Speakerplans.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > General > Newbie Discussion
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Should I worry? Mains cables
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Should I worry? Mains cables

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <123
Author
Message
BJtheDJ View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc
Avatar

Joined: 28 November 2012
Location: Bristol
Status: Offline
Points: 884
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BJtheDJ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 July 2019 at 10:45am
Originally posted by MattStolton MattStolton wrote:

Originally posted by ceharden ceharden wrote:

My personal opinion:...

<snip>...Irons would have been heated on the Aga; ....<snip>


Nope LOL  I remember it well.  No Aga in our basement flat (they'd call it a garden flat now) in Ealing back in the late 40s/early 50s - gas stove in the kitchen. 

Mum had an electirc iron that was plugged into the light socket via. a two-way bayonet socket.

Remember when my Dad brought home a SWITCHED two-way with a dangling cord so that the light could be turned off when ironing.

Damn!  I'm old.  Real candles on the Christmas tree.  The amazement when we got Christmas tree lights that turned off and on and produced a quiet bang through the radio  every time (bi-metallic strip I suppose)


Edited by BJtheDJ - 20 July 2019 at 10:46am
If your vaccinations were mandatory and nobody in your class had measles,
then you know that you're not a Millenial kid.
</f
Back to Top
ceharden View Drop Down
The 10,000 Points Club
The 10,000 Points Club
Avatar

Joined: 05 June 2005
Location: Southampton
Status: Offline
Points: 11776
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ceharden Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 July 2019 at 10:50am
Although a BS1363 plug is fused at 13A, it's well known that you can draw more than that, especially short duration 'music' peaks and when running medium sized systems in venues without proper power supplies that can happen.

Obviously if I'm going to be running any distance I would normally go 13A-16A, 16A extensions on 2.5mmsq then back down again.  But there is a small part of me that thinks that if it's 2.5mmsq (probably double for a ring) in the wall, 2.5mm on my long cables, why am I putting a bit of 1.5mm in the middle just to do the 13A-16A bit.

Most of my 13A extensions/adaptors are 1.5mm but I do have a few made out of 2.5mm and I don't really see an issue with using them...

I'm all for having standards, I work with enough of them in the day job for much more demanding environments.  Unfortunately though it's usually the people who don't know or don't care that deviate from them, whereas the people who do understand will follow them, despite often being able to design something which is equally safe/effective but is not exactly to the rules.

Back to Top
4D View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc


Joined: 13 November 2008
Location: Winchester
Status: Offline
Points: 4257
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 4D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 July 2019 at 11:02am


Back in the day I always preferred this type of plug for 14awg 







Edited by 4D - 20 July 2019 at 11:05am
DMZ. "The bass was intense. Girls were literally running up to stand next to the subs"
Back to Top
Digbethdave View Drop Down
Registered User
Registered User
Avatar

Joined: 16 November 2018
Status: Offline
Points: 406
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Digbethdave Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 July 2019 at 4:09pm
Use a duraplug or permaplug and 2.5 fits. Personally would just use 1.5 with ferrules. Don't forget to flip the cord grip over if using 2.5.
Back to Top
MattStolton View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 04 September 2010
Location: Walthamstow
Status: Offline
Points: 4234
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MattStolton Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 July 2019 at 4:54pm
Originally posted by ceharden ceharden wrote:

...it's well known that you can draw more than that...

Couple of fun anomalies for you then.

UK Shaver Socket Outlet is limited to 200mA.

UK Shaver 2 pin plug has 5.1mm diameter pins. (As per old "5A" round pin style BS372 plug!)

2 pin Europlug, rated to 2.5A, has 4mm diameter pins.

All the other CEE7/X types are all 4.8mm diameter pins, and designed for up to 16A radial socket outlets, one hopes on a B curve!

However, the mains connector I find the most ridiculous is the Japanese Class 1, "JIS C 8303", where the earth for your appliance is separate to the line/neutral, and bonds to the outlets earth, like a DJ mixer/Turntable earth. So American style 2 pin plug goes into live/neutral outlet on wall, and then you have to bond the earth onto a separate screw terminal. Can't see any problem with that for your washing machine! Admittedly only 100V, but 50Hz or 60Hz depending which grid serves your property! Nuts.

I reckon, by comparison, that makes a Bulgin 8 Pin plug and socket look safe!
Matt Stolton - Technical Director (!!!) - Wilding Sound Ltd
"Sparkius metiretur vestra" - "Meter Your Mains"
Back to Top
njw View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 26 March 2010
Location: S. Wales
Status: Offline
Points: 2572
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote njw Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 July 2019 at 9:19pm
Originally posted by MattStolton MattStolton wrote:

 

.........I reckon, by comparison, that makes a Bulgin 8 Pin plug and socket look safe!
  

 Still got some Bulgin leads on the shelf in the garage, male to male of course.....
Back to Top
godathunder View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc


Joined: 19 July 2004
Location: wicklow
Status: Offline
Points: 1833
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote godathunder Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 July 2019 at 9:45pm
Originally posted by njw njw wrote:

Originally posted by MattStolton MattStolton wrote:

 

.........I reckon, by comparison, that makes a Bulgin 8 Pin plug and socket look safe!
  

 Still got some Bulgin leads on the shelf in the garage, male to male of course.....

yeah, m-f was only for extension leads although I do recall owning some short f-f leads to allow almost endless chains of m-m leads

and here we are worrying about 2.5mm in a 1363 plugtop
LOUDER THAN LOUD
Back to Top
ceharden View Drop Down
The 10,000 Points Club
The 10,000 Points Club
Avatar

Joined: 05 June 2005
Location: Southampton
Status: Offline
Points: 11776
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ceharden Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 July 2019 at 12:59am
Of course the amount you can draw from a 13A socket goes down massively when it's a 'hotel ballroom' one which has long ago lost all spring in the mating surfaces and only makes contact when you gaffa it in a particular position!
Back to Top
djgorey View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc
Avatar

Joined: 29 December 2007
Location: S. Wales
Status: Offline
Points: 1306
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djgorey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 July 2019 at 2:21am
Ahh! I see you’ve played there too!

My favourite is “hi DJ. There’s your socket” ummm can I have at least one more please? “It was good enough for the DJ last week and he had some massive speakers. Red, they were”
Gaffa tape is like the force in Star Wars - there's a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together
Back to Top
tha-there-klaus View Drop Down
Registered User
Registered User


Joined: 30 July 2009
Location: kneedeep in it
Status: Offline
Points: 11
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tha-there-klaus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 July 2019 at 4:18am
Originally posted by Digbethdave Digbethdave wrote:

Use a duraplug or permaplug and 2.5 fits..... just use .. ferrules. Don't forget to flip the cord grip over if using 2.5.

Bingo
Back to Top
RoadRunnersDust View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc
Avatar

Joined: 03 December 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 560
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RoadRunnersDust Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 October 2019 at 10:31am
Originally posted by ceharden ceharden wrote:

Why am I putting a bit of 1.5mm in the middle just to do the 13A-16A bit.



Probably because of that glorious bit of text that stipulates use of 1.5mm^2 max in BS1363 plugs?
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <123

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.06
Copyright ©2001-2023 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.109 seconds.