Plug

[blackrose]

Does anyone know what these plugs are called so I can order a couple of spares?

 

Is it just Deta 185 round pin?

 

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by blackrose

[Guest]

Its a bog std 5amp round pin plug. Unfused though.

[Richard10002]

When I neded one I just searched for round pin plugs uk. Discovered there are 3 different physical sizes for 2A, 5A and 15A.

 

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Wiring_Accessories_Menu_Index/Plug_Tops_2/index.html?ad_position=&source=adwords&ad_id=209453821400&placement=&kw=round plugs&network=g&matchtype=b&ad_type=&product_id=&product_partition_id=&campaign=ROAS_Wiring_Accessories&version=finalurl_v3&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0a6u8O-l9QIViZntCh07bwrtEAAYAiAAEgLHk_D_BwE

 

 

[Guest]

Looking at Richards link its noticeable the 2 amp one has the single screw fixing. A 5amp one has two.

[blackrose]

Ok that was my next question as I've just been looking at round pin plugs. So a 5 amp plug won't fit the same socket as that 2amp plug I posted the picture of above?

 

This is a 5 amp with what looks like one screw? Is that a different size to my 2amp plug?

 

Edited January 10, 2022 by blackrose

[Guest]

Distance between the pins is different.

[blackrose]

Ok thanks.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Ok thanks.

 

Have a look at Richards link. It gives the centre measuments between the live and neutral pins. If you measure yours it should tell you what yours is.

[blackrose]

Mine is definitely 2amp. It says so on the plug. However, these are mains plugs so if they're being used for 12v what amp rating can they go to?

Edited January 10, 2022 by blackrose

[David Mack]

16 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Mine is definitely 2amp. It says so on the plug. However, these are mains plugs so if they're being used for 12v what amp rating can they go to?

They were designed for use with 2A appliances, but my guess is that the actual plug and socket contacts and the wire terminal will actually carry substantially higher currents (although not certified to do so). The practical limit is probably the wire size which will fit in the terminals.

[Ronaldo47]

The pins of the UK 2A plug are larger than those of the IEC 10A-rated kettle connector.  The UK 2A, 5A and 15A plugs are 3 pin versions of 2-pin plugs that were designed when Queen Victoria was on the throne, and are conservatively rated. I have GEC catalogues for 1893 and 1911. The latter  explicitly states that their plugs can safely  carry several times their nominal rated currents.  

Edited January 10, 2022 by Ronaldo47
typos

[BEngo]

6 hours ago, Ronaldo47 said:

The pins of the UK 2A plug are larger than those of the IEC 10A-rated kettle connector.  The UK 2A, 5A and 15A plugs are 3 pin versions of 2-pin plugs that were designed when Queen Victoria was on the throne, and are conservatively rated. I have GEC catalogues for 1893 and 1911. The latter  explicitly states that their plugs can safely  carry several times their nominal rated currents.  

The plugs would have to carry a lot

more current than their rating in order to blow a wire fuse sized for the plug rating.

 

However the rating, while applied to the plug and or the sockets individually should really be applied to a specific combination of plug and socket.  The limit will actually be set by the area of contact between pins and sockets and the contact pressure between them.

 

Why does this matter? If you buy some cheap  crap where the pins are slack in the socket contacts and there is the bare minimum of brass in the socket then the contacts will get hot when run at their rating, or even at less than their rating.  The plastic then deteriorates and the whole thing falls apart.  12V amps produce just as much heat as at 240V .

 

The extra money for good plug tops and sockets is worth it.

 

N

[Guest]

8 hours ago, blackrose said:

Mine is definitely 2amp. It says so on the plug. However, these are mains plugs so if they're being used for 12v what amp rating can they go to?

 

What are you proposing to run through it?

 

As others have said they have a fair degree of leeway in them but you need good quality ones and socket too. I used to run a 12v tyre compressor through a 5amp one on a caravan years ago with no problem. But these were from the 1970's possibly 60 's and definitely not the same as the cheap tat you can buy now on ebay etc.

