Old MK Plug

Posted by: George J on 18 October 2014

I recently cut off an ancient MK plug from an appliance at work.

 

The machine went to scrap, but the plug is so old that it has solid brass pins without the plastic shielding [and therefore is now illegal], so should I use this archaic plug for my amplifier, so as to counter the reduced the electric flow in the current Crabtree plug with proper insulation, that has much smaller pins to account for the plastic insulation placed to stop me electrocuting myself without turning off the mains first, when I unplug?

 

ATB from George

Posted on: 18 October 2014 by BigH47

I reckon you would have to be a real contortionist to actually touch a plug leg whilst pulling it out of it's socket, of course to make a point you could use your other hand and stick a couple of fingers in whilst slowly with drawing the plug.

Posted on: 18 October 2014 by George J

I have not electrocuted myself yet, in spite of being old enough to remember the old square pin plugs without insulation ...

Posted on: 19 October 2014 by BigH47

My grandfather still had 5 and 15 amp round pin plugs and sockets in his house, when I was a kid.

Posted on: 19 October 2014 by Mike-B

Stop being an ol' skinflint George,  chuck it in the bin - the approved recycle bin of course - & buy a new one.  

 

Seriously,  UK 13a plug pins only make contact with the socket jaws on the end of the pins on a line across the pin aprx in the middle of the brass area on the shrouded pin. 

Your old plug will make no more or no less contact than a modern one

Posted on: 19 October 2014 by hungryhalibut

I grew up in a 50s bungalow, which had little plugs with two round pins. We used to plug about four adapters into the socket and somehow plug in five or six items. The road was unmade and the milkman delivered with a horse and cart, which I remember when I was really small in the mid 60s. The neighbours used to rush out and collect the poo for the roses. I think we were in some sort of time warp.

Posted on: 19 October 2014 by Adam Meredith
Originally Posted by Hungryhalibut:

The neighbours used to rush out and collect the poo for the roses.

Very much like my childhood - except that we had a lavatory.

Posted on: 19 October 2014 by hungryhalibut

Silly boy.

Posted on: 19 October 2014 by Christopher_M
Originally Posted by Adam Meredith:
Originally Posted by Hungryhalibut:

The neighbours used to rush out and collect the poo for the roses.

Very much like my childhood - except that we had a lavatory.

 I sense another Milton Jones devotee.

 

C.

Posted on: 19 October 2014 by George J
Originally Posted by Mike-B:

Stop being an ol' skinflint George,  chuck it in the bin - the approved recycle bin of course - & buy a new one.  

 

Seriously,  UK 13a plug pins only make contact with the socket jaws on the end of the pins on a line across the pin aprx in the middle of the brass area on the shrouded pin. 

Your old plug will make no more or no less contact than a modern one

I did not suppose it would make any difference!

 

I shall not use it!

 

ATB from George

Posted on: 19 October 2014 by Christopher_M

If you are an employer and you have more of these 'illegal' plugs at your place of work, it might be an idea to consider your obligations to your employees.

 

Likewise if you are an employee, and you know there are more of these plugs, then please let your line manager know.

 

Chris

Posted on: 19 October 2014 by George J

Dear Chris,

 

The electrics at work are an example of best practice! 

 

For the avoidance of any confusion, this plug was on an ancient standard light, which had not been ever used in work, but was among some scrap I cleared out a garage for a relative of the owner!

 

ATB from George

Posted on: 19 October 2014 by Christopher_M

Why not state that a bit more clearly in the  first line of your first post then?

 

C.

Posted on: 19 October 2014 by George J

By the time I pulled the plug off, the appliance was indeed at work, where I put it straight into a skip we have at the moment. Hence the chance to get rid of some junk from an old garage.

 

Really the whole thread was slightly tongue in cheek!

 

But sometimes I suppose a serious point comes out. Glad that I was able to clarify the position.

 

ATB from George