Which country this plug socket from ?

[sythai]

Hi Guys

Got Client asking me to fit these floors sockets…. Got my doubts, looks like cheap piece of tat !!

Just sent me photo from what they’ve seen on Amazon.

Which county you reckon this is for ?

Cheers Sy

 

[DPG]

They look like ones that are designed to work with various different plug types. I reckon the customer has made a mistake, although I suppose they may have a reason for wanting them.

Do they have BS numbers on them?

 

[snowhead]

Has said customer got a reason for wanting multis fit, do they get a lot of foreign visitors who bring their own appliances?

Must be a close relation to this one also from Amazon



One of the selling points for another one similar to above,

 

[DPG]

Has said customer got a reason for wanting multis fit, do they get a lot of foreign visitors who bring their own appliances?

Must be a close relation to this one also from Amazon

View attachment 110499

One of the selling points for another one similar to above,

View attachment 110501

Fancy that, they have an advanced feature to save unplugging devices all the time - a switch! Clever those Chinese folk.

 

[ipf]

Fancy that, they have an advanced feature to save unplugging devices all the time - a switch! Clever those Chinese folk.

Especially with animals in labs and outdoor markets...?

 

[SJD]

In a past life, when I used to travel a fair bit, I often came across these style of sockets in overseas conference rooms. Especially in Asia (Japan, Hong Kong etc). It did away with needing travel adapters, plugs from most countries just fitted, and most people were plugging in laptop chargers that were happy to work from 100V to 250V or thereabouts.

I'd guess these sockets are not going to meet any BS approval, but they were so handy and I can understand why some venues would like them. The downside is many of the plugs inserted won't be fused, so not ideal on a British 32A ring final!

 

[LukeD]

lets see the world just have one type of socket...Like the "c" type for phones etc

 

[Rockingit]

That's a multi-mangle outlet, not one specific country. Some are better built than others, I generally have no issue with them if on 16A protection and you CAN get them with shutters if you look hard enough (I think Legrand do one).

Due to my own travel and also professional rental hire I have stocks of pretty much anything to anything when it comes to adaptors but they're all made by me, not those silly tourist adaptors you get at duty free. Schuko <> 13A by the box load, Swiss, old Italian, Israeli, North American, Australian, Chinese.....

 

[sythai]

Do they have BS numbers on them?

Have my doubts.... struggling to get any info tbh !

 

[pc1966]

I generally have no issue with them if on 16A protection

<= This

Very important as anything non-UK lacks fusing in the plug for the cable, so expects something like 16A at the CU.

 

[pc1966]

Due to my own travel and also professional rental hire I have stocks of pretty much anything to anything when it comes to adaptors but they're all made by me, not those silly tourist adaptors you get at duty free. Schuko <> 13A by the box load, Swiss, old Italian, Israeli, North American, Australian, Chinese.....

My own travels are generally more limited, so mostly I have a 4-way 13A block with a Schuko plug from a sacrificed IEC lead (no chickens, this time) but for south Italy have another adaptor for the odd in-line sort of plug they often have.

 

[pc1966]

lets see the world just have one type of socket...Like the "c" type for phones etc

It has been discussed at great length on many occasions. Closest that ever happened was the 10A IEC "kettle" style plug and socket, but even that is not as common these days (not kettles, for sure...).

The big issue is the huge legacy of installed equipment. Basically nobody now can afford to change, as then you have installations with old sockets, and equipment with old plugs, and that persists for decades. Even in the 80s I would see the occasional house with at least on 5A/15A socket in use, and that was 35 years after 13A introduced, and also long after most of the VIR cable of that day should have been replaced.

Not happening for mains. For phones with 5 year max life maybe!

 

[pc1966]

Very important as anything non-UK lacks fusing in the plug for the cable, so expects something like 16A at the CU.

Running one of a 13A FCU is another option if retro-fitting.

 

[Avo Mk8]

Have my doubts.... struggling to get any info tbh !

The Legrand ones mentioned by Rockingit have IEC 60884-1 on them, which is internationally recognised for those types of socket. So it is a legitimate product. IEC 60884-1:2022 | IEC Webstore - https://webstore.iec.ch/publication/34175
I don't know what if any reg stops you from installing them in the UK, if the circuit for each is fused and cabled at 16A or under?

https://assets.legrand.com/pim/NP-FT-GT/F02869EN-00%20%20MULTISTD%20%20SWITCHED%20SOCKETS.pdf

Google "multistandard sockets" if you want to find them!

 

[Rockingit]

I don't know what if any reg stops you from installing them in the UK, if the circuit for each is fused and cabled at 16A or under?

The issue is around shutters - the regs stipulate that socket outlets in DOMESTIC must be shuttered. Commercial (ie hotels where these things are normally found!) it's not an issue.

 

[Rockingit]

<= This

Very important as anything non-UK lacks fusing in the plug for the cable, so expects something like 16A at the CU.

Interesting to remember though that Schuko is actually a 20A rated combination!

 

[pc1966]

Interesting to remember though that Schuko is actually a 20A rated combination!

Yes, I know they put sets of them on 20A but it always struck me as a bit high for the ~1mm flex used. But again, UK perspective is historically different from EU and no doubt it is acceptably safe.