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#134547 11/18/02 02:21 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
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Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Hi Guys,
Just a short question, I am aware that in Europe, you fella's use Industrial plugs that are colour-coded as to their voltage.
What do the colour's mean?.
I think there are Yellow, Blue, Red plugs,
are there any other colours?.
Are these plugs, an IEC Initiative?.
Your input please-

#134548 11/18/02 07:19 AM
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12
P
PJM Offline
Member
Been a while since I used them but from memory:

Yellow - 110v
Blue - 240v
Red - 415v

I'm sure someone will correct if I am wrong.

#134549 11/18/02 10:23 AM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
Red ones are pretty common in continental Europe as they're used to hook up any kind of 3 ph equipment. As stated in the 400V thread in this forum 400V is pretty common in residential work here.

#134550 11/18/02 01:35 PM
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,498
Likes: 1
C
C-H Offline
Member
From Walther Electric:

The voltage, of single rated Pin & Sleeve devices of the IEC 309 type, is determined by the location of the oversized female ground contact relative to the key-way located at the bottom of the housing. A clock face is used to represent the location of the ground sleeve for a specific voltage system. For example, a 3-ph 400 VAC receptacle or connector will have the oversized ground sleeve located in the 6 o' clock position. The corresponding grounding pin location on the plug or inlet is a mirror image of the female device. Devices of mismatched voltage systems simply cannot be mated. Each device is clearly marked with the voltage system for which it is intended to be used. The diagram below show the keying position and the color coding that is associated with each voltage system.

Plugs and receptacles rated 63 amps and above, feature an "electrical interlock" by way of a pilot pin on the plug and female sleeve on the receptacle that is shorter than the main pins. The pilot pin and female sleeve make contact last, and break contact first. The sequence turns the power on when the pilot pin and sleeve mate, and turns the power off before the phase contacts are disengaged. This prevents making or breaking the circuit under load.

[Linked Image from i.kth.se]


[This message has been edited by C-H (edited 11-18-2002).]

#134551 11/18/02 01:38 PM
Joined: Sep 2002
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C
C-H Offline
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Trumpy, if you don't use these: What do you use instead?

#134552 11/18/02 03:19 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
Probably the three most common types here are:

1. Yellow, 2-pole+ground, 110V. Used for building-site power tools.

2. Blue, 2-pole+ground, 240V. Used almost everywhere for regular 240V single-phase hook-ups, including campsites etc.

3. Red, 4-pole+ground for 240/415V three phase. Used extensively in industrial work.

Note that the voltage color coding is based on the maximum voltage present between any two poles, e.g. a 2-pole+ground connector for single-phase 127V would be yellow, but a 4-pole+ground type for 3-phase 127/220 would be blue.

#134553 11/19/02 01:18 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
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Trumpy Offline OP
Member
C-H,
We normally use PDL-Brand IP56/66 plugs over here, they come in any pin configuration from 3-pin single phase up to 63A 5pin + 2 control pins.
Wan't to know more about this system?
Go to www.pdl.co.nz and click on PDL Products,then click on Industrial, it should auto-scroll across to 56 Series, lots of other cool rubbish on this site. [Linked Image]

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 11-20-2002).]

#134554 11/19/02 07:46 AM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
Old 3 ph plugs were a greenish grey or light grey, flat 4 pole type, with equally sized but differently spaced pins. These are most likely to be encountered on old farms and in old workshops. Maybe I can take some pictures and post them.
Then we also had light-duty 3ph plugs with 4 round pins (like on a Schuko plug) in a square and a rectangular ground pin in the middle, widely used in small commercial environments (shops, supermarkets,...)

BTW, does anyone know where a plug with pins like a US 220V plug, but a little narrower and longer and a round ground pin could come from?

#134555 11/20/02 04:15 AM
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,498
Likes: 1
C
C-H Offline
Member
Trumpy:
Do Australia use these PDL-plugs too? Are they good? They look sturdy.

(The IEC 309 plugs I've encountered would probably survive a nuclear war...)

Ranger:
That sounds like it could be the same plugs once used here.

[Linked Image from i.kth.se]

These are becoming uncommon since they have a nasty habit of electrocuting people. (They are made of metal) Of a total of seven electrocutions in Sweden last year, two were caused by these plugs.

#134556 11/21/02 02:45 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
C-H,
Yes, these plugs and Socket Outlets are made to stand up to all sorts of Industrial abuse,
these plugs, are made to exclude all water, even when hit with a strong jet from a high-
pressure hose, hence the IP66 rating.
We do not use anything, that only would last
5 minutes, in our rigourous Industrial Plants.
They are also a dream to wire, too! [Linked Image]

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