01-06-2012, 01:01 PM
They were quite slow to catch on except for newly built properties.
They seemd to go hand in hand with the introduction of ring mains rather than radial systems. We bought our first house in 1961, which had been built in 1938. It had 15Amp round pin sockets, but any additions I made were 13A, though well into the late 1960s you could still get round pin 15A and 5A plugs and sockets and many houses still had TRS wiring (tough rubber sheath), which wasn't so tough and persished over time.
You could also get those dodgy 2-pin 'Y' bayonet connectors which plugged into light bulb sockets, and allowed you to use the light while plugging in portable electrical equipment to power it. People used to plug high consumption appliances into the lights, such as electric irons and fires, with no earth. Remarkable that there weren't many more accidents.
I can't remember when 13A plugs first had shrouded pins for the L & N pins, but there are still many around with no shrouded pins, including on stuff that I have. Also, I can't recall when moulded-on plugs became mandatory.
From my perspective - from a purely technical rather than jingoistic patriotic perspective, - the UK 13A plug/sockets are far superior to any others, especially the dodgy stuff on the continent. The big shortcoming is the default 13A fuse, when many bits of gear only needs 2A, or 5A. Hardly anyone uses 1A fuses and they're not so easy to find, yet at 240V that's 240W - ample for many small appliances, including radios, table lamps and the like.
They seemd to go hand in hand with the introduction of ring mains rather than radial systems. We bought our first house in 1961, which had been built in 1938. It had 15Amp round pin sockets, but any additions I made were 13A, though well into the late 1960s you could still get round pin 15A and 5A plugs and sockets and many houses still had TRS wiring (tough rubber sheath), which wasn't so tough and persished over time.
You could also get those dodgy 2-pin 'Y' bayonet connectors which plugged into light bulb sockets, and allowed you to use the light while plugging in portable electrical equipment to power it. People used to plug high consumption appliances into the lights, such as electric irons and fires, with no earth. Remarkable that there weren't many more accidents.
I can't remember when 13A plugs first had shrouded pins for the L & N pins, but there are still many around with no shrouded pins, including on stuff that I have. Also, I can't recall when moulded-on plugs became mandatory.
From my perspective - from a purely technical rather than jingoistic patriotic perspective, - the UK 13A plug/sockets are far superior to any others, especially the dodgy stuff on the continent. The big shortcoming is the default 13A fuse, when many bits of gear only needs 2A, or 5A. Hardly anyone uses 1A fuses and they're not so easy to find, yet at 240V that's 240W - ample for many small appliances, including radios, table lamps and the like.
Regards, David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
