• Re: EV charging

    From tony sayer@tony@bancom.co.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sun Mar 1 20:26:07 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    In article <0072376828.98cb68e1@uninhabited.net>, Roger Hayter <roger@hayter.org> scribeth thus
    On 4 Feb 2026 at 19:35:21 GMT, "Scott" <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> wrote:

    On Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:24:28 +0000, nib <news@ingram-bromley.co.uk>
    wrote:

    On 2026-01-31 16:30, Charles Hope wrote:
    On 31/01/2026 14:50, Spike wrote:
    Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:
    I thought I'd start a new thread, rather than prolong the car insurance >>>>>> thread.

    My new car (ex-demo) is a PHEV, capable of 7.4kW (32A 1ph) charging, and >>>>>> comes with two charging cables ...

    A granny lead BS 1363 plug to IEC 62196-2 type2 plug, capable of 2.3kW >>>>>> (10A) charging, 4.5m is too short to reach from a 13A socket in my >>>>>> garage to the car.

    An untethered 10m public charging lead, type2 socket to type2 plug, >>>>>> capable of 22kW (32A 3ph), pointless overkill.

    I wondered if I could use the public cable as an "extension" from the >>>>>> granny lead to the car, but it isn't recognised. I'm not going to >>>>>> tinker with it, can wait until I get a 7kW "charger", just curious why >>>>>> it doesn't work?

    I vaguely know that the handshaking works around pulse width modulated >>>>>> 12V, resistors and a diode, so belled-out the M->F cable, it has a 440 >>>>>> ohm resistor inline with the control pilot, and 220 ohm between it and >>>>>> earth, is that to deliberately kybosh what I'm trying to do?

    EV charging leads are clever enough to recognise when they have been >>>>> daisy-chained, and will refuse to connect.

    Never run a granny charger from an extension lead.

    Get a lead of the correct length, try Tough Leads:

    <https://toughleads.co.uk/collections/ev-electric-vehicle-extension-leads>

    Their leads contain a Type B RCD. Beware that their prices are ex-VAT. >>>>>
    why don't you use normal 13A extension leads to feed the "Granny Lead"? >>>> It's what I do when I visit my daughter.

    There's no logical reason why not, the problem is that many extension
    leads are not engineered to carry 10A or more for hours on end without
    getting hot or even catching fire.

    Sometimes the plug or socket are poor and get hot

    Sometimes the cable is too light a gauge and gets hot

    Sometimes the cable is wound onto a drum or otherwise constricted and
    gets got and melts.

    Before I got my home charger I was using a 13A charger and experimented
    with various cables. I ended up making my own with heavy cable and
    connectors that were found, by trying several, to run cool. Even that
    would get warm if looped on itself or covered.

    So the only advice that can be given in general is: don't.

    Would the answer not be to build your own to the correct
    specifications? It is difficult to argue that a plug or socket cannot
    carry 10 amps when they were designed for 13 amps in the days of 3 bar
    fires.

    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or 2 bars, >because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the sockets!


    Let alone feeding the bloody meter with two bob bits!..
    --
    Tony Sayer


    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person.

    Give him a keyboard, and he will reveal himself.


    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger Mills@mills37.fslife@gmail.com to uk.d-i-y on Mon Mar 2 11:53:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y


    In article <0072376828.98cb68e1@uninhabited.net>, Roger Hayter <roger@hayter.org> scribeth thus


    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or 2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the sockets!

    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A in
    terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't have
    fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been designed into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these rectangular pin monstrosities. The pins would have needed to be of a different size
    and/or spacing to prevent a mis-match but that would have been
    completely feasible. Aren't people still raving about some "brilliant"
    woman who invented the 13A plug?!
    --
    Cheers,
    Roger
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Joe@joe@jretrading.com to uk.d-i-y on Mon Mar 2 12:30:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Mon, 2 Mar 2026 11:53:56 +0000
    Roger Mills <mills37.fslife@gmail.com> wrote:

    In article <0072376828.98cb68e1@uninhabited.net>, Roger Hayter <roger@hayter.org> scribeth thus


    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or
    2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!
    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A in
    terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't have
    fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been designed
    into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these rectangular
    pin monstrosities. The pins would have needed to be of a different
    size and/or spacing to prevent a mis-match but that would have been completely feasible. Aren't people still raving about some
    "brilliant" woman who invented the 13A plug?!

