A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in use...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...itish-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is better
than your plug" debate...

On Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:39:26 +0100, chunkyoldcortina wrote:

A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in use...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...itish-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is better
than your plug" debate...

Heh

I don't mind UK plus on the end of flexes - the majority of things with
mains flexes seem to be reasonably bulky anyway, so imply a bit of storage
space when moving them anywhere.

What I don't like are the mains adapters where the power pins are built
in; in the US the spindly[1] little pins typically fold up into the
adapter so it's nice and slimline and will fit into a pocket etc. - but I
don't recall seeing anything like this in the UK (presumably because the
pins are so chunky, and - AFAIK - they have to have an earth pin even if
it is fake)

[1] and they also bend very easily when you accidentally step on them, and
fall out of the wall, and don't have any insulation material at the top
end etc. (and when they half fall out of the wall they expose live
connectors to passing pets :-)

Pros and cons in both systems, I suppose.

cheers

Jules

In message , chunkyoldcortina
wrote
A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in use...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...-could-flatten
-that-bulky-british-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is
better than your plug" debate...

Maybe a good idea but presumably only suitable for OEM and moulded on
plugs/cables.

One potential problem that I can see is that it has moving parts. The
contact between the wire and the prongs have rotating switch type
contacts. With use these may become high(er) resistance and get hot
during use.

BTW, how did it do so much damage to the socket that it is plugged into?

--
Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

"chunkyoldcortina" wrote in message
...
A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in
use...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...itish-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is
better than your plug" debate...

Something odd about that link. Browser window goes unresponsive
and Task manager reports internet explorer cpu usage maxed out.

I remember the Fit-All plug I had on my soldering iron in the
70s with affection.

Somewhere, I have still got a 13A plug with a very thin body.
Well designed too, I think it's made of nylon.

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

"Alan" wrote in message
...
In message , chunkyoldcortina
wrote
A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in
use...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...-could-flatten
-that-bulky-british-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is
better than your plug" debate...

Maybe a good idea but presumably only suitable for OEM and moulded on
plugs/cables.

One potential problem that I can see is that it has moving parts. The
contact between the wire and the prongs have rotating switch type
contacts. With use these may become high(er) resistance and get hot during
use.

BTW, how did it do so much damage to the socket that it is plugged into?


That's not damage that's a sh**ty metalclad socket covered in muck in a
workshop. Hardly a H & S aware place so the plug shape looked like the least
of their problems

On Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:42:28 +0100, Alan wrote:

In message , chunkyoldcortina
wrote
A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in use...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...-could-flatten
-that-bulky-british-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is
better than your plug" debate...

Maybe a good idea but presumably only suitable for OEM and moulded on
plugs/cables.

One potential problem that I can see is that it has moving parts. The
contact between the wire and the prongs have rotating switch type
contacts. With use these may become high(er) resistance and get hot
during use.

Unlikely for the low-power loads that this is aimed at, but rotating or moving contacts are not
trivial to get to work reliably.

As soon as you decide you don't need all 13 amps, a few more options become available.

...but why doesn't their clever multi-plug adapter also have folding pins...?

On Jun 24, 10:02*am, Mike Harrison wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:42:28 +0100, Alan wrote:
In message , chunkyoldcortina
wrote
A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in use...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...-could-flatten
-that-bulky-british-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is
better than your plug" debate...

Maybe a good idea but presumably only suitable for OEM and moulded on
plugs/cables.

One potential problem that I can see is that it has moving parts. The
contact between the wire and the prongs have rotating switch type
contacts. With use these may become high(er) resistance and get hot
during use.

Unlikely for the low-power loads that this is aimed at, but rotating or moving contacts are not
trivial to get to work reliably.

As soon as you decide you don't need all 13 amps, a few more options become available.

..but why doesn't their clever multi-plug adapter also have folding pins....?

Is there any need for wiping contacts? Why not crimp the flex ends
direct to the pin tops


NT

On Jun 23, 6:19*pm, Jules
wrote:
On Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:39:26 +0100, chunkyoldcortina wrote:
A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in use...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...ept-could-flat...

