ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades Colour Coded Plugs

Yes, exactly. Here in Austria at least the receptacle used to be grounded if made of metal (extra terminal screw for just bonding the receptacle casing), but later ones were usually made of light grey plastic. (The concrete mixer at the farm where I usually spend my summer holidays had such a plug, last year it was replaced with a red-grey one, but I think some equipment there still has the old plug.

Ranger:

Even when installed to code, with listings, these sockets are very dangerous. The earth stops working when worn, since it doesn't make proper contact with the casing (or earth "wiper") of the plug. The plugs/sockets are illegal to sell, lend or even give away. Here, the electric safety authority urge you to replace them with IEC 309.

Whew! Didn't know that, I'm not sure if it's as strict here in Austria. Anyway, they're pretty rare by now. I've got 2 old metal receptacles in my junk box. I found them in a cellar along with several complete Diazed panels.

Anyone remember the old Reyrolle plugs?, these were made of cast Aluminium?, and used a Scraping Earth contact arrangement.
They were banned here in 2000, we are still
removing them from Industrial sites, I got a
really good shock off of one of these plugs,
a few years ago, trying to unplug a motor in a glycol plant, in the freezing works, where I was working as an Electrician,
good to see these old plugs banned.

Ok, long talk, short conclusion, our "light duty 3ph plug" is widely known as Perilex plug, rated for 16A.
I saw the old "SEMKO 17" plugs being referred to as "widow makers" or "death plugs" in a german newsgroup (they were phased out in Germany in the early 80ies), Perilex plugs are still legal.
Is it correct that SEMKO 17 plugs only had 3ph + PE? I always thought they were 3ph + N.

>Is it correct that SEMKO 17 plugs only had
>3ph + PE? I always thought they were 3ph + N.

I've seen three pin plugs here, but I think they are intended for 230V 3-ph. Normally, they are 4-pin, as far as I know. (3ph + N + PE)

Stupid question, I just had to take a look at my old ones in the glory box. They have 4 pins, labelled R,S,T and ground, i.e. no neutral, which seems logical, as they were almost only used for large motors.

Ehhh? Four pins, no neutral? Then the earth is on one pin, not on the scrape earth case?

Which reminds me of another question: Does anyone know why much of Europe adopted the letters R, S, and T as phase designations?

Based on the memory of Italian grape-crushing equipment in the 1970s, the leads from wye-delta magnetic starters were UVW and XYZ.