Many years ago (in December 2002 to be precise) Hutch motivated for a new international plug based upon an ANZAC standard but this time the right way up .

I am glad to see that government agencies are taking note of the content of ECN when implementing their new standards. Bill please note. Students of electrical history may wish to review the first developments of this international protocol here .


Mongolia , long time satellite state of the Soviet Union and rejoicing in its new found identity is slowly shaking off the trappings of Mother Russia . The alphabet is still Cyrillic but English is creeping in and they have adopted the ECN#1 Standard socket protocol. On a recent visit – during which I comprehensively tested these new standards – by plugging and unplugging some of their equipment – I obtained the following pictures exclusive to ECN – remember you saw it first here folks!

Country No.1 of ECN#1:-


Larger image is available here

Unfortunately, pressure from the Chinese has allowed their ungrounded NEMA 1-15 plugged appliances to receive the full 230V. ECN Standards officers have noted the derogation of ECN#1.

For the record the original is illustrated below:-




Whilst lacking the sleeved phase pins of the full ECN#1 Standard their plugs are nonetheless of a sensible proportion. Please note the 90º exit angle of the cable in accordance with ECN#1.


Larger image is available here .

{ All images now moved to ECN server }



[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 06-24-2006).]

Unfortunately the derogation on ECN#1 has led to abuse - as was anticipated when this exacting standard was proposed. In the same establishment as the other pictures were obtained a BS546 5A (?) plug with out-the-back cable had had its earthing (grounding) protection recklessly bypassed in order to fit the composite Chinese two pin sockets.




There are parts of Mongolia where these cutting-edge standards have not yet been implemented for instance in the provincial town of Arvayheer (pron. arrow-head!; location here ). Solar panels charge a 12V battery in this traditional Mongolian gyrr – a strong wooden-framed tent developed in the days of Ghengis Khan and able to withstand the devastating winds of the Gobi desert. I will say that their shaking during strong winds is robust!


Larger image is available here

This Mongolian equivalent of the Watford Gap Services (US=Turnpike Diner) doubles as a home after hours. Simple but nutritious lunches are freshly prepared while you wait. Today it was chunks of mutton (OK), augmented by lumps of solid fat ( ) tossed with rare vegetables (there’s not a lot of these in Mongolia) and mixed with pasta (Marco Polo took this recipe back to Italy where it became all the rage). All is cooked with great heat over the stove (center) by burning sun-dried horse droppings. In my innocence, I thought they were charcoal brickettes until I asked!

[This message has been edited by Hutch (edited 06-21-2006).]

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[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 06-24-2006).]

That is the Australian and New Zealand plug upside down !!

or not ?

We live in the "Down Under" perhaps it is down side up here ?

Perhaps Mike (Trumpy) can explain.

That's your standard PRC combination type socket plate.

Fits American, Euro and Aussie plugs. All are standard in China.

What's amazing is the whole thing manages to fit in a British sized box and you can use both sockets at the same time!

That looks like an Australian made HPM double GPO used for mounting on skirting boards or ducting close to the floor. The upside down configuration allows plugpacks and side entry plugs to fit.
The other alternative I've seen is to simply install a standard GPO upside down but I'm not sure that conforms to regulations given the switch operation is also reversed.

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[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 06-24-2006).]

Hutch,

Do we have any Patents pending??


Bill

Ray,
I've spent all these years, trying to convince Paul that we are up the right way and you go and blow that out of the water!!.
Shame on you!.



[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 06-23-2006).]

Excuse my ignorance but I have to ask. In this pic Here are both outlet delivering the same voltage? or diferent voltages.

In the uk the top outlet would be for a shaver only

Both sockets deliver the same voltage; whatever the plate happens to be connected to.

If it's connected to a 110 volt circuit, it will deliver 110 volts. If it's a 220 volt circuit, then it will deliver 220 volts.