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is better
than your plug" debate...

Heh

I don't mind UK plus on the end of flexes - the majority of things with
mains flexes seem to be reasonably bulky anyway, so imply a bit of storage
space when moving them anywhere.

What I don't like are the mains adapters where the power pins are built
in; in the US the spindly[1] little pins typically fold up into the
adapter so it's nice and slimline and will fit into a pocket etc. - but I
don't recall seeing anything like this in the UK (presumably because the
pins are so chunky, and - AFAIK - they have to have an earth pin even if
it is fake)

AFAYK? Have you never thought about what those fake earth pins
actually do?

MBQ

On Jun 23, 8:42*pm, Alan wrote:
In message , chunkyoldcortina
wrote

A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in use...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...-could-flatten
-that-bulky-british-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is
better than your plug" debate...

Maybe a good idea but presumably only suitable for OEM and moulded on
plugs/cables.

One potential problem that I can see is that it has moving parts. The
contact between the wire and the prongs have rotating switch type
contacts.

The picture doesn't show that. Is the main body shown rorating
relative to the prongs on the video? Otherwise, it's just the two
wings that rotate.

MBQ

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
NT wrote:


Is there any need for wiping contacts? Why not crimp the flex ends
direct to the pin tops


I couldn't tell from the video whether it had wiping contacts, or whether
the wires were permanently attached to the pins.

If the latter, the wires would have to twist and/or bend every time the pins
were rotated - so the danger of fatigue damage may be even worse than the
risk of contact resistance.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

On Jun 24, 12:59*pm, "Man at B&Q" wrote:
On Jun 23, 8:42*pm, Alan wrote:



In message , chunkyoldcortina
wrote

A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in use...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...-could-flatten
-that-bulky-british-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is
better than your plug" debate...

Maybe a good idea but presumably only suitable for OEM and moulded on
plugs/cables.

One potential problem that I can see is that it has moving parts. The
contact between the wire and the prongs have rotating switch type
contacts.

The picture doesn't show that. Is the main body shown rorating
relative to the prongs on the video? Otherwise, it's just the two
wings that rotate.

MBQ

Doh! I've put my glasses on now.

MBQ

On Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:57:39 -0700, Man at B&Q wrote:
AFAIK - they have to have an earth pin even if
it is fake)

AFAYK? Have you never thought about what those fake earth pins
actually do?

Do all sockets have the little sliding mechanism for covering the
L/N contacts when not in use, then? I thought I'd come across lots
without, but it's not exactly something I've ever paid much
attention to :-)

"Mike Harrison" wrote in message
...


..but why doesn't their clever multi-plug adapter also have folding
pins...?

To stop you cascading them?

"Jules" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:57:39 -0700, Man at B&Q wrote:
AFAIK - they have to have an earth pin even if
it is fake)

AFAYK? Have you never thought about what those fake earth pins
actually do?

Do all sockets have the little sliding mechanism for covering the
L/N contacts when not in use, then? I thought I'd come across lots
without, but it's not exactly something I've ever paid much
attention to :-)

You have seen lots of faulty sockets?
Or maybe they are MK ones that don't need an earth pin to operate the
shutters.

On Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:55:42 -0500, Jules wrote:

On Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:57:39 -0700, Man at B&Q wrote:
AFAIK - they have to have an earth pin even if
it is fake)

AFAYK? Have you never thought about what those fake earth pins
actually do?

Do all sockets have the little sliding mechanism for covering the
L/N contacts when not in use, then? I thought I'd come across lots
without, but it's not exactly something I've ever paid much
attention to :-)

All UK 13A sockets have shutters, but there are two types. One type uses
the Earth pin to push a ramp and open the shutters downwards on the live
and neutral (Volex, etc.) and the other uses ramps on the shutter so that
as the plug is inserted the live pin tries to push the shutter one way and
the neutral pushes the other (one up one down), so that the shutter
rotates, clearing both entries (MK).

