h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I thought that the days of selling goods without plugs in the UK were long gone. This is a really useful entry, but most electrical goods come with a plug attached that can't be removed. Which is a pain in the nect because if you want to put the lead through a conveniant gap so that (say) you can put your washing machine under the counter and can feed the lead through a hole then put the plug back on safely. Rather than have to cut the thing off and risk blowing yourself up.

Err, surely you only risk blowing yourself up if you cut the lead while it's still plugged in?

I sort of meant when you stuck the lead back together with superglue, and *then* blew yourself up.

Ahhh. Surely stripping part of the flex and reattaching the plug properly would be a better bet? Just a thought

Maybe we need an entry on that, as well? It just seems a bit more dangerous that simply changing a plug.

Well, all it would require would be to strip an inch or so off the outer casing of the flex to expose the wires, that's not really enough for an entry...

Then how do you get them back together?

If you were doing this with a fitted plug, you'd probably need to buy a new plug. The fitted plugs usually have an impossible-to-open outer casing, which would be hazardous to use if you *did* get it open.

Ahh, I see what you mean Mina! Yes, Justin's right, you're need a new plug.

Interesting point about fitting plugs through holes. Don't modern offices come with those big holes though that have plastic things which sit in them, so you can solve this exact problem.

I must admit, I've never fitted a plug, nor do I know how to do so. But seeing as I'll never need to, what with everything coming with plugs, I wont bother to learn either. Ah! The idleness of youth!

I don't understand electricity either. I learnt it at GCSE but nope, still don't get it. There's just too many variables. It doesn't make sense.

So in effect, anything that I buy that comes with a plug fitted, I might as well go and buy a new plug at the same time. Because I want my wires all neatly behind things, and I don't want to have to leave a plug-sized gap at the back of all my unit. Oh for the days when goods didn't come with plugs fitted already...

But glad we got that point cleared up.

I think the advantage of having plugs fitted outweighs the disadvantage of being able to neatly wire things, but maybe that's just me...

That's because you're a student, and you just don't care...

Frankie... too many variables to electricity? It's easy, it either works or it doesn't, and if it doesn't there's a 50/50 chance it's going to explode/go up in flames/give you an instant afro (delete as applicable)...

Don't what ever you do move country... Ever had to rewire every single piece of electrical equipment you own? I had to about 6 years ago!


By the way... anyone want to buy about 40 second hand english plugs - one careful owner - going cheap

>>> 'one careful owner'

How many not-so-careful owners though?

One important point is missed. The earth wire should always be left with plenty of slack so that, if somebody trips over the cable, the earth wire is the *last* to be disconnected. If all three wires are of equal length (or worse still if the earth wire is tight) then the earth wire could be pulled out of its connector while the other two wires remain connected. A most dangerous situation. This wouldn't matter if you could rely on the clamp, but you can't.

Therefore, whenever *I* fit a plug, I put a loop or kink in the earth wire to ensure that it's the longest.

Another point:

In many plugs the cable clamp is reversible. If you look at it carefully, you'll see that it clamps more tightly when it's one way round. This is to accommodate three wire cable and twin wire cable. It's most important to check this and insert it correctly.

Another point:

Some cables have the copper strands bared and soldered. Solder "creeps" under pressure, leaving the connection loose. Therefore it's most important to cut off soldered ends so that only the very tip of the wire (just 1mm) is left soldered. The connection screws must be tightened down onto bare copper, not solder, to avoid the effects of solder "creep".

Finally, some imported plugs are badly manufactured. The most common fault is a fuse clip which is badly secured by a loose rivet or screw. Make sure the fuse clip is held tightly, otherwise arcing and burning can occur. Some fuse clips are made from the brass pin itself. Brass is not inherently springy and the fuse can be left loose. I've also seen imported fuses which become hot because the end caps did not clamp the internal fuse wire tightly. If the fuse gets hot, replace it.

Martin

Having just read about the problem of not being able to get the flex with plug up from under a worktop counter, I thought of a solution;
pass an extention lead down from above, the thickness of the extention lead socket end is generally a lot thinner than a plug.

Yes... but how much more expensive is an extension lead than a plug? Plus you'd probably have a lot of spare flex somewhere - either getting in the way, or coiled up, which generally isn't a good thing.

True, but some extention lead are actually quite short, and you could even plug more than one appliance in too.