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Thread: More and more appliances coming without plugs - why?

  1. #1
    Grand Master TheFlyingBanana's Avatar
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    More and more appliances coming without plugs - why?

    Had this a few times now with recent purchases.

    A Patio heater delivered today - no plug (and a ridiculously short power lead).

    Is this another Brexit "benefit", or is something else going on?

    Everything used to come with a decent moulded plug on it...
    So clever my foot fell off.

  2. #2
    Master
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    That's the first I have heard of this happening, but then I haven't bought any appliances lately (other than a single Samsung washing machine, which did have a moulded plug attached).

    The majority of folks these days wouldn't know how to wire a plug, so that will cause some headaches / expensive electrician call outs for them!

  3. #3
    Master
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    I was under the impression that it is a legal requirement to supply a power lead with a correctly fitted plug.

    Was it an online purchase?

  4. #4
    Grand Master Rod's Avatar
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    We've just bought a new soup maker and that had a plug fitted. My new amplifier also had a fitted plug.
    I thought it was mandatory.

  5. #5
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    What the &^%$ are you doing heating your patio in the middle of a climate crisis*? Cold outside? Go in or put a jumper on. The lack of plug and short lead were trying to tell you something.

    *I'm slightly sceptical about how much of global warming is down to man, however wasting a valuable resource and putting lots of waste heat in to the atmosphere with Canutian goal of warming up outside is a bit daft

  6. #6
    Grand Master Rod's Avatar
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    Electrical appliances must be correctly fitted with an approved plug with sleeved pins. All plugs should carry the name and reference number of the approved body, normally BSI or ASTA. The plug does not have to be moulded on but it must have the correct fuse for the appliance.

  7. #7
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheFlyingBanana View Post
    ................
    Is this another Brexit "benefit", or is something else going on?

    .......................
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  8. #8
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    I just wonder I went into a shop to buy a new dishwasher a few months ago and they said supply was so short they had to buy them from Poland and put new plugs on them maybe your heater was a non uk model and they never got round to putting a uk plug on ?

  9. #9
    Grand Master TheFlyingBanana's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeremy67 View Post
    What the &^%$ are you doing heating your patio in the middle of a climate crisis*? Cold outside? Go in or put a jumper on. The lack of plug and short lead were trying to tell you something.

    *I'm slightly sceptical about how much of global warming is down to man, however wasting a valuable resource and putting lots of waste heat in to the atmosphere with Canutian goal of warming up outside is a bit daft

    I'll pass your comments on to the missus, who bought it so she could see her mother who is currently being treated for breast cancer, and about to undergo radiotherapy and chemo outside over the coming weeks, and to try and prevent said MiL from feeling too cold.

    I'm sure she'll see your point.
    So clever my foot fell off.

  10. #10
    Grand Master Rod's Avatar
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    The EU wanted to get rid of our 3 pin plugs and replace them with their crap 2 pinners 😁

  11. #11
    Master robcuk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rod View Post
    The EU wanted to get rid of our 3 pin plugs and replace them with their crap 2 pinners 

    Grounded Shuko? Not a bad solution!

  12. #12
    Craftsman
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    Is it designed to be wired into the mains with a switch like a light rather than being plugged in?

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheFlyingBanana View Post
    Had this a few times now with recent purchases.

    A Patio heater delivered today - no plug (and a ridiculously short power lead).

    Is this another Brexit "benefit", or is something else going on?

    Everything used to come with a decent moulded plug on it...
    May well be due to the loading,might be a bit much for a 13a plug top.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael 38 View Post
    I just wonder I went into a shop to buy a new dishwasher a few months ago and they said supply was so short they had to buy them from Poland and put new plugs on them maybe your heater was a non uk model and they never got round to putting a uk plug on ?
    Hmm not sure what the Poland comment means. Poland is Europes main manufacturing hub for white goods and, for example, all the Samsung white goods are made in the Samsung plant in North Poland.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheFlyingBanana View Post
    I'll pass your comments on to the missus, who bought it so she could see her mother who is currently being treated for breast cancer, and about to undergo radiotherapy and chemo outside over the coming weeks, and to try and prevent said MiL from feeling too cold.

    I'm sure she'll see your point.
    Sorry to hear your MiL is unwell, my sincere best wishes for a speedy recovery.

  16. #16
    Master mr noble's Avatar
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    As others have said, it might well be that its not supposed to be plugged in, but hardwired into a dedicated circuit. Certainly likely if its more of a commercial type heater than a domestic one from Homebase etc.

    What is the max wattage of it? More than 3000 watts and it shouldnt be plugged in on a 3 pin plug at all.

  17. #17
    Grand Master TheFlyingBanana's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeremy67 View Post
    Sorry to hear your MiL is unwell, my sincere best wishes for a speedy recovery.

    Thank you. Difficult times.
    So clever my foot fell off.

  18. #18
    Grand Master TheFlyingBanana's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mr noble View Post
    As others have said, it might well be that it’s not supposed to be plugged in, but hardwired into a dedicated circuit. Certainly likely if it’s more of a commercial type heater than a domestic one from Homebase etc.

