment that does not belong to you is beyond your remit.
By all means tape over a plug and fit a "do not use" label

Lectrician · 16 Jun 2018

I wouldn’t cut it off either, but it would be a fail for sure.

ban-all-sheds · 16 Jun 2018

What would it "fail", and how?

flameport · 16 Jun 2018

ban-all-sheds said:
What would it "fail", and how?

It fails to meet the standard BS1363, which has required plugs to have sleeved L&N pins since 1984.

Whether a plug needs to comply with that standard depends on where it is to be used, so replacing it isn't always required.
Most would suggest replacing it regardless, but some can rely on the tired old 'regulations are not retrospective' line to allow almost anything in some situations.

However any item of equipment which is 'supplied' as described in 'The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994' will need to have a plug with sleeved pins, so in those circumstances a plug with non-sleeved pins would need to be replaced. That includes items offered for sale or hire, and situations such as where a property is rented to someone and appliances are included in it.

ban-all-sheds · 16 Jun 2018

flameport said:
Whether a plug needs to comply with that standard depends on where it is to be used

Do we know that the one referenced above was a location/use where people were required to replace old plugs with ones complying with that version?

Most would suggest replacing it regardless,

It may be a good idea, but in what circumstance is a tester permitted to destroy plugs which do not comply?

but some can rely on the tired old 'regulations are not retrospective' line to allow almost anything in some situations.

It's not a tired old line - it is a very important consideration when deciding it an item can be "failed" or destroyed.

However any item of equipment which is 'supplied' as described in 'The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994' will need to have a plug with sleeved pins, so in those circumstances a plug with non-sleeved pins would need to be replaced. That includes items offered for sale or hire, and situations such as where a property is rented to someone and appliances are included in it.

Do the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 allow a tester to destroy non-compliant ones?