SteveW

The message
from "Graham." contains these words:

Somewhere, I have still got a 13A plug with a very thin body.
Well designed too, I think it's made of nylon.

Correct. I have a few of them still, too. Excellent in every way.
Robust, easy to wire, strong, extremely compact. They even look good.

chunkyoldcortina wrote:
A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in
use...
http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...itish-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is
better than your plug" debate...

What is it with these furriners? Why can't they just accept that our system
is the best & that the rest of the world should change to it instead of
their wafty Mickey Mouse systems?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:28:02 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
had this to say:

chunkyoldcortina wrote:
A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in
use...
http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...itish-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is
better than your plug" debate...

What is it with these furriners? Why can't they just accept that our system
is the best & that the rest of the world should change to it instead of
their wafty Mickey Mouse systems?

Hear hear!

In fact why should they change at all? Let them stick to their rubbish
plugs...

--
Frank Erskine

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
The Medway Handyman wrote:

chunkyoldcortina wrote:
A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in
use...
http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...itish-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is
better than your plug" debate...

What is it with these furriners? Why can't they just accept that our
system is the best & that the rest of the world should change to it
instead of their wafty Mickey Mouse systems?


I was quite happy with the 15A round-pin plugs we used to have. Why did we
have to change?
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

The best thing about the BS1363 plug is that the cable comes out at a
right angle, so leaves neatly flush with the wall, not striaght out
from the wall getting in the way of everything near it. I'm fed up
with the number of phone or network sockets I have to replace because
some furniture has brushed against it and snapped all the gubbins.

It also means that it is impossible to extract the plug by pulling on
the cable, so you're forced to extract it correctly by pulling the
plug body. The abomination that is the Euro-plug and similar just
screams out to people to be pulled out by the cable, resulting the
in the cable fracturing at some point.

--
JGH

On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:48:43 +0100, "Roger Mills"
wrote:

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
The Medway Handyman wrote:

chunkyoldcortina wrote:
A Fused BS1363 compliant plug that is less than 1cm thick when not in
use...
http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/23/u...itish-adapter/

Look at all the arguments in the comments section, a true "my plug is
better than your plug" debate...

What is it with these furriners? Why can't they just accept that our
system is the best & that the rest of the world should change to it
instead of their wafty Mickey Mouse systems?


I was quite happy with the 15A round-pin plugs we used to have. Why did we
have to change?

They are still in use - in India, And the 5A version!

DJ

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
David J wrote:

On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:48:43 +0100, "Roger Mills"
wrote:


I was quite happy with the 15A round-pin plugs we used to have. Why
did we have to change?

They are still in use - in India, And the 5A version!

DJ

And South Africa - well, they were about 5 years ago, anyway. Before I went
there, I made up a short lead with a 15A plug on one end and a 13A trailing
socket on the other, so that I could use my camera and phone chargers etc.
Amazingly, I was still able to buy a 15A plug in the UK.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

"jgharston" wrote in message
...


It also means that it is impossible to extract the plug by pulling on
the cable,

You haven't tried hard enough!

In uk.d-i-y, Roger Mills wrote:
I was quite happy with the 15A round-pin plugs we used to have. Why did we
have to change?

Shortage of copper after World War 2.

--
Mike Barnes

jgharston wrote:

it is impossible to extract the plug by pulling on
the cable

Crikey Bob, you've never tried it have you? It's a piece of cake to pull
a 13A plug out by the cable.

Steve Firth wrote:
jgharston wrote:
it is impossible to extract the plug by pulling on the cable
Crikey Bob, you've never tried it have you? It's a piece of cake to pull
a 13A plug out by the cable.

I have tried it and it's sufficiently non-intuitive that it passively
causes
you to pull the plug out by the body.

--
JGH

Mike Barnes wrote:
Shortage of copper after World War 2.

Why should a shortage of anything cause me to use the most economical
method? I'm not going to go out of my way to use a method of anything
that
uses more materials than is neccesary. There's no "shortage" of water
where
I live, that's no reason to leave the taps running all day.