    The 15A plug is alive and well and used with most theatre lamps, at
    least in amateur environments.
    --
    Joe

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Andy Burns@usenet@andyburns.uk to uk.d-i-y on Mon Mar 2 14:25:50 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y


    Roger Mills wrote:

    Roger Hayter scribeth thus:

    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or
    2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!

    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A in
    terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't have
    fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been designed into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these rectangular pin monstrosities.
    Shuttered 15A socket : MK K2893WHI

    Fused 15A plug : MK 643WHI
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Mon Mar 2 15:52:49 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 02/03/2026 12:30, Joe wrote:
    On Mon, 2 Mar 2026 11:53:56 +0000
    Roger Mills <mills37.fslife@gmail.com> wrote:

    In article <0072376828.98cb68e1@uninhabited.net>, Roger Hayter
    <roger@hayter.org> scribeth thus


    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or
    2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!
    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A in
    terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't have
    fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been designed
    into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these rectangular
    pin monstrosities. The pins would have needed to be of a different
    size and/or spacing to prevent a mis-match but that would have been
    completely feasible. Aren't people still raving about some
    "brilliant" woman who invented the 13A plug?!

    The 15A plug is alive and well and used with most theatre lamps, at
    least in amateur environments.

    And is standard in S Africa, and, I think other colonial places
    --
    rCLThere are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isnrCOt true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.rCY

    rCoSoren Kierkegaard

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger Mills@mills37.fslife@gmail.com to uk.d-i-y on Tue Mar 3 12:59:37 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 02/03/2026 14:25, Andy Burns wrote:

    Roger Mills wrote:

    Roger Hayter scribeth thus:

    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or
    2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!

    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A in
    terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't have
    fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been designed into
    something resembling a 15A plug rather than these rectangular pin
    monstrosities.
    Shuttered 15A socket : MK K2893WHI

    Fused 15A plug : MK 643WHI

    I rest my case!

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly price
    tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.
    --
    Cheers,
    Roger
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Joe@joe@jretrading.com to uk.d-i-y on Tue Mar 3 13:53:54 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Tue, 3 Mar 2026 12:59:37 +0000
    Roger Mills <mills37.fslife@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 02/03/2026 14:25, Andy Burns wrote:

    Roger Mills wrote:

    Roger Hayter scribeth thus:

    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or
    2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!

    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A
    in terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't
    have fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been
    designed into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these
    rectangular pin monstrosities.
    Shuttered 15A socket : MK K2893WHI

    Fused 15A plug : MK 643WHI

    I rest my case!

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly
    price tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    Because you can't use ring mains without local fusing, at least at the
    socket, and a fuse in the plug is more versatile. We used to have three
    sizes of mains plug, each connected to appropriate fuses in the
    fusebox. You still had to be careful not to overload any group of
    sockets connected to only one supply cable, and in general houses
    contained very few power sockets of any kind. The vacuum cleaner
    normally had a bayonet plug, to be used in the nearest light socket.
    --
    Joe

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Tue Mar 3 14:53:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 03/03/2026 13:53, Joe wrote:
    On Tue, 3 Mar 2026 12:59:37 +0000
    Roger Mills <mills37.fslife@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 02/03/2026 14:25, Andy Burns wrote:

    Roger Mills wrote:

    Roger Hayter scribeth thus:

    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or
    2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!

    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A
    in terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't
    have fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been
    designed into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these
    rectangular pin monstrosities.
    Shuttered 15A socket : MK K2893WHI

    Fused 15A plug : MK 643WHI

    I rest my case!

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly
    price tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    Because you can't use ring mains without local fusing, at least at the socket, and a fuse in the plug is more versatile. We used to have three
    sizes of mains plug, each connected to appropriate fuses in the
    fusebox. You still had to be careful not to overload any group of
    sockets connected to only one supply cable, and in general houses
    contained very few power sockets of any kind. The vacuum cleaner
    normally had a bayonet plug, to be used in the nearest light socket.

    +1. Be lucky we have probably the best domestic electrical layout in the
    world

    Its a great compromise between cost, power and safety.

    Typically if you want more than 3kW you go three phase. And I can see
    that happening in the future with new builds in the 'executive homes' class.
    --
    How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think.

