View Full Version : Can you put on a mains plug?
I had reason tonight to fit a couple of mains plugs and it got me thinking that it's something that people simply don't have to do these days. Everything comes with a moulded plug now and so there's just not the need to cut off [for example] European plugs and fit a standard 13 amp plug instead.
It used to be taught in school - I remember the science lesson where we were shown how to fit them and then everyone had a go but that's just not done any more. My kids don't know and that's something I shall teach them.
Incidentally, the method I taught myself (pre the school lesson I mentioned) was by remembering Brown starts with BR which stands for Brown Right and Blue starts with BL which stands for Blue Left. I still thought that to myself today when I put those two plugs on.
So, be honest. Can you put on a mains plug?
Yes, and I have. Wired up light switches too. Given my eyesight I have to be very careful (usually break out a magnifier to check for stray wires). Not done one in ages though for the reasons stated.
I have far more trouble stripping wires. I asked a friend to do my last plug wiring job because I couldn't safely strip the wires in the flex (my tools are intended for speaker wire and the like, not flex).
I was shown at school. It's not part of the national curriculum so I doubt that it is taught at most schools.
Yes, though I took electronics to A2, so i'd be ashamed if I couldn't :p
I only took it to GCSE, and I'd still be ashamed if I couldn't. :p
Psymonkee
27-04-2009, 23:50
Was part of the curriculum when I was somewhere in 1st - 3rd year (94 - 97)
Took me 2 lessons to get it (ham fisted :p) but I'm sure I could do it much quicker now :D
Chuckles
28-04-2009, 00:34
Yeah. I've wired in a cooker and some light switches as well. Nothing to it!
Yes my Dad taught me how but I must admit I've never had to actually put the knowledge into practical use.
Yes but none in recent years.
Yes my Dad taught me how but I must admit I've never had to actually put the knowledge into practical use.
What he said :)
I suspect I'd be crap now though as it was years ago!
my mum taught me when i was a nipper, was quite suprised when we did it in school and not everyone knew how to do it!
also bR and bL was something she mentioned and has stuck with me since.
Yes, taught by my Dad.
When I started working for the 6th form college it was a very regular part of my job, for one reason or another. As a result I had to go through a quick lesson with a certified professional (co-incidentally the premises manager) to make sure I was doing it safely and knew how to decide on appropriate fuses to use (Watt/Volt = Amp).
I hate with a passion soldering, and wire stripping, but again it was a necessary part of the job (had to look after A/V cables including the forever being broken XLRs).
aye, did it in school.
I even managed to install some fancy new lights when we moved house earlier in the year - wasn't easy, but i survived to tell the tale!
Also learnt to wire a plug in school. Easy peasy
I hate with a passion soldering
I love soldering!
Dymetrie
28-04-2009, 06:46
Affirmative :)
Pretty sure I could - my dad taught me along with how to wire in sockets and how to chase them and cables into walls. He only showed my light fittings once as while he was doing so, some brain-dead apprentice turned the power back on and blew him across the room (apprentice ran fast, apprentice never came back)
I taught it not that long ago to yr 11s... Some did great, others i dont think could see the point..:/
Yeah, no worries. Also happy wiring up lights, sockets, ovens, chasing cables, etc. If anything really tricky comes along I'll check with my sparky mates or just get them to do it :)
Pumpkinstew
28-04-2009, 07:47
I can. But any DIY task more complicated than that I usually make a pigs ear of.
Yeh I reckon so! I would probably still call me Pa a couple of times and say "Here, am I doing this right?" just to be sure (to be sure) but I reckon I could quite easily!
I don't think, however, Picky would let me :p I think he'd see me as a liability! Saying that, if I did poop it up and manage to get shocked to the high heavens, he'd at least get the mortgage paid off, so maybe he would let me play :D
AboveTheSalt
28-04-2009, 07:57
Yes, I can and do. I have also wired in cookers and replaced lots of lights - all probably highly illegal nowadays so I wouldn't dream of doing it again.
Incidentally, if you don't happen to have a spare plug, just cut off the old one with an axe, bare the wires using your teeth and poke the wires into the plug using matchsticks - to switch off, just hoik the cable out of the socket ;)
ps - don't try this at home kids :shocked:
I love soldering!
Urgh.. all that tight fiddly work, the stench of hot solder, the need for multiple hands. Even with clamps I struggle to get things positioned right.
Some of the precision electronics stuff isn't quite so bad, but the worst is doing cable connectors.
semi-pro waster
28-04-2009, 08:03
I have put on plugs before and will probably do it again but since it has been such a long time since I've done it I'd probably need to check that I'd got the wiring correct to be absolutely sure.
Briggykins
28-04-2009, 08:05
Yup, though never had to do it. I'd use the same BL/BR method as you.
Am I wrong in thinking you now have to get it certified by some Qualified to Deal with Electric Stuff* dude now if you decide to play with plugs and things? Or is that only in like... bathrooms and kitchens and thingymabobs?
I know you canny install a leccy shower without it being inspected now. We just managed to get ours in in our previous home before that law or what not came in.
*Electrician. It came to me just as I posted. It's gonna be one of those days I think :p
AboveTheSalt
28-04-2009, 08:23
*Electrician. It came to me just as I posted. It's gonna be one of those days I think :pI think that you may have started a trend. From now on, I'm going to start referring to everyone by what they do + "Dude"; e.g.: Doctor = Kill or cure dude Police Officer = Law-n-Order dude Fireman = Puts out fires Dude Comedian = Makes you laugh dudeI think you may be the inventor of a meme, so perhaps a truly momentous day for Pheebs :)
LeperousDust
28-04-2009, 08:28
Never taught in school but something my dad has shown me and i've put to practice a few times here and there. Incidentally none of my flatmate's know how to do it, and where "suprised" when i put a plug on the end of our slow cooker. They were worried it was going to blow up or something since it didn't have a molded one on anymore... :huh:
\o/
It's quite a regular thing for me to do here :) I think it's probably because I talk so fast my brain canny keep up so I forget the simplist of words/titles so I either a) substitute it for the nearest word my brain can find which sounds similar but has a completely different meaning (I'm a proper Mrs Malaprop) or b) put together a string of words which makes up the word I'm thinking of but canny recall.