    What is the max wattage of it? More than 3000 watts and it shouldn’t be plugged in on a 3 pin plug at all.

    No, it's 2k - definitely for 3pin domestic supply. I've popped a plug on and it's working fine.


    It's one of these:

    https://www.heatershop.co.uk/hersche...AaAsu5EALw_wcB
    So clever my foot fell off.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Enda View Post
    Is it designed to be wired into the mains with a switch like a light rather than being plugged in?
    Good shout that

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by TheFlyingBanana View Post
    No, it's 2k - definitely for 3pin domestic supply. I've popped a plug on and it's working fine.


    It's one of these:

    https://www.heatershop.co.uk/hersche...AaAsu5EALw_wcB
    Designed for permanent mounting outside so really should be hardwired.

  21. #21
    Master davidj54's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rod View Post
    The EU wanted to get rid of our 3 pin plugs and replace them with their crap 2 pinners 😁
    Outrageous. Watch this 4 minute vid to understand why the British plug is vastly superior.

    https://youtu.be/UEfP1OKKz_Q

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kingstepper View Post
    Designed for permanent mounting outside so really should be hardwired.
    Indeed, as per page 3 of the installation handbook: https://www.heatershop.co.uk/Cache/D...ion-Manual.pdf

  23. #23
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rod View Post
    The EU wanted to get rid of our 3 pin plugs and replace them with their crap 2 pinners 😁
    Euromyth - never happened.

  24. #24
    Master alfat33's Avatar
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    I think the rest of the world finds our industrial-sized, over-engineered UK plugs quite amusing. I discovered this when I used to travel on business quite a lot. India is the only country I remember as having something similar. No doubt another unwelcome colonial legacy.

  25. #25
    My German colleagues would routinely force their two pin plugs into a UK three pin socket, and then jam a pair of scissors into the third "hole" to charge laptops, etc, even though we had three pin power leads and block converters available for them. We'd look on with horror and our H&S Manager would have a fit...

    One day the Old Boy who was chair of the AG board at the time received a right belt, big bang & flash, all power lost, burning smell in the board room, his comment "Those damn Englander plugs...."

  26. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by alfat33 View Post
    I think the rest of the world finds our industrial-sized, over-engineered UK plugs quite amusing. I discovered this when I used to travel on business quite a lot. India is the only country I remember as having something similar. No doubt another unwelcome colonial legacy.
    South Africa has quite a lot of the old style round 3 pin plugs and sockets left so probably a legacy thing.


    Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

  27. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by alfat33 View Post
    I think the rest of the world finds our industrial-sized, over-engineered UK plugs quite amusing. I discovered this when I used to travel on business quite a lot. India is the only country I remember as having something similar. No doubt another unwelcome colonial legacy.
    LOL. I'm sure the Indians are outraged at lower rates of accidental electrocution in the home.

    The British 13 Amp plug and socket is considered the safest in the world. It is one of the results of UK government planning in the 1940s to improve building standards. The committee entrusted with improving electrical installations included just one woman, but that woman had an enormous impact! Her name was Caroline Haslett, she was an electrical engineer, a pioneer in the use of electricity to benefit women by liberating them from household drudgery, and an expert on safety in the home. She believed that a new, more convenient and safer plug and socket was needed. As a result, the first requirement in the committee's recommendations was that it should protect young children from being able to touch live parts by means of shutters, or the inherent design of the socket. The resulting design, still in use today, actually does both. A baby's finger is not small enough to go into the socket holes far enough to reach the live parts, but to make sure there are insulated shutters on the inside of the holes which prevent anything but a plug being inserted. These shutters close automatically as soon as the plug is pulled out.
    Last edited by ernestrome; 30th March 2021 at 08:55.

  28. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by ernestrome View Post
    LOL. I'm sure the Indians are outraged at lower rates of accidental electrocution in the home. Are you some sort of social justice warrior?
    A good old British plug is a mastery of Poke Yoke

    Longer earth pin to open the positive and negative gates, so the earth is always connected in the event of a short
    Shape , cant be put in the wrong way
    Insulation on the pos and negative pins to prevent finger wrap around when pushing it in ( as stated above)

    Only issue I would suggest now is the millennials who have been brought up with everything having a moulded or normal plug fitted from new. I wouldn’t trust them to get the wires either in correctly or on the right terminals.

    I used to run a plug assembly as part of a training exercise. I recon I have run it 500/600 times. The range of times for someone to assemble a plug WITH No WIRE in ranged from quickest 60 seconds, average 4.5 mins upto “ good effort, lets call it a day shall we!”


    Steve
    Last edited by higham5; 30th March 2021 at 09:01.

  29. #29
    Master Ruggertech's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ernestrome View Post
    LOL. I'm sure the Indians are outraged at lower rates of accidental electrocution in the home.
    Yes, I struggled to see why it would be an "unwelcome" legacy also.

  30. #30
    Grand Master Rod's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alansmithee View Post
    Euromyth - never happened.
    No it wasn't, and yes it never happened.