    Adolf Hitler


    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From David Wade@g4ugm@dave.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Tue Mar 3 15:48:26 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 03/03/2026 12:59, Roger Mills wrote:
    On 02/03/2026 14:25, Andy Burns wrote:

    Roger Mills wrote:

    Roger Hayter scribeth thus:

    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or
    2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!

    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A in
    terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't have
    fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been designed
    into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these rectangular
    pin monstrosities.
    Shuttered 15A socket : MK K2893WHI

    Fused 15A plug : MK 643WHI

    I rest my case!

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly price
    tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    I assume because of the same reason every one voted for Brexit - so the
    need to be different and make our own minds up, or really cut corners
    and penny pinch.

    So rather than multiple radial circuits with individual fuses or circuit breakers we have the dreadful ring main which was designed to save
    copper. This meant you needed to have fuses in the plugs, and to ensure
    you didn't use the existing plugs, they had to come up with a new plug,
    hence the uk 13amp plug which I assume contains less copper than the
    15amp version.


    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Joe@joe@jretrading.com to uk.d-i-y on Tue Mar 3 17:18:06 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Tue, 3 Mar 2026 14:53:24 +0000
    The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:



    Typically if you want more than 3kW you go three phase. And I can
    see that happening in the future with new builds in the 'executive
    homes' class.


    Could executives really be trusted with three phases in one house?
    --
    Joe

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Tue Mar 3 20:06:51 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 03/03/2026 15:48, David Wade wrote:

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly price
    tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    I assume because of the same reason every one voted for Brexit - so the
    need to be different and make our own minds up, or really cut corners
    and penny pinch.

    DBAW
    (Dont be a wanker)
    So rather than multiple radial circuits with individual fuses or circuit breakers we have the dreadful ring main which was designed to save
    copper. This meant you needed to have fuses in the plugs, and to ensure
    you didn't use the existing plugs, they had to come up with a new plug, hence the uk 13amp plug which I assume contains less copper than the
    15amp version.

    Oh dear. A remoaner can find anything to moan about and link it to Brexit.

    WE had 13A rings from the 1950s, Long before the EU
    --
    In todays liberal progressive conflict-free education system, everyone
    gets full Marx.

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Tue Mar 3 20:07:22 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 03/03/2026 17:18, Joe wrote:
    On Tue, 3 Mar 2026 14:53:24 +0000
    The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:



    Typically if you want more than 3kW you go three phase. And I can
    see that happening in the future with new builds in the 'executive
    homes' class.


    Could executives really be trusted with three phases in one house?


    Well farmers are...
    --
    Karl Marx said religion is the opium of the people.
    But Marxism is the crack cocaine.

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Charles Hope@clh@candehope.me.uk to uk.d-i-y on Tue Mar 3 22:30:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 03/03/2026 13:53, Joe wrote:
    On Tue, 3 Mar 2026 12:59:37 +0000
    Roger Mills <mills37.fslife@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 02/03/2026 14:25, Andy Burns wrote:

    Roger Mills wrote:

    Roger Hayter scribeth thus:

    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or
    2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!

    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A
    in terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't
    have fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been
    designed into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these
    rectangular pin monstrosities.
    Shuttered 15A socket : MK K2893WHI

    Fused 15A plug : MK 643WHI

    I rest my case!

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly
    price tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    Because you can't use ring mains without local fusing, at least at the socket, and a fuse in the plug is more versatile. We used to have three
    sizes of mains plug, each connected to appropriate fuses in the
    fusebox. You still had to be careful not to overload any group of
    sockets connected to only one supply cable, and in general houses
    contained very few power sockets of any kind. The vacuum cleaner
    normally had a bayonet plug, to be used in the nearest light socket.

    Indeed, when we bought our house in 1964 (iT had been wired in 1945)
    there were 4 power points. One in each bedroom and one in the kitchen,
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Charles Hope@clh@candehope.me.uk to uk.d-i-y on Tue Mar 3 22:30:03 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 03/03/2026 12:59, Roger Mills wrote:
    On 02/03/2026 14:25, Andy Burns wrote:

    Roger Mills wrote:

    Roger Hayter scribeth thus:

    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or
    2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!

    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A in
    terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't have
    fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been designed
    into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these rectangular
    pin monstrosities.
    Shuttered 15A socket : MK K2893WHI

    Fused 15A plug : MK 643WHI

    I rest my case!

