Paul,
In the Safety Discussion Area, recently you were asking what a PDL 30 connector was.
I mucked up the code of this, it's actually a PDL 60 series of fittings that were used over here in domestic installations, during the 60's and 70's.
Here's a picture of a single socket-outlet, from this range.

These came with or without switches and some also had a ribbon(twin-lead) TV outlet below the socket.

[Edited to add pic URL]

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 07-09-2003).]

Bill,
Is this picture OK?,
It's not too big is it?.
It's a bit out of focus!!.

Trumpy,

er ... Looks better if I squint ...
Just having some fun with you.

One suggestion, if you leave a blank line before and after the [img] code the words won't be so close to the picture.
Otherwise, you're doing fine.


Bill

Thank God,
I thought I needed to change my glasses again.

Cheers Bill!,
First pic from my camera I've posted.
Not a problem, with the extra line.
Sorry about the shock, George!.
I looked at it after I posted it and thought, MAN, that's big.
But, back to the topic at hand, these fittings are still around and have contributed to more than their fair share of Electrocutions.
The reason being, that the Earth has a couple of sprung brass contacts, that mate with the Earth pin when the plug is connected.
Long story short, over time, these spread apart, until finally the Earth pin of the plug makes no contact at all.
Then all you need is a faulty Earthed appliance connected and look out!.
BTW, chaps, as that socket-outlet is shown, in the pic, it is switched OFF!.


[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 07-10-2003).]

Glad you've got the camera working! I was going to ask if the switch worked the British way of up=off, but you beat me to it.

I think I'm right in saying that with the outlet oriented as shown the neutral will be the right-hand contact -- Correct?

That's the same as a British outlet (although ours are mounted ground up), but an American 120V receptacle oriented ground-down has neutral on the left.

Paul,
Yes, you're right about the phasing of this socket.
Also, (In VERY blurry writing) on each side of the Earth slot, it reads 240V 10A, but even drawing 7 or 8A out of these sockets, made them REAL warm.
And the switches, don't particularly like isolating Inductive loads either, there's only a gap(between the contacts) of about a mm when the switch is off!, I've had the odd late night phone call from elderly people, turning off the 2kW heater, before they go to bed, and the switch has thrown out sparks, with the heater switch still on.

Here's a light switch from this range:



These were rated at 5Amps and came in 1 and 2-way types, although I have never seen an Intermediate version of these switches.



[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 07-11-2003).]

My God, it's getting worse!, I can see this clearly, out on the street.

Yeah, that image is a little wide, but nevermind, we can see the switch!

Did these light switches suffer from similar quality problems as the receptacles, i.e. contacts weakening after a few years in service?

Paul,
Yes, the contacts never had a spring in them, as such, but just relied on the small toggle on the back of the rocker, to hold the switch open(OFF).
After a period of 15-20 years, people would find the lights would turn themselves on and off automatically, with a bit of sparking,too!.