Changing plug on a water boiler

l5lr

Hi,

Fairly unsure about the following, however a few friends have told me to just lob the old 3 pin 13amp plug off and swap it out for a 3 pin round socket (blue), 16amp.

We've got a pretty large outdoor family event coming up and I've got a burco boiler that I'm bringing along, it came with a 3 pin plug with a 13amp fuse. We've discovered that we'll only be allowed use the 16amp blue plugs (the type used for caravans) to connect outdoors by the guy supplying the generator to the site.

Just wondering what the best way is to approach changing the sockets on these? Is it as simple as swapping out the plug.

Burco spec is: 3kW power rating, 220/240v, standard 3 pin plug fitted.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

meercat

l5lr wrote: »

Hi,

Fairly unsure about the following, however a few friends have told me to just lob the old 3 pin 13amp plug off and swap it out for a 3 pin round socket (blue), 16amp.

We've got a pretty large outdoor family event coming up and I've got a burco boiler that I'm bringing along, it came with a 3 pin plug with a 13amp fuse. We've discovered that we'll only be allowed use the 16amp blue plugs (the type used for caravans) to connect outdoors by the guy supplying the generator to the site.

Just wondering what the best way is to approach changing the sockets on these? Is it as simple as swapping out the plug.

Burco spec is: 3kW power rating, 220/240v, standard 3 pin plug fitted.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

A local electrical wholesaler can supply you an adaptor for this. Can't link(on mobile)

l5lr

meercat wrote: »

A local electrical wholesaler can supply you an adaptor for this. Can't link(on mobile)

That was my initial thought, however I've been told that the appliance must have the plug changed - something to do with any possibility of damp/wet conditions as it will be used in a gazebo without flooring.

evosteo

get yourself one of these

http://www.cdlmicro.co.uk/rb-161-16a-3-pin-plug-to-13a-uk-socket-adapter-for-tent-camping-(p-n-e-6h-iec-60309).html



then use an outdoor socket enclosure for the domestic 3 pin plug and socket ip rating 65. no rewiring required

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproof-Switch-Socket-TWIN-Outdoor-Enclosure-Box-/290437281863

SpaceTime

You can change the plug easily enough. Any electrical wholesaler and even good hardware stores stock these. They're not particularly complicated to fit although the domestic plugs we use have very different terminal positions to them and you'll probably need to strip more of the sheath back on the flex and then trim the wires again when you're refitting the normal plug afterwards.

Other than that they're not tricky to fit.

They do not use fuses in the plugs either but this isn't an issue. The 13amp fuses are only there because those sockets can be used on 32amp ring circuits. The blue plugs are always on 16amp/20amp circuits the same as continental sockets. They don't require local fusing in the plug tops.

Technically, I think Irish regs actually require the use of these outdoors where as UK regs seem happy enough with IP-rated versions of domestic sockets.

In theory, they are safer as domestic plugs are not designed for use in even slightly damp conditions and your fingers are very close to the pins. You can even get shocks if the body of the plug is damp as the internal components are very close to the body of the plug and there are no water-tight or spray resistant seals on the plug body itself.

The major difference is the blue plugs are designed specifically for rough handling. Domestic plugs can be crushed/damaged quite easily and that's the major reason they're not allowed on sites, industrial settings, even on stage. The older style domestic round pin plugs used to be commonly used in stage lighting and have now been replaced by those bulkier blue ones. They are definitely safer as the household style plugs used to occasionally get crushed by lighting rigs or, if someone used a non-rubber plug, could easily get smashed open. Nothing worse than sticking your hand into an open plug top while suspended over a stage!

The whole installation should be RCD protected though.

brightspark

SpaceTime wrote: »

The older style domestic round pin plugs used to be commonly used in stage lighting and have now been replaced by those bulkier blue ones. They are definitely safer as the household style plugs used to occasionally get crushed by lighting rigs or, if someone used a non-rubber plug, could easily get smashed open. Nothing worse than sticking your hand into an open plug top while suspended over a stage!

The whole installation should be RCD protected though.

I always thought the main reason not to use the 13A plugs and sockets for stage lighting was not to have a fuse in the plug top. Many of the older 15A plugs and sockets were as fragile as the 13A ones. And I have had a rubber 15A plug separate in my hand as I unplugged it!

SpaceTime

brightspark wrote: »

I always thought the main reason not to use the 13A plugs and sockets for stage lighting was not to have a fuse in the plug top. Many of the older 15A plugs and sockets were as fragile as the 13A ones. And I have had a rubber 15A plug separate in my hand as I unplugged it!

I'm referring to the 15 amp plugs - they're a domestic or similar use specification not industrial. That's why they've vanished from modern stage lighting applications.

They're also a very old design that probably originates in the 1920s or earlier.

They're not safe for rough use applications nor are the 13amp fused plugs.

There are rough use and IP rated versions of continental plugs and sockets and this often leads to confusion as people mix safe and unsafe versions.

That's why you're better off always using the CEEform industrial plugs for rough use and absolutely always on building sites etc
They're specifically designed for the job.

brightspark

SpaceTime wrote: »

I'm referring to the 15 amp plugs - they're a domestic or similar use specification not industrial. That's why they've vanished from modern stage lighting applications.

They're also a very old design that probably originates in the 1920s or earlier.

They're not safe for rough use applications nor are the 13amp fused plugs.

There are rough use and IP rated versions of continental plugs and sockets and this often leads to confusion as people mix safe and unsafe versions.

That's why you're better off always using the CEEform industrial plugs for rough use and absolutely always on building sites etc
They're specifically designed for the job.

I fully agree with you about using IEC 60309 (Ceeform) plugs sockets, but many theatres still use the BS546 (15A) style, and I have recently seen equipment that was professionally hired into a town hall venue also using the 15A plugs and sockets.

There is also at least one manufacturer of IEC plugs that has a screwless opening design, that was actually capable of being opened without using any tools :eek:
(you are supposed to use a screwdriver to press in a tab)

I had been called to remove it from the live socket it was plugged into! Needless to say I replaced the plug.

SpaceTime

brightspark wrote: »

I fully agree with you about using IEC 60309 (Ceeform) plugs sockets, but many theatres still use the BS546 (15A) style, and I have recently seen equipment that was professionally hired into a town hall venue also using the 15A plugs and sockets.

There is also at least one manufacturer of IEC plugs that has a screwless opening design, that was actually capable of being opened without using any tools :eek:
(you are supposed to use a screwdriver to press in a tab)

I had been called to remove it from the live socket it was plugged into! Needless to say I replaced the plug.

I've had the back come off the BS546 and also BS1363 plugs on a few occasions in studios where things have crushed them.

In general moulded on plugs seem a lot less likely to have issues with damage. I know the continental Schuko plugs tend to come in unbreakable, rubber and IP-rated versions that make a massive difference to their use in lighting rigs etc.

We don't really have an equivalent for BS plugs.

That's a pretty poor design of IEC plug you're describing with the tabs- The problem with self-certification under CE perhaps?