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly price
    tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    The ring main system which uses fused plugs was designed to save on
    wiring costs. Copper was in short supply & becoming expensive.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From David Wade@g4ugm@dave.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Tue Mar 3 23:35:32 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 03/03/2026 20:06, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 03/03/2026 15:48, David Wade wrote:

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly
    price tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    I assume because of the same reason every one voted for Brexit - so
    the need to be different and make our own minds up, or really cut
    corners and penny pinch.

    DBAW
    (Dont be a wanker)
    So rather than multiple radial circuits with individual fuses or
    circuit breakers we have the dreadful ring main which was designed to
    save copper. This meant you needed to have fuses in the plugs, and to
    ensure you didn't use the existing plugs, they had to come up with a
    new plug, hence the uk 13amp plug which I assume contains less copper
    than the 15amp version.

    Oh dear. A remoaner can find anything to moan about and link it to Brexit.

    WE had 13A rings from the 1950s, Long before the EU


    Like all brexiteers you read what you want to read, I said we have rings
    for the same reason we had brexit, not that rings were due to brexit...

    Dave
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sam Plusnet@not@home.com to uk.d-i-y on Wed Mar 4 01:32:40 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 03/03/2026 22:30, Charles Hope wrote:
    On 03/03/2026 12:59, Roger Mills wrote:
    On 02/03/2026 14:25, Andy Burns wrote:

    Roger Mills wrote:

    Roger Hayter scribeth thus:

    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or
    2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!

    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A
    in terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't
    have fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been
    designed into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these
    rectangular pin monstrosities.
    Shuttered 15A socket : MK K2893WHI

    Fused 15A plug : MK 643WHI

    I rest my case!

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly price
    tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    The ring main system which uses fused plugs was designed to save on
    wiring costs. Copper was in short supply & becoming expensive.

    Unlike today when... Ah!
    --
    Sam Plusnet
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Wed Mar 4 12:00:39 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 03/03/2026 23:35, David Wade wrote:
    On 03/03/2026 20:06, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 03/03/2026 15:48, David Wade wrote:

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly
    price tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    I assume because of the same reason every one voted for Brexit - so
    the need to be different and make our own minds up, or really cut
    corners and penny pinch.

    DBAW
    (Dont be a wanker)
    So rather than multiple radial circuits with individual fuses or
    circuit breakers we have the dreadful ring main which was designed to
    save copper. This meant you needed to have fuses in the plugs, and to
    ensure you didn't use the existing plugs, they had to come up with a
    new plug, hence the uk 13amp plug which I assume contains less copper
    than the 15amp version.

    Oh dear. A remoaner can find anything to moan about and link it to
    Brexit.

    WE had 13A rings from the 1950s, Long before the EU


    Like all brexiteers you read what you want to read, I said we have rings
    for the same reason we had brexit, not that rings were due to brexit...

    Oh - I an sorry, So basically we have rings and we have brexit because
    there are a lot of people with intelligence and common sense.,
    Of course

    Dave
    --
    "First, find out who are the people you can not criticise. They are your oppressors."
    - George Orwell

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From David Wade@g4ugm@dave.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Wed Mar 4 13:17:15 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 04/03/2026 12:00, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 03/03/2026 23:35, David Wade wrote:
    On 03/03/2026 20:06, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
    On 03/03/2026 15:48, David Wade wrote:

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly
    price tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    I assume because of the same reason every one voted for Brexit - so
    the need to be different and make our own minds up, or really cut
    corners and penny pinch.

    DBAW
    (Dont be a wanker)
    So rather than multiple radial circuits with individual fuses or
    circuit breakers we have the dreadful ring main which was designed
    to save copper. This meant you needed to have fuses in the plugs,
    and to ensure you didn't use the existing plugs, they had to come up
    with a new plug, hence the uk 13amp plug which I assume contains
    less copper than the 15amp version.

    Oh dear. A remoaner can find anything to moan about and link it to
    Brexit.

    WE had 13A rings from the 1950s, Long before the EU


    Like all brexiteers you read what you want to read, I said we have
    rings for the same reason we had brexit, not that rings were due to
    brexit...

