How To Wire a Plug

[John Swift]

Has any one had the pleasure of using the EP4 connector for mains use !
they look like a larger version of the old style XLR4 connectors

30 years ago I had a near miss unplugging an oscilloscope
both of the small scews retaining the insulator and pins had been lost
 instead of removing the plug I , had just the diecast body in my hand
the inner part left in the live socket !!!
the cable is soldered to solder terminals inside

just to add to the fun , the BBC used a different pin out
to that used by Marconi and ITV
 
(  Canford Audio and CPC still sell them for connecting loudspeakers
if you have not seen them  )
  
 

[andyf]

30 years ago I had a near miss unplugging an oscilloscope
both of the small scews retaining the insulator and pins had been lost
 instead of removing the plug I , had just the diecast body in my hand
the inner part left in the live socket !!!
the cable is soldered to solder terminals inside 

I'm not familiar with that connector, John, but I had a similar  with a standard UK 13A plug. Holding an old electric drill with an earthed metal case in my right hand, I tried to take the plug out of the socket with my left. The back came off the plug as I pulled on it, and my fingers brushed across the fuseholder (UK plugs have cartridge fuses within).  I can still feel the invigorating 50Hz ripple passing from the fuse up my left arm, across my chest, down my right arm and away to earth via the body of the drill.

My lecturer for the radio ham exams was really paranoid about examining every 13A plug before sticking it in the socket. His toddler had found that a 1p coin is a nice gentle push fit between the prongs, and had left one there. It blew the plug and socket to bits, apparently. No doubt he is happier now that the lower end of the prongs have to be encased in plastic.

Andy

[andreas]

Agree with Darren, as a truck electrician I never solder cables when repairing a wiring harness. Instead I crimp the cut cables using a copper ferrule and heat shrink tubing them, using a special kind of tube that have a hot glue inner lining, making the connection waterproof.   
Andreas

[Bluechip]

Agree with Darren, as a truck electrician I never solder cables when repairing a wiring harness. Instead I crimp the cut cables using a copper ferrule and heat shrink tubing them, using a special kind of tube that have a hot glue inner lining, making the connection waterproof.  
Andreas

You young ones have it so easy now ....  

Had to use these damn things in ancient times ...  

http://www.standardelectricaldictionary.com/2009-01-joint-britannia.html

Evil instructor used to put a 100lb pull on them, if it came apart, do it again, and again     etc. etc. until you got it right.
Even if it passed the pull test, it was 'do it again' 'cos he didn't like the look of it 
(I didn't like the look of him, but that counted for nowt ...)

Knee deep in wire, solder, and tears ...   all coming back ...



Dave BC

[John Swift]

Hi Bluechip

        In the early 70's    did your instructor have a brother that worked in St Helens  ?
I now feel ancient , I remember 3 phase mercury arc rectifiers ,valves (tubes ) , nixie tubes and germanium transistors


 

[Bluechip]

John

Don't know about St. Helens. My stint was from Jan 1960 to Jun. 1962, when I went in the RAF.

I think all Instructors of the time were specially selected, harsh but fair ... same can be said of Area Bombing I suppose 

Yup, we used Mercury Arc Rectifiers etc. And their big brothers, Ignitrons. Used to frighten the life out of me. Hideous things ..

The first transistors I used were the GEX series IIRC. Dead as soon as you picked them up. Valves we used on instrumentation were often ECC81.
Ah Nixie tubes, decatrons, ... all the old stuff.. still some sites on the WWW using them, God knows why ?

We are ancient, some of us more than others ...    but still ticking...   slowly ...

Gone a bit    I think.

Dave BC

[krv3000]

HI to start off forgive my speling thers one thing rong with your soldering     and that is the type of fulx the type of fulx you are yousing is for pluming work and not electric work as the fulx is very crosive and by the wick a fect will go under the insulashon and start to croade the cabel
  regards bob

[Alan Haisley]

Darren,

All clamped wires creep,
It's the most common source of household electrical fires.
To see this effect go around all your sockets and check the tightness of the screws. If they have been there for some time one or two are likely to be loose.
They should all be checked periodically, but rarely is this ever done.

I suspect that in new construction - at least in the states - if you go around and check switches, outlets, and fixtures, some will already be loose. We now have areas of the country that require "arc detection breakers" that are supposed to react to this. A case of trying to use engineering to correct what I always considered a lack of craftsmanship.

Alan