ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades Plug most likely to be encountered in Greek hotel

If you want to see a BULKY plug try a 15 amp BS546 trailing socket / plug.

They're HUGE! We're talking 2inches by 2 inches. They look like they were specified for about 60 - 100 amps The pins are almost as thick as an average index finger!

They had absolutely no problem with falling out of the wall outlets either. Removing a plug was almost a two person operation and would usually leave cracks in the plaster work hehe. I think that's why the outlets were often switched!

Pulling the cable to remove the plug would have resulted in the cable snapping and breaking before the plug gave up and popped out.

BS1363 isn't THAT bulky when it's the moulded on non rewirable type. It's no bulkier than Schuko and the outlets are nicer since they're flush. Fancier ones are even completely flush (i.e. thin metal) so totally flat with the wall.

Yes, the 15A versions of BS546 really are what you might call over-engineering, aren't they?

I'd bet that most of them would quite happily carry 30A all day with no problems whatsoever.

Yeah, I did want to install them, but I can't really see reasons to install _ungrounded_ Italian receptacles. Except for the different shape (rectangular instead of round or square) they'Re just the same as Austrian ones. I frequently use ungrounded Austrian plugs in Italian receptacles. So I guess it doesn't make a real difference. OK, I gotta admit the singles are much smaller, only 1 by 2 inches. A double fit a standard round Austrian box and was rectangular. An Austrian receptacle of that time was round, 8cm in diameter. Some of the Italian sockets were even universal types that would take round pin plugs (4 and 4.8mm) and NEMA 1-15. Ticino D 445, rated 10A/250V.

OK, I was talking old rewireable ones. They _were_ bulky. I admit molded BS 1363 aren't really bulky (at least if you don't compare the ones with plastic earth pin to a Euro or molded NEMA 1-15 plug)

The guys at that flea market had really weird ideas. They were from the Thai embassy and had all sorts of crazy stuff for sale. Lots of 220V appliances with NEMA 1-15 plugs (from Thailand) and some stuff with BS 1363 plugs.
For example, there was a lamp, like a red basket shaped like a rocket, with three wrought iron feet. About 1.20m tall and ugly as hell. They wanted 50 Euro!

Ragnar,

Were they selling any old (1980s and older) radios?

220 volt appliances with NEMA plugs? Hmmm...sounds familiar.

I once saw an electric can opener in the 220-volt section of an electronics store with that sort of fitting. I thought someone had made a mistake on the assembly line and things got crossed.

Of course 110/220 volt switchable appliances usually come with NEMA cordsets. I have three no-name cheepie radios like that.

[This message has been edited by SvenNYC (edited 06-19-2003).]

Tex—pardon me; I was confused. In your first post it sounded like you were packing a hairdryer with adapter and not just an adapter.

Although, the right woman might make it worth bringing the hairdryer too!

NEMA 1-15 plugs on 220V equipment seems to be quite common in the Far East. My brother has a small toaster oven like that which he brought back from the Philippines.

They sold mostly household stuff from the past 20 years ( I remember 2 satellite receivers, a nice amplifier, a coffe roaster, a refrigerator, several lamps, a US Super Nintendo, a Japanese Famicom, some bicycles, couches made of bamboo and other stuff like that. Mostly worn-out rubbish (a quite modern Sony compact stereo with radio, CD and tape, the radio display doesn't work any more, the Famicom is lacking the power supply,...)
Some of the stuff was real cheap, like the Nintendo with 17 games for 15 Euro, but some other things were incredibly expensive. Most of the electrical stuff was 220V only and had NEMA 1-15 plugs (stamped 125V/7.5A...).

Don't really think the girls who go there would be worth the effort.. just thought I could bum the hairdryer if I had the adaptor... (this was actually what I tried to do back then in Italy), anyway, I don't really need one for my short hair. Just thinking about the possibility of being a nice guy
Monday in the afternoon I'll know...

I've seen NEMA plugs and sockets installed and used in specialist applications at 230V here in ireland and they were extremely unsatisfactory. They spark really badly when they're unplugged! I presume this doesn't happen at 110V?

We removed them and replaced them with non-standard keyed MK BS1363 plugs/sockets instead as they don't comply with any acceptable safety regs here.

Only acceptable outlets here are BS1363 (normal), Schuko and BS546 (old stuff and lighting only) and CeeForm industrial sockets.

Yes they do but only if the device is of sufficient high wattage and turned on at the time. That's been my personal experience.

I've run NEMA 1-15 volt plugs at 240 volts (my local voltage is 120 volts so I use a stepup transformer) and have never had a problem.

Three radios in my collection have 110/220 volt switchable power supplies and Nema 1-15 cordsets and operate with no problems.


[This message has been edited by SvenNYC (edited 06-21-2003).]

Sparking is pretty rare on either Schuko (proper Schuko i.e. recessed with earth clips) or BS1363 (or BS546) unless there's something wrong with the receptical

You can unplug a 3KW load from either system without any visible sparks.

Do Australian/NZ plugs spark? or italian?