--
JGH

jgharston wrote:
Steve Firth wrote:
jgharston wrote:
it is impossible to extract the plug by pulling on the cable
Crikey Bob, you've never tried it have you? It's a piece of cake to pull
a 13A plug out by the cable.

I have tried it and it's sufficiently non-intuitive that it passively
causes
you to pull the plug out by the body.

--
JGH

I have found that with a very long flex (10m should do) you can give the
end farthest from the plug/socket a gentle flick and the plug flies out
of the socket. Probably most effective with a relatively dense rubber flex.

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org

In uk.d-i-y, jgharston wrote:
Mike Barnes wrote:
Shortage of copper after World War 2.

Why should a shortage of anything cause me to use the most economical
method?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit

"The ring main came about because Britain had to embark on a massive
rebuilding programme following World War II.[2]. There was an acute
shortage of copper, and it was necessary to devise a scheme that used
less copper than would normally be the case. The scheme was specified
to use 13 Amp fused socket outlets, and several designs for the plugs
and sockets appeared. Only the square pin (BS1363) system survives,
but the round pin D&S system was still in use in many locations well
into the 1980s. This latter plug had the distinctive feature that the
fuse was also the live pin and unscrewed from the plug body."

--
Mike Barnes

Mike Barnes wrote:
In uk.d-i-y, jgharston wrote:
Mike Barnes wrote:
Shortage of copper after World War 2.

Why should a shortage of anything cause me to use the most economical
method?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit

"The ring main came about because Britain had to embark on a massive
rebuilding programme following World War II.[2]. There was an acute
shortage of copper, and it was necessary to devise a scheme that
used less copper than would normally be the case. The scheme was
specified to use 13 Amp fused socket outlets, and several designs
for the plugs and sockets appeared. Only the square pin (BS1363)
system survives, but the round pin D&S system was still in use in
many locations well into the 1980s. This latter plug had the
distinctive feature that the fuse was also the live pin and
unscrewed from the plug body."

You've reminded me that I must take a photo of the sockets and plugs at my
father's house. His house was built for him in 1952 when rationing was still
in force. The sockets and plugs I have seen nowhere else. The circular plug
has a hollow (IIRC) brass cylinder earth with the live and neutral placed
west to east. These prongs are similar in shape to the conventional plugs we
use today. The socket (and presumably at least this in the wiring) is
capable of 15 amps. This plug has a socket that allows a smaller plug of
similar style but smaller dimensions to be inserted in it that can carry a
load of 5amps.

I've watched discussion on this group and others over the years and Googled
but have never found reference to these.

The wiring now in the house is a wonder to behold consisting of this basic
system and conventional UK system today. It's safety? - well he's still
alive at 85. Though I recall him taking a whack from the mains when he was
installing wall mounted lights along the staircase. I was beside him
learning how to do these things. I must have been all of 8 or 9 years old at
the time. The victim wooden handled screwdriver which had a divot out of the
side of the blade as a result of this escapade is still in his garage.

Central heating is also a bundle of fun combining a coke fired boiler and a
gas fired one.

My kids are accusing me of being behind the times. Though today, one of them
was happy to take a couple of garden chairs out of the A35 boot in order to
watch his brother playing cricket and spend time with his girlfriend reading
books. Says a lot about cricket for me!

Clot wrote:

You've reminded me that I must take a photo of the sockets and plugs at my
father's house. His house was built for him in 1952 when rationing was still
in force. The sockets and plugs I have seen nowhere else. The circular plug
has a hollow (IIRC) brass cylinder earth with the live and neutral placed
west to east. These prongs are similar in shape to the conventional plugs we
use today. The socket (and presumably at least this in the wiring) is
capable of 15 amps. This plug has a socket that allows a smaller plug of
similar style but smaller dimensions to be inserted in it that can carry a
load of 5amps.

I've watched discussion on this group and others over the years and Googled
but have never found reference to these.

