"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote:

Eeyore wrote:

I'd like to see some supporting data for that litle outburst.

As late as the 1960's London had FOUR different electrical systems with
different voltages and plugs.

I'd be very surprised about that. I can only think of 2 different plug
standards. What's your source ?

Graham

In article ,
Eeyore wrote:
As late as the 1960's London had FOUR different electrical systems with
different voltages and plugs.

I'd be very surprised about that. I can only think of 2 different plug
standards. What's your source ?

Eh? Even with final circuit rings there were at least three types of
sockets. Normal, D&S (round pins where the live was a removable fuse) and
Walsall gauge. Same as 13 amp but the pins at 90 degrees. The last two
often used by councils on housing estates. Gawd knows why. Some official
with a bee in his bonnet. Or saving pennies.

Then plenty of the old types still in use. 3,5 and 15 amp round pin. In
both 2 and three pin. Then there were some oddities with flat pins.

US visitors used to laugh at our variety of sockets, domestically. Now we
have only one, and they have the variety...

--
*The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

Eeyore wrote:
"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote:
As late as the 1960's London had FOUR different electrical systems with
different voltages and plugs.

I'd be very surprised about that. I can only think of 2 different plug
standards. What's your source ?

Eh? Even with final circuit rings there were at least three types of
sockets. Normal, D&S (round pins where the live was a removable fuse) and
Walsall gauge. Same as 13 amp but the pins at 90 degrees. The last two
often used by councils on housing estates. Gawd knows why. Some official
with a bee in his bonnet. Or saving pennies.

Then plenty of the old types still in use. 3,5 and 15 amp round pin. In
both 2 and three pin. Then there were some oddities with flat pins.

The 2 and 3 pin 2, 5 and 15A plugs were all part of a single standard.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BS_546

Never seen any flat pin jobbies.

As for Walsall gauge I've only ever seen that in the tube. Did councils really
fit them ?

Graham

In article ,
Eeyore wrote:
The 2 and 3 pin 2, 5 and 15A plugs were all part of a single standard.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BS_546

I'm just guessing but I'd say the BS that applies to them now didn't when
they were first introduced.

--
*No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver,purple

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in
:

Eh? Even with final circuit rings there were at least three types of
sockets. Normal, D&S (round pins where the live was a removable fuse)
and
Walsall gauge. Same as 13 amp but the pins at 90 degrees. The last two
often used by councils on housing estates. Gawd knows why. Some
official
with a bee in his bonnet. Or saving pennies.

Then plenty of the old types still in use. 3,5 and 15 amp round pin.
In
both 2 and three pin. Then there were some oddities with flat pins.


I know of these:

Special plugs for computers servers and other IT gear. They have a T
shaped earth pin.

I think it is some variation of BS546 used for theatrical lighting.

Then there is all varieties of CEEKon fittings.

US visitors used to laugh at our variety of sockets, domestically. Now
we
have only one, and they have the variety.

Not really. Domestically, for GP recepticals, there is only the the one
basic standard with a few minor variation, all backwards compatible to
the parallel blade two prong plug.

In article ,
Gary Tait wrote:
US visitors used to laugh at our variety of sockets, domestically. Now
we have only one, and they have the variety.

Not really. Domestically, for GP recepticals, there is only the the one
basic standard with a few minor variation, all backwards compatible to
the parallel blade two prong plug.

I can see that a modern three pin socket might accept older plugs, but the
other way round?

--
*Generally speaking, you aren't learning much if your lips are moving.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in
:

In article ,
Gary Tait wrote:
US visitors used to laugh at our variety of sockets, domestically.
Now we have only one, and they have the variety.

Not really. Domestically, for GP recepticals, there is only the the
one basic standard with a few minor variation, all backwards
compatible to the parallel blade two prong plug.

I can see that a modern three pin socket might accept older plugs, but
the other way round?


Nope, not without an adapter, which is considered by professinals
potentially unsafe, and are often used in an unsafe fashion.

I stand by the context of my original text, the lowest denominator is
the two prong parallel plug, which will fit into nearly all domestic
sockets since the 1930s. Before that the recepticals were unpolarised,
although it took until the 1970s for polarised two prong plugs to be
required on lamps and TV sets, and later some other appliances.

So, an appliance with a basic two prong plug, will fit into a two prong
receptical, a U-Grounded 3 prong vertical slot 15A receptical, and the
"T" slot 20A general purpose receptical. An unpolarised appliance with
also connect to a pre 1930s unpolarised receptical or light socket
adapter or a 10-15 receptical (whose slots were designed to accept both
angled and vertical prongs).

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:39:47 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
Gary Tait wrote:
US visitors used to laugh at our variety of sockets, domestically. Now
we have only one, and they have the variety.

Not really. Domestically, for GP recepticals, there is only the the one
basic standard with a few minor variation, all backwards compatible to
the parallel blade two prong plug.

I can see that a modern three pin socket might accept older plugs, but the
other way round?

Grab the ground pin with some pliers and twist it off.

John