Oddly enough though, when required I have a pretty neat little memory. *bizarre*
*still curious about her having to ask the Qualified to Deal with Electric Stuff Dude business*
*Electrician.
Sparkler :o
*still curious about her having to ask the Qualified to Deal with Electric Stuff Dude business*
T'is true - guy at Mics work is employed as an electrician but because he doesn't have some certificate or other, he isn't allowed to do any housing electrics :huh:
Buuut... is he allowed to do it all and then get someone in to check it all out? Am I right in thinking that?
Like... I could rewire the whole of my house and then get a chap in the next week to certify it's not dangerous?
Buuut... is he allowed to do it all and then get someone in to check it all out? Am I right in thinking that?
Like... I could rewire the whole of my house and then get a chap in the next week to certify it's not dangerous?
Don't think so, think it has to be done by the guy with the certificate else it isn't legal and when you tried to sell your house it would have to all be done again
I could be completely wrong of course :p
AboveTheSalt
28-04-2009, 08:40
*still curious about her having to ask the Qualified to Deal with Electric Stuff Dude business*THIS (http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/electrical_safety.pdf) will probably answer your question although it seems that the only reliable answer is to 'phone your Building Control Officer, hang on the line for half an hour or so and then flip a coin :(
Really? I'm sure last I heard it was okay to get it tested and checked afterwards for a fail/pass certification jobby!
Well I'll be. That's gonna screw up a lot of developers out there wanting to save a few bucks!
*edit* Just saw your linky ABS! Good old google! Humdiggity to the council, it's all blooming wishy washy. Blooming phonelines and regulations!
Briggykins
28-04-2009, 08:46
'phone your Building Control Officer
Surely you mean the Checks-out-houses dude?
My dad was an electrical engineer so he taught me how to do it when I was a kid.
Also learned in Guides I think :/
Had to change the fuse in my hairdryer a couple of months ago.
BB x
leowyatt
28-04-2009, 09:29
I certainly can and have done on numerous times :)
Being an electrical & electronics engineer and having worked in the electronics/telecomms industry I'd be worried if I couldn't!! :D :p
Yeah, been so long though I'd do the standard thing when unsure of anything and Google it just to be sure, lol
Davey_Pitch
28-04-2009, 10:33
Yup, can also change lights and stuff too. Lynnie knows more than me though, but my excuse is that her Dad worked on building sites and stuff like that and made her help him with stuff around the house, so she picked up more that way.
Learned quite a few basics in scouting, tap washers, plug changes, making sure shelves are level, and how to set fire to it properly when you've not got it level and really frustrated with it. So many useful things :D
Yea, my father taught me and i've done it many times since. That and lights, cookers, showers, oh and quite a bit of three phase work too :)
Lynnie_pitch nee Leigh
28-04-2009, 12:43
Nope. Never have done.
Didn't crazy Mr Thyer teach you how to?
I had to do it in my science lessons but I'd done it before *smug* ;) :)
I'm a production and audio engineer so yarp! I never learnt it in school though...pretty much learnt it from watching my dad wiring up stuff when I was much younger.
I once rewired a plug because it wasn't pretty, so i went to the store and got a pretty green one :D
semi-pro waster
28-04-2009, 17:30
Really? I'm sure last I heard it was okay to get it tested and checked afterwards for a fail/pass certification jobby!
Well I'll be. That's gonna screw up a lot of developers out there wanting to save a few bucks!
Could you be thinking of plumbing perhaps? My uncle refitted a lot of the plumbing in one of my cousins flats and they simply had to get a registered central heating engineer to check it over and get it certificated which was fine and saved a fair bit of cash.
Being an electrical & electronics engineer and having worked in the electronics/telecomms industry I'd be worried if I couldn't!! :D :p
I don't know if you've already seen it but you've got a PM Will, cheers. :)
Didn't crazy Mr Thyer teach you how to?
I had to do it in my science lessons but I'd done it before *smug* ;) :)
I'd have thought that answer self-explanatory from my reply :p
Knipples
28-04-2009, 19:11
Im ashamed to say I cant, but thats purely because nobody has ever shown me how, i'd be more than willing to learn.
I can change the fuse in one but thats it.
Pumpkinstew
28-04-2009, 19:35
Any changes to the wiring in your house should be checked by a member of the institute of electrical engineers (IEE) to confirm it's OK and safe. (Conforms to the 17th edition).
Quite often they abbreviate this to 17th cert.
I don't believe this applies to anything that you plug into the mains so wiring a plug wouldn't be covered. Installing the socket or a new light would.
Uncertified changes to your wiring can land you in trouble with insurance and whatnot.
*Disclaimer*
I haven't looked at this for over 5 years, back when 16th edition was the latest standard so it may well have changed.
EDIT: Seems it's now the IET http://www.theiet.org/publishing/wiring-regulations/
I'm not sure what you actually mean. :s If you're talking about wiring a plug then no. Anything more technical than that: No :(
Incidentally, if you don't happen to have a spare plug, just cut off the old one with an axe, bare the wires using your teeth and poke the wires into the plug using matchsticks - to switch off, just hoik the cable out of the socket ;)
Mans rewiring!
I think my dad tought me how to rewire a plug and work out amperages for fuses when I was about 10.
I also remember learning it in CDT off Mr Parkin, the design teacher.
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