In article ,
Huge wrote:
On 2006-11-22, Peter Parry wrote:
On Wed, 22 Nov 2006 22:01:43 GMT, wrote:

My son has bought an item of computer equipment and it has an unfused
mains lead fitted with an IEC connector at one end and a 13a plug at
the other. The 13a plug is smaller than normal, and as stated above
has no fuse.

If I was at work I'd condemn it on visual inspection for a pat test.
Is it legal to sell such a lead?

Yes, but only so long as it is _not_ "ordinarily intended for
domestic use" (The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994).
They are quite common in computer rooms where sockets are installed
under floors (Yes - I know it's a silly idea to put sockets under
floors - but there are lots).

Dunno about "quite common", though. I've been working in computer
rooms for 32 years now and I've never seen one before.

IIRC, 13 amp plugs to the same layout as ours, but without fuse, are used
in some far east places (Singapore, Hong Kong?) - presumably on suitably
fused radial circuits rather than rings. So those leads would be for that
country - but totally unsuitable for the UK. There are other BS plugs and
sockets allowed for radial circuits where fused plugs would be
unsatisfactory.

--
*It IS as bad as you think, and they ARE out to get you.

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