Hi Kenbo, yes Sven is right. The abused plug had its earth pin removed so it would fit those 'shaver' contacts in addition to the other plug in the "ECN#1". One was the TV the other the video.

What, are replacement two-pin plugs that hard to come by in Mongolian electrical supply stores?

For three hours one night in Ulaan Bataar where I took those photos, electricty was hard to come by . Luckily I was equiped for the bush, had a torch (flash-light), and managed to blag my way into the bar which they had temporarily closed due to the darkness

[This message has been edited by Hutch (edited 06-24-2006).]

My apologies Ian and thanks to Paul for correcting my mistakes.
I would have corrected it myself, had it not been for a return from a fire call.
Those that were in the Chat room would know that I have a badly sprained wrist and managed to fall on one of Vikki's old cactii.
Renosteinke reckons it's broken, I'd disparage that, but boy does it hurt!!.
I'm off to the Dr in the morning, I don't want an infection.
Thanks guys, keep ice and moss off your driveway.

... and remember a cactus isn't really a nice house plant!

Ever since somebody downed a cactus at a holiday apartment and we all had tiny needles in our hands and feet I hate those ugly stingy beasts!

Say it with flowers - send her a triffid!

[This message has been edited by Alan Belson (edited 06-25-2006).]

That actually looks like the same standard outlet that has been adopted in China i.e. like the Aussi plug but not quite.

Ian,
Mongolia, I can't place it on a map.
Was this a place that was part of the old USSR?.
Is this like a simple stir-fry?.
Except most stir-fry uses beef.

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 06-27-2006).]

Interesting thing offered to me by John Steinke (Reno).
It is rather wierd how a place that can grow moss due to it's dampness, can also have cactii growing there.
I always thought that Cactii hated damp conditions.
I told Vikki when she was here that she'd never get them to grow, (considering that they are in the shade most of the time).
Good Lord was I wrong!!.
I just have to find a way to get rid of them without killing the Rubbish-Boy!.
I always thought them Cactii would be a Bad idea.

Both Sven and Dave are quite correct that it is a standard Chinese socket in an international hotel in Ulaan Bataar . I also came across the configuration in many other places in town and only a few examples of the Russian two round pin type.

Having proposed this configuration prior to knowing Chinese systems, I couldn't resist a tongue-in-cheek congratulation to a very nice country and an equally good bulletin board.

Mike, This map from the CIA might help you find it in the larger context. On old maps it was often shown as part of the USSR.

And in case you're wondering why the CIA has it on their website you should be aware that they also have this one!

An overview of Ethiopia and Equatorial Guinea are nearly available for ECN subscribers if so desired.

[This message has been edited by Hutch (edited 06-27-2006).]

Blast Ian,
I should have known.
Those of us from the comfort of our homes would have seen Ewen MacGregor pass through there on his tour around the world by motorcycle.
A very worthy DVD set to get, or you can do like Hutch did and just go there!.
2 questions Ian, if I may.
What was the best part of the trip?
What was the worst part of the trip?.
You must have been well fed compared to Siberia.
Never saw any vehicles this time, where there none?.

Ian,
Thank the Lord for that,
I thought that pic was going to come out on my house.
I might let some sky-rockets off on the 5th of November, but whle I hate most governments and I have an explosives licence, the two are purely co-incidental and should never be talked about together in unknown company.
{I am of course kidding, I would never harm another human being and niether would Ian}

Just to prove that we’re all mad – and that sometimes the sad fact of genetics burdens ones offspring – my daughter came home from a school trip to Spain and said, “Dad, I have a present for you!”, and presented me with a photograph she took especially for me, of a Spanish wall socket. “I thought you and your ECN buddies would like it”.

Even though blood is thicker than water, I cannot justify a new thread for this unique offering and therefore – completely off topic – I must present this primary contribution here.



Mods – please don’t copy this to the server!

KT gave the following technical details:- “… it was on the wall by the bed.”

There is no hope for this family!


[This message has been edited by Hutch (edited 07-07-2006).]