  31. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by Rod View Post
    No it wasn't, and yes it never happened.
    Typical Brexit nonsense.

    https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info...nd_sockets.pdf
    https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info...m_brochure.pdf

  32. #32
    The manufacturer would not be able to complete a Pat or hi-pot test without the plug fitted, so it must be a permanent device.

  33. #33
    Craftsman
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    Got a new iPhone 12 the other day

    No plug anymore just Lightning to USB-c cable not good if your last phone had a normal USB, bought one of these does the job nicely





  34. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kingstepper View Post
    Designed for permanent mounting outside so really should be hardwired.
    Exactly.

  35. #35
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
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    I've still got a collection of three pin plugs in a kitchen cupboard.

    Some of us are old enough to remember when nothing came with a plug on.
    Cheers,
    Neil.

    My Speedmaster website:

    http://www.freewebs.com/neil271052

  36. #36
    Master mickylall's Avatar
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    Brexit plugs 🤡

  37. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheFlyingBanana View Post
    No, it's 2k - definitely for 3pin domestic supply. I've popped a plug on and it's working fine.


    Won't that invalidate the warranty ??


    B

  38. #38
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rod View Post
    No it wasn't, and yes it never happened.
    Ok 25 to the fundraiser if you can find the EU proposed directive where this is put forward as an idea.

    You might struggle a bit because this euromyth first appears in about 1992 or 1993 (in the Daily Heil I think first) but I'll wait.

  39. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neilo View Post
    Got a new iPhone 12 the other day

    No plug anymore just Lightning to USB-c cable not good if your last phone had a normal USB,
    Cheeky so and sos say it's to cut waste by having reduced box size - or some nonsense like that!

  40. #40
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neilo View Post
    Got a new iPhone 12 the other day

    No plug anymore just Lightning to USB-c cable not good if your last phone had a normal USB, bought one of these does the job nicely




    That looks great; do you have a link to the item for sale online? Many thanks !

  41. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by ach5 View Post
    That looks great; do you have a link to the item for sale online? Many thanks !
    +1

  42. #42
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by ach5 View Post
    That looks great; do you have a link to the item for sale online? Many thanks !
    Quote Originally Posted by jaytip View Post
    +1

    Found it on Amazon. Possibly available elsewhere.

    Deal: Extension Lead with USB C Ports, Power Strips with 2 Way Outlets 4 USB(4.5A, 1 Type C and 3 USB-A Port) Surge Protection Plug Extension Socket with 1.8 Meter Braided Extension cord for Home Office https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZGDK9...ing=UTF8&psc=1

  43. #43
    Craftsman DONGinsler's Avatar
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    When I got my replacement printer. It came without a plug. For some reason I kept the one from the printer I threw out and being the new one was from the same company.

    It fit fine

    Seems odd not to include one. Doesn't matter what the product. If it needs a plug. Include it

    DON

  44. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by DONGinsler View Post
    When I got my replacement printer. It came without a plug. For some reason I kept the one from the printer I threw out and being the new one was from the same company.

    It fit fine

    Seems odd not to include one. Doesn't matter what the product. If it needs a plug. Include it

    DON
    You mean power cable?

  45. #45
    Grand Master Sinnlover's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by aa388 View Post
    South Africa has quite a lot of the old style round 3 pin plugs and sockets left so probably a legacy thing.


    Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
    Yep SA, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana all have the three pin (in some case the old round three pin) plugs.
    They have gone even further in preventing electrocution in Southern Africa ‘load shedding’ means it unavailable for days at a time.
    Anyhoo as you were...
    Last edited by Sinnlover; 31st March 2021 at 08:26.

  46. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by David_D View Post
    Found it on Amazon. Possibly available elsewhere.

    Deal: Extension Lead with USB C Ports, Power Strips with 2 Way Outlets 4 USB(4.5A, 1 Type C and 3 USB-A Port) Surge Protection Plug Extension Socket with 1.8 Meter Braided Extension cord for Home Office https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZGDK9...ing=UTF8&psc=1
    Much obliged!

  47. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by alfat33 View Post
    I think the rest of the world finds our industrial-sized, over-engineered UK plugs quite amusing. I discovered this when I used to travel on business quite a lot. India is the only country I remember as having something similar. No doubt another unwelcome colonial legacy.
    Ireland also uses the same 3 pin plug & corresponding s/o as we do..

  48. #48
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    not disputing your points or the supplied links but we did end up changing our cable colours to harmonise with the rest of Europe.. I know it's not the same thing but kind of related. I never heard of any plans to force us to change to a two pin system though..

  49. #49
    Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neil.C View Post
    I've still got a collection of three pin plugs in a kitchen cupboard.

    Some of us are old enough to remember when nothing came with a plug on.
    Me too, doesnt seem so long ago! Everyone learned how to fit a plug when I was a youngster.

  50. #50
    Grand Master JasonM's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by walkerwek1958 View Post
    Me too, doesnt seem so long ago! Everyone learned how to fit a plug when I was a youngster.
    To be fair, Im pretty sure my lad was taught it in the lesson they called resistant materials in the first year of Secondary school ( woodwork / craft / design type of lesson) Ive shown him a few times over the years too when Ive ever done a plug.
    Cheers..
    Jase

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