I have read that to meet current regs, the ends of flex conductors should have a crimp on them when used in 13amp plugs or similar screwed terminations. Certainly most modern appliances have come that way and I understand the fatigue issues if ends are soldered. If this is true, does anyone know where the crimps can be obtained from? I see lots of adverst for bootlace ferrules but in some locations these would be too long to fit to to terminals. any views? Cheers
I've been putting plugs on for 30 years, I'll decide whats the best way to do it not some lame new rule if there is one.
I qualified some 40yrs ago & like peter has said i will also decide the best way! The mind boggles. What next? A rule on how to use a screwdriver perhaps?
Not sure what rule you are referring to, as others have said I have never put a ferrule on and never will, they are used in factories for ease of assembly. There is one pertinent bit of legislation I do follow, the machinery directive, that requires that a repaired machine be repaired to the same specification to which it was made, I service a lot of vacuum cleaners of a certain brand, for which I'm an agent for local schools, if the lead is damaged it has to be replaced with the same type as to cut a bit off and fit a 13A plug would change the spec of the machine and under the MD make me the manufacturer of record and therefore make me liable for any injury caused by the machine. As the leads are only £9.00 we just replace them rather than fitting plugs, I always keep a good stock of leads with moulded plugs of various specs on the shelf.
The ones used in plugs are normally non-insulated and come in many different lengths, eg for 1.5mm2 they come in 7mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 15mm, 18mm, 20mm. Go to en.glw.de and look for wire end sleeves.
Which regulations? And putting a ferrule on will make it extremely difficult, if not impossible or dangerous to use some types of plugs such as those which have a pin and washer nut to hold the wire in place.
Indeed, MK Safetyplug 646, probably the best regular plug made have binding post and nut terminals and can't take ferrules.
Been a while since I wired one but I think you are correct, the only bad thing about them is the price, about £5 each, but they last forever, you get what you pay for. Quite like the Permaplug heavy duty plugs and Duraplug are not bad either now they have a plastic base (the old ones with a rubber base and the top you had to remember to thread over the cable first were a pain)
That's why you come across them where the hole through the top has been sliced through with a sharp knife...
Personally I like using ferrules on stranded cable, although I am not aware of it being compulsory. I last bought some from Reichelt but TME and Partex also have good ranges.
I personally have a large number of MK plugs - some are 30-40 years old and still look "near new". Similarly, Duraplug plugs and 4 way distribution blocks - almost indestructible although the rivet holding the fuse carrier to pin can sometimes get rather warm if running 13A for a couple of hours! Duraplug have been owned by MK for a number of years.
Reichelt are a good supplier, apart from the fact their paper catalogue they send out is in German despite saying "GERMAN LANGUAGE EDITION" in english on the front cover!!