Need help with cracking those EICR codes? The technical team at NAPIT, with the help of the 18th Edition Codebreakers publication, answer your latest coding queries. Click on the photos for a closer look!
DARREN OVEREND: I SAW THIS UK CONVERTER PLUG ON SOME CHRISTMAS LIGHTS THAT HAD A EUROPEAN STYLE TRANSFORMER PLUG. HOW’S THAT SUPPOSED TO WORK THEN?
As electricians we often come across a wide variety of electrical equipment for use within an electrical installation. Sometimes it is the client that provides the products either via an online purchase, bargain purchase from a market stall or from a holiday purchase.
It is relatively easy to ascertain if an item of fixed electrical equipment is compliant with the product standards as these have to be connected into the wiring system. The flexible nature of socket-outlets and any product which is supplied with a 13 A plug is out of the control of the electrician, as it often appears when we leave site or, in this case, Christmas lights which make an annual appearance.
It would be during either a periodic inspection when carrying out an EICR or when undertaking a portable appliance testing programme that these types of items are discovered.
The BS 1363 series:2023 for plugs, socket-outlets, adaptors and connections is vital to ensuring that the millions of plugs, sockets and adaptors, made by many different manufacturers, are safe to use and will fit together and function correctly and reliably, even after many insertions.
The item shown in the image would not meet any of the requirements of BS 1363 series, even though it may work in some socket-outlets where the line, neutral and earth apertures operate in conjunction with each other. From the image it is not clear if there is a provision of a fuse which is also a requirement of BS 1363 series.
Order your copy of NAPIT Codebreakers here
