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Posted By: SvenNYC "Handle-less" plug caps - 11/28/05 08:49 PM
I'd really love to get my hands on the guy who invented these ... and give him a piece of my mind.

These handle-less plug caps are an absolute pain to pull out of a wall socket. Apparently the only way of getting these things disconnected without getting bitten is to yank on the wire itself.

The few electrical items I've had the pleasure (hah) of working on that had these plugs; I had to do just that, otherwise my fingers would have gone over the rim and touched the pins or the terminal screws in the front as the cap came loose from the wall socket.

What was so hard about molding a handle on the plastic shell of the plug? I've seen other varieties that are just as old that do have handles (pretty much the kind of replacement cap you see nowadays).

Talk about bad design. I just wonder what the reasoning was behind making them this way.

[Linked Image from hudsonscustommachining.com]

[Linked Image from hudsonscustommachining.com]

[Linked Image from hudsonscustommachining.com]
Posted By: NORCAL Re: "Handle-less" plug caps - 11/29/05 12:19 AM
Those "live front" plugs are a violation of section 410-56(g) (2002 NEC)and have been since Jan. 1 1978 (see 1975 NEC). When I get one it is usally destroyed.
Posted By: HotLine1 Re: "Handle-less" plug caps - 11/29/05 12:46 AM
Sven:
Talk about finding some really, really OBSOLETE goodies!!!!

Ya got three good brands. How about "Leviton"?? I thought that 'Rodale' was a private label for a defunct supply house here in NJ; guess not.

Find a dumpster.

Looks like some of the 'materials' that are in an ad from a place in NYC; think it's BQE supply, or something like that.

John
Posted By: LK Re: "Handle-less" plug caps - 11/29/05 01:39 AM
Sven,

Are you going to the Antique Road Show ?

Norcal, dumpster stock.
Posted By: wa2ise Re: "Handle-less" plug caps - 11/29/05 02:26 AM
Well the ones in the top picture do have a ridge your fingers could get a grab onto. And there's the cardboard inserts (that usually get lost) to cover the terminals.

What can be "fun" is when a user has one of these plugs with the terminal screw a bit loose and he goes to plug it into an outlet with a metal cover plate that is grounded....
Posted By: SvenNYC Re: "Handle-less" plug caps - 11/29/05 03:15 AM
Well...the pictures (and this pile o' plugs) aren't mine.

They were "nicked" from the website of an antique fan collector. This is his stash and he sells the buggers. Apparently they're much coveted among the antique appliance and lamp collector crowd.

I don't destroy all live front plugs. I like the ones with the handles. But when I run across one of these, I usually use them tovent my frustrations. [Linked Image]

Seriously though...what possessed manufacturers from designing a plug that is so difficult to safely withdraw from its socket.
Posted By: Lostazhell Re: "Handle-less" plug caps - 11/29/05 05:54 AM
Quote
I thought that 'Rodale' was a private label for a defunct supply house here in NJ; guess not.

The house I grew up in had Rodale for the 3 prong outlets and Hemco for the NEMA 1-15's. This was in Santa Ana, CA...

I did come across an old supply house in San Diego once (est. 1932) that had some old-new stock, still in the boxes from the likes of Rodale, Sierra, H&H, Paulding, Slater, Lew fittings and of all things, FPE! [Linked Image]
Posted By: NORCAL Re: "Handle-less" plug caps - 11/29/05 06:08 AM
If my memory serves me correct, Rodale was owned by the Square D Company like Bell electric was, Bell now part of Hubbell.
Posted By: pauluk Re: "Handle-less" plug caps - 11/29/05 12:12 PM
Change the flat blades for round prongs, and these are pretty similar to some of the plugs which were common in Britain in the 1940s/early 1950s. Most of ours were deadfront though, with wiring carried out by unscrewing the cap from the base.

[Linked Image]


[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 11-29-2005).]
Posted By: HotLine1 Re: "Handle-less" plug caps - 11/30/05 12:37 AM
Guys, thanks for the input on "Rodale".
The 'house' I mentioned was owned by a family with that name; that's were I made the corrolation, but, alas I'm wrong.

John
Posted By: trollog Re: "Handle-less" plug caps - 11/30/05 01:26 AM
>>I did come across an old supply house in San Diego once (est. 1932) that had some old-new stock, still in the boxes from the likes of Rodale, Sierra, H&H, Paulding, Slater, Lew fittings and of all things, FPE! <<

San Diego Electric Supply down on University in the college area perhaps? I did a service call down there (lots of 50's/60's vintage houses down there..) on a house with an old touch plate system in it and I went there to get some parts.. great place.. but some of their stock looks like it came from an antique shop. Great parts source for fixin' those old houses though.
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