Sounds like the old Wylex to me. There is a description on

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesti...gs_and_sockets

section 8.7. but no photo.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

"Chris J Dixon" wrote in message
...
Clot wrote:

You've reminded me that I must take a photo of the sockets and plugs at my
father's house. His house was built for him in 1952 when rationing was
still
in force. The sockets and plugs I have seen nowhere else. The circular
plug
has a hollow (IIRC) brass cylinder earth with the live and neutral placed
west to east. These prongs are similar in shape to the conventional plugs
we
use today. The socket (and presumably at least this in the wiring) is
capable of 15 amps. This plug has a socket that allows a smaller plug of
similar style but smaller dimensions to be inserted in it that can carry a
load of 5amps.

I've watched discussion on this group and others over the years and
Googled
but have never found reference to these.

Sounds like the old Wylex to me. There is a description on

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesti...gs_and_sockets

section 8.7. but no photo.

And I would expect Clot's Dad's house it not too far from Manchester.
My Grandmother had Wylex sockets, but her fusebox was more
intresting. I posted about it some time ago
http://groups.google.co.uk/groups/se...241&sitesearch

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

Chris J Dixon wrote:
Clot wrote:

You've reminded me that I must take a photo of the sockets and plugs
at my father's house. His house was built for him in 1952 when
rationing was still in force. The sockets and plugs I have seen
nowhere else. The circular plug has a hollow (IIRC) brass cylinder
earth with the live and neutral placed west to east. These prongs
are similar in shape to the conventional plugs we use today. The
socket (and presumably at least this in the wiring) is capable of 15
amps. This plug has a socket that allows a smaller plug of similar
style but smaller dimensions to be inserted in it that can carry a
load of 5amps.

I've watched discussion on this group and others over the years and
Googled but have never found reference to these.

Sounds like the old Wylex to me. There is a description on

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesti...gs_and_sockets

section 8.7. but no photo.


I think you are probably right. When I posted last night, I thought Wylex
but am not 100% certain.

Graham. wrote:
"Chris J Dixon" wrote in message
...
Clot wrote:

You've reminded me that I must take a photo of the sockets and
plugs at my father's house. His house was built for him in 1952
when rationing was still
in force. The sockets and plugs I have seen nowhere else. The
circular plug
has a hollow (IIRC) brass cylinder earth with the live and neutral
placed west to east. These prongs are similar in shape to the
conventional plugs we
use today. The socket (and presumably at least this in the wiring)
is capable of 15 amps. This plug has a socket that allows a smaller
plug of similar style but smaller dimensions to be inserted in it
that can carry a load of 5amps.

I've watched discussion on this group and others over the years and
Googled
but have never found reference to these.

Sounds like the old Wylex to me. There is a description on

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesti...gs_and_sockets

section 8.7. but no photo.

And I would expect Clot's Dad's house it not too far from Manchester.
My Grandmother had Wylex sockets, but her fusebox was more
intresting. I posted about it some time ago
http://groups.google.co.uk/groups/se...241&sitesearch


Not too far away. In N Wales. If you went a mile or so further west you
would be in the Irish Sea.

"Clot" wrote in message
...
Chris J Dixon wrote:
Clot wrote:

You've reminded me that I must take a photo of the sockets and plugs
at my father's house. His house was built for him in 1952 when
rationing was still in force. The sockets and plugs I have seen
nowhere else. The circular plug has a hollow (IIRC) brass cylinder
earth with the live and neutral placed west to east. These prongs
are similar in shape to the conventional plugs we use today. The
socket (and presumably at least this in the wiring) is capable of 15
amps. This plug has a socket that allows a smaller plug of similar
style but smaller dimensions to be inserted in it that can carry a
load of 5amps.

I've watched discussion on this group and others over the years and
Googled but have never found reference to these.

Sounds like the old Wylex to me. There is a description on

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesti...gs_and_sockets

section 8.7. but no photo.


I think you are probably right. When I posted last night, I thought Wylex
but am not 100% certain.


Back to the topic - surely it would be better to swivel the dummy earth pin
and then the problems of the wires having to move relative to the pins is
not an issue