About Us

In message ,
) wrote:
Newsgwoups:uk.d-i-y

Just moved into a 1970s house. It seems to have a lot of the original
electrics still installed.

70s wiring is usually fine in most respects. A few tweaks here and
there and it can be brought fully upto modern spec.

The gas CH boiler is connected to the mains by means of a 3-pin plug
with *round* pins going into a 3-round pin socket. There is a
separate
fused on/off switch for the boiler adjacent to this socket.

Should I swap the round-pin plug and socket for a modern "bayonet"
type
or doesn't it matter?

Nowt wrong with round pins, if the fittings are of decent quality.
Early round pin fittings OTOH were sometimes quite dangerous:
somewhere I've got a wooden 2 way adaptor with live socket metalwork
so close to the surface that if you touched the thing to unplug it
you'd get electrocuted. I believe this was one of the motivations for
the change to the new square pin system, to get the really dangerous
stuff out of use, of which there was much still in use.

Ideally the plug should be marked BS548 (IIRC) (not 'BS548 gauge'),
have half insulated pins, and the socket should have shutters blocking
the L and N holes - but its a very minor misdemeanour if they dont.
If, as is less likely, the mains plug is carved from wood, I would
expect to need to replace some things.

On a related point, the mains fuse unit is old but seems OK. Should I
replace it with the modern type that "pop out" when a fuse blows?

Those conform to the latest safety regs, and can still be fitted.
Improved protection can be obtained by fitting MCBs in place of the
wire fuses if you wish. If you do decide to upgrade, type C MCBs on
lighting are much less likely to cause nuisance trips than the more
common type Bs.

If you are competent to diy it, a new CU would give further minor
advantages for no more money, but more work.

NT

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Round pin plugs/sockets	[email protected]	UK diy	30	January 8th 05 01:20 AM
can a small round table expand to large round dining table exist?	sab	Woodworking	19	December 19th 04 03:08 AM
does a round table that expands to a larger round table exist?	sab	Woodworking	0	December 16th 04 11:57 PM
Footings crossing boundary	Rockydell	UK diy	28	February 24th 04 07:19 AM
Residential wiring: round box & outlet?	Sofie	Electronics Repair	3	December 11th 03 05:37 PM

Menu

About Us