2 Pin plug query

cubix

Lads what is the side affect of cuttting off a 2pin plug and sticking a 3pin one on. IF none why do things like shavers and electrical toothbrushs come with them

Cheers

Steve

The 2 pin plugs can be used in the bathroom shaver sockets that use an isolation transformer.
You're less likely to be electrocuted if there's a fault or if the appliance falls into a sink full of water etc.

You're perfectly safe cutting the plug off and wiring a 3-pin, just don't use them in the bathroom any more.

DublinDilbert

SteveC wrote: »

You're perfectly safe cutting the plug off and wiring a 3-pin, just don't use them in the bathroom any more.

Ummmmmmmmm Be very careful what you cut off!!!! :eek:

Some of the 2 pin plugs actually contain the transformer for the appliance.

Alot of wet-shavers have the transformer built into the plug, so the "wet" shaver can be plugged in after use and not cause a safety issue.

Be 100% sure it is just a plug, with no built in transformer...

Steve

Very true, DublinDilbert, good point.

cubix, if it looks like the plug in this pic (disregarding the adapter) then it's not a transformer and is OK to cut off.
Alternatively, just buy an adapter.

cubix

Cheers lads;)

samhail

i dont know its too simple to mention that the 3rd pin is for the earth, and the 2pin cable wont have an earth.

dingding

Wont be a problem as the 2 pin plug does not have an earth connection as the device is double insulated.

Solair

cubix wrote: »

Lads what is the side affect of cuttting off a 2pin plug and sticking a 3pin one on. IF none why do things like shavers and electrical toothbrushs come with them

Cheers

They put special plugs on shavers/toothbrushes to ensure that you can't plug anything with a normal 3-pin plug into a shaver socket in a bathroom. These can typically only supply <1 amp. The plugs used on Ireland/UK shavers and toothbrushes are actually a strange non-standard plug, nothing to do with those used on the continent even though they look similar. The pins are shorter, fatter and closer together. You cannot plug a UK/IRL toothbrush plug into a European socket without an adaptor.

If it's a normal continental european plug, you can safely cut it off and wire an Irish/UK 3-pin plug.

European plugs explained:

Note, the larger continental 'schuko' plugs ARE earthed and should not be used with non-earthed adaptors or shaver sockets.



The pins are live and neutral, earth is the strip on either side of the plug, this makes contacts with retaining clips the socket.

These are a German system originally and have become the de facto standard across most almost all of Europe (and were used in Ireland at one stage too!)

There is also a french version (used in France, Belgium and some other countries) uses a protruding earth pin on the socket ...



The modern European CEE 7/7 plug fits both types of socket perfectly, and is the only type of plug you'll find sold these days in most of Europe -



These plugs and sockets are rated 16 amps.

There is also a non-grounded version for appliances which do not require an earth:



Note: with the above system, the socket is recessed so you cannot touch the pins of the plug when you are inserting it. It's a VERY safe system.

Then you've got the simple, small non-earthed "Europlug" used on small appliances (up to 2.5 amps)



Note: These require sheathed pins as they can be used with non-recessed sockets found in other countries like Italy, Denmark etc or obsolete non-grounded sockets found in old buildings.

These are generally not sold as a re-wirable plug, they are always moulded onto the appliance cable.

You'll typically find these on small appliances e.g. TVs, DVD players etc..

byte

Interesting post, Solair. I'm surprised that we used schuko in Ireland!

Why in God's name did we drop schuko, in favour of the UK square pin plugs?

Am I right in thinking that the UK square pin plugs we use now, are the only ones that have internal fuse?

Solair

Ireland originally pretty much followed German and Swedish standards as ESB was heavily influenced by Siemens and ASEA which were its main suppliers for many years. As a result, we adopted German-style fuses (the DZ beer bottle fuses we all recognise, these aren't used in the UK) and "schuko" plugs.

Somehow, due to a lack of proper standards enforcement we ended up using the UK round pin plugs, albeit without an official standard having been declared by the Government or the ESB.

The result was by the 1960s we'd a complete mess of Schuko and round pin British plugs in use simultaniously. The British system itself had about 8 different incompatable plugs.

The UK introduced the current square pin plugs specifically so that they would be incompatable with older systems in use in the UK and to avoid dangerous situations where older sockets might accept new plugs or where earthing might not work.

Ireland had a similar mess, so I can only assume that the current UK square system was adopted here too for similar reasons. It made it easier to force everything else to be phased out and tidyed up. They also introduced standard shuttered sockets (also available on schuko thesedays)

It also ensured that we had only one type of socket in use on the Island of Ireland, rather than one system 'up north' and one system 'down south'

I'd say had we been thinking in a more "european" context i.e. post 1970s, we might not have adopted the British system, however at the time the UK was our biggest influence.

Yeah, the current BS1363 plugs used in the UK and Ireland are the only normal plugs that contain an internal fuse. It's only there because of ring circuits. i.e. where a ring circuit is used, the only protection is a 32amp fuse/breaker. So, to protect the appliance and its flex a fuse has to be provided locally i.e. in the plug.

Other systems elsewhere use radial circuits only i.e. typically 16amp circuits. This is also the case in many Irish houses, but ring circuits are permitted (although there's a re-think going on about that at the moment)

In the UK sockets are almost always on a ring circuit, it's rare to find radials.

It's arguable as to whether the 13amp fuse actually provides any safety benefit when used on a radial circuit. I have had plenty of cases where a short circuit has tripped a 20amp circuit breaker before it blew the fuse in the plug! The plug fuses aren't exactly fast blowing, they seem to be designed to allow a fault to go on for quite a few seconds before melting.