[Tracy D'arth]

I have run a 150A welder on 5A plugs, they are superior in carrying capacity to a 13A plug with sleeved pins because there is more brass in them.

[Richard10002]

11 hours ago, blackrose said:

Ok thanks.

Here's the Wikipedia where I discovered the size differences etc.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets:_British_and_related_types

 

There is a section on 3 round pin plugs

[Tacet]

35 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I have run a 150A welder on 5A plugs, they are superior in carrying capacity to a 13A plug with sleeved pins because there is more brass in them.

The welder will not draw 150A via that plug; it will have been transformed to a lower voltage.

 

 

[David Mack]

[Tracy D'arth]

4 hours ago, Tacet said:

The welder will not draw 150A via that plug; it will have been transformed to a lower voltage.

 

 

What are you on?

[GUMPY]

Think what he is trying to say is the welder runs at something like 32v at the electrodes so the current drawn on the supply  at 230v will be considerably less than 150 amps. The current drawn through the plug would have been in the order of 15-20amps, the plug is rated at 100% duty cycle so intermittant welding  is not a big deal.

[magnetman]

Having had all the variations I prefer the 5a plugs / sockets. The 2a ones are a bit small and feel tinny. 

 

Another useful low voltage DC arrangement is the old Hella plugs/sockets. Rated to something like 15a they are a nice alternative. I think if I was doing a fitout I would put these in preference to the 5a white stuff although they are very nice. 

 

Also available in brown bakelite of course. 

 

The hella type : eurocarparts £4 for the socket. 16a at 12v

 

 

Also available as surface mount 

 

Edited January 10, 2022 by magnetman

[Tracy D'arth]

24 minutes ago, Loddon said:

Think what he is trying to say is the welder runs at something like 32v at the electrodes so the current drawn on the supply  at 230v will be considerably less than 150 amps. The current drawn through the plug would have been in the order of 15-20amps, the plug is rated at 100% duty cycle so intermittant welding  is not a big deal.

Welders run at 50V on the rod at 150A, 7500W ideally but a bit less due to the voltage droop with load. But at 240v is still around 25A to 30A on the plug at peak.

[Tacet]

8 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I have run a 150A welder on 5A plugs, they are superior in carrying capacity to a 13A plug with sleeved pins because there is more brass in them.

 

7 hours ago, Tacet said:

The welder will not draw 150A via that plug; it will have been transformed to a lower voltage.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

What are you on?

 

1 hour ago, Loddon said:

Think what he is trying to say is the welder runs at something like 32v at the electrodes so the current drawn on the supply  at 230v will be considerably less than 150 amps. The current drawn through the plug would have been in the order of 15-20amps, the plug is rated at 100% duty cycle so intermittant welding  is not a big deal.

 

Apologies if I was unclear.  That's about it.  It doesn't really contribute much by saying you can run a 150amp gadget via a nominal 5amp plug when there is a transformer involved.

41 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

 

Welders run at 50V on the rod at 150A, 7500W ideally but a bit less due to the voltage droop with load. But at 240v is still around 25A to 30A on the plug at peak.

 

I don't know how much a welder draws via the mains but my 140amp welder has yet to break its 13amp (nominal) fuse

[Richard10002]

Deta 185 2a plug

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123219959109?epid=1505588163&hash=item1cb07b5d45:g:aLwAAOSwUSZZlWXK

 

You can buy a bit cheaper elsewhere, but when you add postage of £5.95 or whatever, it mounts up.

[jonathanA]

I think I paid 90p for last ones I bought. That might have been plus vat.

 

[ptolemy lane]

20 hours ago, blackrose said:

Ok that was my next question as I've just been looking at round pin plugs. So a 5 amp plug won't fit the same socket as that 2amp plug I posted the picture of above?

 

This is a 5 amp with what looks like one screw? Is that a different size to my 2amp plug?

 

Have a look on your back deck there should be three of them 2amp ones on the seat 🙂