Socket

fjon

I moved into a newly built apartment block a while ago. There are two strange sockets in the living room which look like regular ones, except the holes are round. Anyone have any idea wha they're for? Not that it matters too much, am just curious

Here's a pic:

allnight_2002

Looks like a round pin socket. You can get round pin plugs. But they are not that common any more. I have only seen them used in older houses.

SoBe

probably just a socket for a lamp,some places have them wired through a light switch on the wall others dont.i think it could be just a lighter rated circuit than the normal 13 amp socket suitable for lamps and small stuff

mad m

Hey give it a tap on top to the left and straighten it out a bit.... maybe socket is for those continental shavers or anything else that has a round pin seeing as were all part of the one big europe now....

Capt'n Midnight

Yeah they are OLD IRE/UK sockets - IIRC 15Amp unfused plugs
was there an elderly person there before you ?

You could get it converted to a square pin one - but since extension leads are so cheap probably not worth the hassle, also since it's almost certainly on the same ring as the one beside it you won't get any more power from it. If you do change get one with a switch - they are so much handier.

fjon

This is the funny thing - the apartment was only built in 2003. I find it strange that they would put old sockets into a brand new apartment.

It's more plausible that it would be for a lamp, although I don't know why they would bother with an extra socket for it.

And mad m - only noticed it was crooked now

fjon

I can't believe someone rated the picture! They gave it a 10.
There are some weirdos out there

SoBe

trust me its for a lamp m8

Victor

fli wrote:

probably just a socket for a lamp

I concur, it's probaly on the lighting circuit for that room.

fjon

Great, mystery solved!
Thanks all!

tapest

fjon wrote:

Great, mystery solved!
Thanks all!

Is it ??
Round pin sockets for lights usually have holes very close together for very small plugs. Round pin sockets with normal size gaps were usually for circuits larger than 13 amp. If its on lioghting circuit it won't have elcb / rcd protection...so phase tester in....trip elcb at fuse board....phase tester in.....
t

fjon

I think I know the ones you mean. In the bedrooms there are much smaller sockets with three round holes, close together as you say, which are used for the bed lights.

fjon

This is the socket in the bedrooms, and this seems to be the original socket I posted about. They just seem to be regualr 2A and 5A sockets. What would you use them for I wonder? The 2A is obviously just intended for lamps. Is this the same with the 5A?

Stoner

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tapest

fjon wrote:

This is the socket in the bedrooms, and this seems to be the original socket I posted about. They just seem to be regualr 2A and 5A sockets. What would you use them for I wonder? The 2A is obviously just intended for lamps. Is this the same with the 5A?

Hi Fjon
I must point out I'm not a sparks. Originally the small light plugs were for " low voltage" lead lamps in industry. " low voltage" then meant 25 volts....long before low voltage halogens were aroung....end of history lesson. Your two photos says it all, if you apply the following : Watt = volts x amps.
Be careful if you need an earth....pull socket face off and have a look ,if need be.
Your two photos are from english sites....so next time you near B & Q here(the english stores here usually sell english fittings....of which I'm not crazy) show them a photo...They're supposed to have informed helpers.
hope this helps
t

yop

"probably just a socket for a lamp,some places have them wired through a light switch on the wall "


That is it alright, wired up to one of the switches on the wall.

fjon

Of course! Now it makes sense. Explains why there is an extra light switch that does nothing!

SoBe

lol.........god im just too good

stag39

ok these 5amp sockets are used for pluging table lamps and other plug in lights into.. the original plugs from the table lamps etc will have to be changed to the 5amp type....then for example the individual switches on the lights can be left on ....and with the light switch beside the door which will be a 2gang ie. 2 switches one for the center ceiling light and one for the 5 amp sockets...

this is so that someone can switch on/off the table lamps with one flick of a switch...

these 5amp sockets have to be on the residual circuit device to comply with electrical regulations .

to install these in a new house/old house is the same price as for the 13amp sockets..that is why they are not common....

Jackz

The reason for using these sockets is that they can be controled by a light switch/ dimmer if you had a normal socket in its place and somebody plugged a 2kw oil filled radiator into it, it could possibly cause the contacts in the switch to fuse together but then if the circuit was protected by the correct mcb it would trip before this happened. The idea is to define what can be pluged into the circuit by the socket / plug type.

FX Meister

The contacts in a switch will not fuse together.

stag39

FX Meister wrote:

The contacts in a switch will not fuse together.

Ur right, as a 2kw load is only 8.8 Amps and a Light switch should be !0Amp rated, the circuit is nomally prorected by a 10 amp MCB but over time the contacts will pit/deteriate (sp..) and spark causing heat and possibly fire

Jackz may i point out,
light Switches by their own definition, switch lights wheather they, the lights are hard wired or plugged in to a 5 Amp Socket.

oh and before i go the reason for an RCD controlling the 5 Amp socket circuit is that any socket has a plug connected which has a flex, and if that flex or fitting happens to be damaged, ie. bare wires coming into contact with oneself, the RCD will trip the circuit, protecting against life ....

If in doubt about anything electrical, please contact a recommended qualifyied Electrican..there are too many cowboys out there !!


Sorry if i`m a little heavy handed but electricity does kill

stag39

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Yeah they are OLD IRE/UK sockets - IIRC 15Amp unfused plugs
was there an elderly person there before you ?

You could get it converted to a square pin one - but since extension leads are so cheap probably not worth the hassle, also since it's almost certainly on the same ring as the one beside it you won't get any more power from it. If you do change get one with a switch - they are so much handier.

Capt'n midnight for ur information they are not old you can still buy them in any electrical wholesalers...

do not convert them to 13 amp sockets which are the common square pin type, as they are 5 amp sockets supplied with a 1.5 square cable fused by a 6/10amp mcb

13 amp sockets are supplied by 2.5 square cable fused by a 20amp mcb..

Jackz

I never said a light switch was used to switch anything else. Sorry i didnt think about my example well enough. Plug something in that brings the A well above the rating for the switch then. I have seen a light switch used improperly for a high rated motor and it could not be turned off e.g. fused in some way.