Standard 3 Pin UK Plug 3A, White

Product Information

In my many decades i have noted the decline of in/on device fusing with a switch to rely upon the fuse mounted in the plug where it is only heavy power demand (kettle, toaster) that need the full 13 Amp fuse. As a basic electrical component, fuses are produced by many manufacturers in a huge variety of sizes, designs and ratings.

You would hope so Chris, but it is often not so these days as manufacturers make things cheaper and cheaper so they reply on upstream protective devices, nobody wants to pay for safe equipment, everyone wants cheap equipment. The wires are cut to the wrong length– To be fully correct, the coloured wires should have been cut at better lengths so that the white covering is fully into the plug before it is secured. The fuse inside: Fuses have been in UK plugs since World War 2; if there is an unexpected electrical surge, the fuse in the plug will blow cutting off the electricity supply. Fault protection, by automatic disconnection of supply in the event of a fault of negligible impedance within the appliance, or, within the cable. Slow Acting fuses include a delay mechanism that allows short, lower power electrical surges to pass through the circuit without the fuse blowing.Keyed mating alignment • Free hanging mounting style • Straight mounting angle • Black colour thermoplastic housin. The socket it plugs in to: It is very easy to access the mains electric in other countries by forcing a pointy metal object into the holes, but in the UK it actually takes a tremendous amount of skill and know-how to do the same. The 206434-1 from TE Connectivity is a CPC series 8 position circular I/O plug connector housing with shell size 11. For example on 500 W halogen floodlights it is normal to use a 5 A fuse even though a 3 A would carry the normal operating current. Lastly, an RCD is NOT the panacea of all evils, they do not protect against overload or short circuit, only live to earth faults.

The speed rating indicates how quickly the fuse will blow in response to excess current; a more sensitive fuse is a safer option. If the fuses are blowing on power up or in use, and these are IEC leads, are they the correct leads for the appliance. Keyed mating alignment type • Free hanging mounting style • Black colour thermoplastic housing • 5/8-24 UNEF-2A thread size • Straight.

They are more resistant to electric arcs when the fuse blows than DC fuses and more compatible with standard voltage power supplies.

IOSH is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any of the information contained in forum postings. Generally in this instance you will be having a 13 amp fuse in the fuse spur, feeding down to a 13 amp fuse in your plug,. The plug with its fuse for the appliance make the minimum protection required for your piece of equipment/appliance. This little bit of card is excellent – it shows you what length to cut the wires and where to put them, just make sure you take it off before plugging it in – it shows you exactly how to wire a plug.

T o the untrained eye it may not be obvious and you can be forgiven for missing the issues, for now. Fuses for cars function as protective devices for the many electrical components in modern vehicles. However a 13 amp fuse would be fitted as standard into the plug by the manufacturer, any fuse lower than even the 10 amp would fail. If you find that you have a three amp fuse in the fuse spur feeding down to your appliance, and using the calculations above, you have a requirement for 13 amp fuse, then the fuse in the fuse spur needs to be upgraded to the 13 amp fuse. Some old plugs actually don’t have insulation, although there are not many about now as they’ve not been manufactured since 1984!

The pins: The design of the UK plug is intended to massively reduce the risk of an accidental electric shock; for example, half of each of the live and neutral pins is covered in insulation – the bit you might touch when plugging in or pulling a plug out. The CPC series 1 (Size 1) from TE Connectivity are circular plug and receptacle connector housing with cable or panel mount feature. Fuses are basic safety devices widely deployed in electrical circuits for excess current or overcurrent protection. Fuses and circuit breakers serve a very similar function - both break electrical circuits in the event of a current surge or short circuit.

Any electrical equipment requiring overload protection should have its own current overload protection. If it is blowing the fuse it was designed to operate with, take it out of service till you have rectified the fault. Voltage drop is the voltage lost through cables due to impedance - essentially when the voltage at the end of a run of cable is lower than at the beginning.