I had a question from a client recently that has really got me thinking and was wondering if you guys could give me a hand with it?.
Here it is.
A guy is fitting out a new office space with quite a few computers and to prevent other things(like heaters) being plugged into the dedicated circuits, he wants to use a CEE 22
type(IEC 320 Female) outlet in a wall plate.
I tried to suggest he used a plug like the one below, but he wouldn't have it!
(Don't you just love people like this!).
Bear in mind that he will need quite a few of these (up to 100).
Has anyone heard of anything like this?.
Could you please help?.



[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 05-30-2003).]

Trumpy,

That socket certainly looks much cleaner than the IEC 320 Female would but one could still plug in class II two pin plugs into the computer system power. In South Africa we used different earth pin configurations to ensure exclusivity but there an earth pin was not optional. Do you have any configurations available that changes the geometry of the phase and neutral slots?

Hutch,
Thanks for that, I'd clean forgot about that aspect! .
The only other real options are to use a socket with two round Phase and Neutral pins and a flat Earth pin.
Or use a BS 1363 socket/plug arrangement.
This is the first time I've ever heard of a CEE 22 system being used like this!.
I think that the guy is just being conveniently difficult, anybody else would probably just get a decent heating system installed in the first place.
BTW, thanks for posting the pic, Bill!.

We also have special non-standard plugs which can be used for this purpose, but different manufacturers have adopted a different approach, so they're not interchangeable.

MK took a standard BS1363 plug and made the earth-pin slightly T-shaped. Crabtree changed the earth pin for one which was round with a flat along one side.

As Hutch pointed, none of these are availble as two-pin versions, so the problem described above wouldn't apply.

How about using NEMA 6-15 receptacles?

As a matter of interest, whatever arrangement is installed consideration would need to be given to the possibility of high protective conductor currents, especially if 100 points are to be made available. Also in three phase systems attention would need to be given to the affects of harmonics.
In the UK BS7671 2001 Section 607 applies.
I understand that in Canada circuits for IT equipment are restricted to 4 points.

Lyle,
Thanks for that.
Yes, harmonic currents are always in the back of my mind with these types of installations, I've had problems with them in the past.
100 points sounds a bit over the top, but I fail to see how you can have this many SMPS units on one supply(even 3phase).
I've never seen an office of this size(50x50m,by memory), having 100 PC's in it.

I've told the guy to just use standard plugs and size the supply cables appropriately, 2.5mm and 4mm.
He has offered to have a Ducted A/C system installed, to cut down on the likelihood of having heaters plugged into the points.

check the regs for earth cable sizes..

i am sure you have to run a paralell earth cable in computer suites

Trumpy,
We usually do the same here in Australia, we use a normal outlet for the computer supplies, and differentiate them by using a coloured outlet (usually green) for dedicated computer circuits.

I've seen schuko used quite a bit for UPS systems here in Ireland as an alternative connector. They're often used in labs, studios and other specialist areas including hospitals.

You can very easily get all plug-in power supplies (transformer plugs) with Schuko plugs and moulded on schuko - computer power leads are easily ordered in bulk.

Its a safe and simple alternative to BS1363 and generally prevents someone accidently plugging in a vacuum cleaner! The main risk is from cleaning staff. Portable heaters in an office would be pretty rare!

[This message has been edited by djk (edited 06-14-2003).]