How (not) to wire an extension lead
 

My local B&Q has just been tarted up in even more orangey orange than
before, and has been provided with a new selection of information boards
above the product shelves.

My eye was caught by "How to make an extension lead" in the electrical
aisle, which showed a 13A plug wired to a 2-pin "lawnmower" plug, and the
matching lawnmower socket wired to a bit of flex.

There was a similar example with a 3-pin "lawnmower" connector similarly
wired, with the plug half of the connector to the mains supply and the
socket half to the appliance.

I had to think long and hard about it, because I couldn't believe someone
would have done such a simple thing wrong on a "how to" display.

The duty manager thanked me for bringing this to her attention and granted
me 20% off everything I was buying as a gesture of goodwill. As this was one
switch and a back box I didn't get the saving I could have made had I gone
wild in Power Tools, but nonetheless £1.60 saved is starvation postponed for
about four meals.
I shall look and see if the display has been corrected next time I'm in.
Especially if I'm buying something where 20% discount would be well
worthwhile getting. And who knows, it might save a toddler's life by
stopping Numpty Daddy following B&Q's example. (Like I care about toddlers
anyway.)

Also was interested to see that B&Q are selling, I think MK brand, round-pin
plugs that aren't sleeved. One of the packages said "suitable for table
lamps" so I think it's clear these are intended for domestic use rather than
stage. I thought that unsleeved pins even on round pin plugs was illegal
now, but wasn't so sure of my grounds so didn't raise that this time.

Owain

There was a similar example with a 3-pin "lawnmower" connector similarly
wired, with the plug half of the connector to the mains supply and the
socket half to the appliance.

Owain

Ok, everyone off to your local B&Q pronto...

Dave

--

Some people use windows, others have a life.

I bet the B & Q manager loves you!

"Paper2002AD" wrote
| I bet the B & Q manager loves you!

If she's any sense she does, if there was a ££,£££ lawsuit for someone
injured or killed because of wrong instructions displayed in her shop she'd
probably lose her Manager of the Month Award.

Owain

"Owain" wrote in message
t...

My eye was caught by "How to make an extension lead" in the electrical
aisle, which showed a 13A plug wired to a 2-pin "lawnmower" plug, and the
matching lawnmower socket wired to a bit of flex.

The company I used to work for put me in a slightly dodgy hotel in Leeds a
few yrs ago. The bedside lamp wasn't working but I could see the filament
in the (clear) bulb was intact. I then noticed that the flex into the lamp
was different to the flex into the socket, so figured that whatever joined
it together had come apart.
The flex ran between the bed and the wall, so I stuck my arm down the side
of the bed and (here's the bit I did wrong) working from the socket end
traced flex towards the lamp - I discovered the problem fairly quickly when
I got to the exposed prongs of the connector plug! Nice burn on my finger
where I'd shorted the 2 prongs.
The hotel owner had fitted it (and many others in other rooms) himself.

In article ,
"Owain" writes:

Also was interested to see that B&Q are selling, I think MK brand, round-pin
plugs that aren't sleeved. One of the packages said "suitable for table
lamps" so I think it's clear these are intended for domestic use rather than
stage. I thought that unsleeved pins even on round pin plugs was illegal
now, but wasn't so sure of my grounds so didn't raise that this time.

BS546 plugs don't have sleeved pins.
Contact is only made in the socket in the final few millimetres,
and that combined with a minimum distance from the pin to the
edge of the plug makes them IP2X (British Standard finger proof).

The only special requirement is that the sockets must be shuttered
for domestic use. Unshuttered sockets can be used in commercial/
industrial situations. The square plate sockets MK make are, but
the BESA box sockets (which I doubt anyone still makes) weren't.

I use the 2A BS546 sockets for table lamps which are switched at
the door and run from the lighting circuit. I use the Klik sockets
for fixed equivalents, like under cupboard lighting. Before these
existed, I used clock points for the same purpose.

--
Andrew Gabriel

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote
| Also was interested to see that B&Q are selling, I think MK brand,
| round-pin plugs that aren't sleeved.
| BS546 plugs don't have sleeved pins.
| Contact is only made in the socket in the final few millimetres,
| and that combined with a minimum distance from the pin to the
| edge of the plug makes them IP2X (British Standard finger proof).
| The only special requirement is that the sockets must be shuttered
| for domestic use. Unshuttered sockets can be used in commercial/
| industrial situations.

That's the distinction I was thinking about, but confused plugs with
sockets.

Thanks

Owain

In message , Andrew Gabriel
writes
I use the Klik sockets
for fixed equivalents, like under cupboard lighting.

Tried Googling for these but couldn't find anything, do you have a link?

--
Chris French, Leeds