    Oh - I an sorry, So basically we have rings and we have brexit because
    there are a lot of people with intelligence and common sense.,
    Of course

    I believe that rings are inherently dangerous. If there is a break in
    the ring you lose the redundancy. If the break is close to one end of
    the ring, you end up with a long radial circuit which is easily
    overloaded. You cannot test for breaks without disconnecting something.



    Dave


    Dave
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From The Natural Philosopher@tnp@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Wed Mar 4 14:29:59 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 04/03/2026 13:17, David Wade wrote:
    I believe that rings are inherently dangerous. If there is a break in
    the ring-a you lose the redundancy. If the break is close to one end of
    the ring, you end up with a long radial circuit which is easily
    overloaded. You cannot test for breaks without disconnecting something.

    I am sure you also believe that politicians in Brussels are benigng
    helpful and never ever take bribes
    --
    "In our post-modern world, climate science is not powerful because it is
    true: it is true because it is powerful."

    Lucas Bergkamp

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger Mills@mills37.fslife@gmail.com to uk.d-i-y on Wed Mar 4 15:14:21 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 03/03/2026 13:53, Joe wrote:
    On Tue, 3 Mar 2026 12:59:37 +0000
    Roger Mills <mills37.fslife@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 02/03/2026 14:25, Andy Burns wrote:

    Roger Mills wrote:

    Roger Hayter scribeth thus:

    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or
    2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!

    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A
    in terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't
    have fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been
    designed into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these
    rectangular pin monstrosities.
    Shuttered 15A socket : MK K2893WHI

    Fused 15A plug : MK 643WHI

    I rest my case!

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly
    price tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    Because you can't use ring mains without local fusing, at least at the socket, and a fuse in the plug is more versatile. We used to have three
    sizes of mains plug, each connected to appropriate fuses in the
    fusebox. You still had to be careful not to overload any group of
    sockets connected to only one supply cable, and in general houses
    contained very few power sockets of any kind. The vacuum cleaner
    normally had a bayonet plug, to be used in the nearest light socket.


    Yes, but the point is that 15A fused plugs and 15A shuttered sockets
    *are* available and could easily have been made standard instead of
    going for 13A plugs with rectangular pins - and would have been far
    superior. I accept that would have needed to be same way of preventing
    'old' and 'new' 15A plugs and sockets of being interchangeable - but
    that could easily have been achieved by a change to the pin size or
    spacing - or by making the earth pin rectangular.
    --
    Cheers,
    Roger
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Handsome Jack@jack@handsome.com to uk.d-i-y on Wed Mar 4 15:45:24 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Wed, 4 Mar 2026 01:32:40 +0000, Sam Plusnet wrote:

    On 03/03/2026 22:30, Charles Hope wrote:
    On 03/03/2026 12:59, Roger Mills wrote:
    On 02/03/2026 14:25, Andy Burns wrote:

    Roger Mills wrote:

    Roger Hayter scribeth thus:

    In the days of 3 bar fires people often didn't use them above 1 or >>>>>> 2 bars, because otherwise the plugs overheated and burnt out the
    sockets!

    Not when we had 15A round-pin plugs. They were far superior to 13A
    in terms of contact area between plug and socket. OK, they didn't
    have fuses or shutters but I'm sure that they could have been
    designed into something resembling a 15A plug rather than these
    rectangular pin monstrosities.
    Shuttered 15A socket : MK K2893WHI

    Fused 15A plug : MK 643WHI

    I rest my case!

    So why are we lumbered with 13A plugs? These 15A ones have silly price
    tags - but they wouldn't if everyone used them.

    The ring main system which uses fused plugs was designed to save on
    wiring costs. Copper was in short supply & becoming expensive.

    Unlike today when... Ah!

    Some friends of ours regularly charge in the car park at Stourhead (a
    national trust property near Salisbury) when travelling between London and Exeter. Last week they couldn't because all the copper had been nicked. Apparently the extra-fast charging points, with their lovely thick cables,
    are particularly attractive to pikeys.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Andy Burns@usenet@andyburns.uk to uk.d-i-y on Wed Mar 4 16:53:50 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    Handsome Jack wrote:

    Last week they couldn't because all the copper had been nicked.
    Apparently the extra-fast charging points, with their lovely thick cables, are particularly attractive to pikeys.

    Plus (unlike all the cable on the railways) there's no dangerous voltage maintained on the fat charging leads ...
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2