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Joined: Aug 2002
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OK, as promised, here are inside views of that combo US/Australia plug:

These pictures are on a photobucket account Hopefully the moderators can save the pictures on ECN so they don't get lost if I dump or lose the photobucket account.

{ Copied to ECN server - Paul }

These are links you have to click on. They are large pictures:
https://www.electrical-contractor.net/PC/MVC-798F.jpg https://www.electrical-contractor.net/PC/MVC-799F.jpg https://www.electrical-contractor.net/PC/MVC-796F.jpg



[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 01-05-2006).]

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That's a neat design, so long as when you wire the plug you reassemble it with the teeth intermeshed properly and the blades parallel.

Quote
I'm thinking of things like electric jugs and old toasters with flip down sides.

That was common here too, although I wonder whether they were made that way because switched outlets were common. (Chicken & egg?)

Some British kettles, irons, and so on in the 1940s/1950s came with a big connector on the appliance end which had an integral switch, often a heavier version of the "pushbar" type of switch you could find on lampholders.

At one time MK made a BS1363 plug which had an integral switch. As I recall, it was virtually an extra "layer" inserted between the basic plug base and the cover, making the plug pretty bulky. I think they even did one with a built-in neon indicator too.

Quote
Radios also didn't have switches, the reason being that because double pole switches did not exist as part of the volume control potentiometer and it was illegal to have a single pole switch in a portable appliance.

It seems that Australia has been pretty strict on this for a long time. Live-chassis radios and TVs with single-pole switches were very common here, and in those days many were fed via reversible two-pin plugs. In D.C. areas, those in houses fed from the negative pole had to have set running with the chassis live and, usually therefore, the switch in the neutral.

There were at least some manufacturers here who used potentiometers with double-pole switches though.

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Yeah, it's quite the interesting little device.

However, it is too flimsy for my taste. Also, the pins are thinner (in thickness of the metal) than most other plugs I've used and so the plug has the nasty habit of slipping out of some sockets that don't grip as tight.

The concept is good. It would just take someone to make a better quality version and market it.

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That is an interesting plug, I can see issues with the cord wearing out though, given the twisting.
Quote
At one time MK made a BS1363 plug which had an integral switch. As I recall, it was virtually an extra "layer" inserted between the basic plug base and the cover, making the plug pretty bulky. I think they even did one with a built-in neon indicator too.
Wow, someone else remembers them. We used to have them on all the 'electric fires' in our house due to not having switched sockets. My dad (an electrician) was insistent that the fire was turned off at its own switches, then the plug, and only then unplugged.

Does anyone else remember the very odd (large diamond shaped) plugs that would pretty much fit any available (UK) socket? You had to do various things like move plastic slides and 'screw out' the pins etc. Kind of like a large and well-built version of the travel adapter plugs, it also contained a BS1362 fuseholder. We had several on inspection (trouble) lamps. Most ingenious, but of course without sheathed pins, probably illegal now.

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djk Offline
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There were many ingenious workarounds for the anything but genious system that was the old british round pin system!

Having at least 3 types of 3 pin sockets and a couple of different 2 pin sockets none of which were remotely compatable made absolutely no sense at all.

Thankfully BS1363 arrived!

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Somewhere around here I have a 5-amp BS-546 plug from Hong Kong with a switch and neon in the cover.

Pretty neat device. I assume switched plugs are still found in the UK. I've seen them displayed on manufacturers' websites....usually located in China.

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djk Offline
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You can still buy switched plugs (BS1363). They're available in our local B&Q and Woodie's DIY stores.

I know people who like them for lamps as it's easier than digging around for the switch on the cord / fitting itself.

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Quote
Does anyone else remember the very odd (large diamond shaped) plugs that would pretty much fit any available (UK) socket? You had to do various things like move plastic slides and 'screw out' the pins etc.

Not the best of pictures I'm afraid, but here's one -- The "Fit-All" plug:

[Linked Image]

You move the slide at the bottom which exposes the appropriate pins, then when you turn the plug over they drop out ready for you to lock them into place:
[Linked Image]


Configured for BS1363:
[Linked Image]

For BS546 5 amp:
[Linked Image]


And for BS546 15 amp:
[Linked Image]

The earth pins for BS546 5 and 15A are actually concentric, so the 5A pin drops out from within the hollow 15A pin.



[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 01-08-2006).]

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The few appliances that didn't have integral switches here had connectors like Paul described. We never had switched outlets here and I don't really see a problem with it. The old toasters had an integral switch, at least ours and the few I've seen elsewhere.

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Paul:

What, no 2 amp??? [Linked Image]

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