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Old 18th Sep 2021, 7:05 pm   #1
Lloyd 1985
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Default Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

What do other members do for mains plugs? It seems to be getting more difficult to find half decent plugs, they all seem to be made from floppy plastic these days, or are unsafe Chinese junk. I’m sure Wilko used to have some cheap ones that were acceptable, but they didn’t have any today, so I got some from B&Q, the quality is dire, made from thin plastic, and the live and neutral pins on one plug have part missing moulded plastic sheaths, I’ll be returning them next weekend. I do save old plugs, as they seem better quality, but I’ve run out of spare ones!

So, does anyone know of a good source of new mains plugs?

Regards
Lloyd
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Old 18th Sep 2021, 7:11 pm   #2
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

The best I can find are MK, made in Malaysia (they use 13A plugs too), the cost cutting has lead to the use of a zinc casting for the nuts (fine until you use gorilla force). I did need a plug somewhat pronto a while ago and the Toolstation https://www.toolstation.com/fused-3-pin-plug-top/p74540 job wasn't too bad at all, two screws holding the cover on to boot.
 
Old 18th Sep 2021, 7:15 pm   #3
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/951...-20/dp/PL10202

These aren’t too badly made but in saying that I’m yet to try them with anything high load. At just under £1 each perfectly acceptable for radio/test equipment etc use.

HTH

Kev
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Old 18th Sep 2021, 7:52 pm   #4
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

Cheers for the links! I might try the toolstation ones, they look much better than the garbage I got today! And to add insult to injury, they were £1.25 each too.. I'll have a look on Farnell too, you just reminded me I'm trying to make up an order of bits that goes over £40, so I get rid of the handling charge!

I had a quick glance around the workshop at plugs fitted to things already, noticed a plug that still has a price sticker on it of 69p, it must have come from one of the cheap shops where I used to live, it's a million miles better quality than the things I got today, similar shape, but made of proper hard thermoplastic.

Regards,
Lloyd
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Old 18th Sep 2021, 8:18 pm   #5
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

I’ve been using Duraplug unbreakable ones, they seem to be well made and I’ve used them on the household iron and a portable heater…..
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Old 18th Sep 2021, 8:43 pm   #6
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

I'm impressed by the quality of finish of these, and the white version, at RS: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/mains...ockets/0854396.
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Old 18th Sep 2021, 11:29 pm   #7
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

This seems to be a great incentive to scrub up and recycle as many older plugs as you can find The same thing applies to plastic washing line "pegs". The cheapest don't seem to be strong enough to even sustain being opened and closed without one side fracturing About a decade or so there was a lot of discussion re poor quality blank CD's and DVD's. Someone said that they had ruined a good product by manufacturing to the absolute minimum standard for profit but it would be self defeating in the end! Not a problem now of course. I suspect that the supply of blanks will come to an end soon but it won't be because there's a shortage of delivery drivers in the wonderful new, download endless box sets and get addicted, Universe!

Dave W

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Old 19th Sep 2021, 8:19 am   #8
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

The cheap £1 plugs have a terrible build quality and all seem to use cross head screws made of soft metal that cheeses up the first time they are used. As always you get what you pay for; decent MK plugs from RS are around £7. Safer and will last longer.
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Old 19th Sep 2021, 1:06 pm   #9
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

Last good ones I bought are branded Masterplug, from the local farmers suppliers.

These seem to put up with the typical daily bashing expected on the plugs on extension leads and vacuum cleaners..
You can have them in a choice of black white or a rather fetching brilliant orange!!!!
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Old 19th Sep 2021, 1:31 pm   #10
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

Quote:
Originally Posted by dave walsh View Post
This seems to be a great incentive to scrub up and recycle as many older plugs as you can find
Yes, I'm a regular at the local WEEE bin in the Coucncil car park near me. Apart from all the tempting gadgets (most of which work), there are always loads of old kettles, hairdryers and other things which don't interest me so much, often with good quality, urea formaldehyde, rewireable plugs. A bit of Servisol foaming cleaner and an old toothbrush and rags, and they come up like new in a minute or two. I now have enough to last me a lifetime, many of which are really nice ones by MK etc.

Not strictly allowed, but nobody seems to care, and surely re-use comes before recycling.
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Old 19th Sep 2021, 3:25 pm   #11
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

I always save good quality plugs when an item of equipment gets scrapped. I've got a box of the things in the cupboard under the stairs.

The more lightweight ones are OK for two core connections to things like table lamps and even old radios. You just need to make sure that the plastic body doesn't flex too much.

The shrouded pins from rubbish plugs will often fit solid old plugs with unshrouded pins, though obviously care should be taken that everything is secure and safe.
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Old 19th Sep 2021, 3:39 pm   #12
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

The cheap RS pro made in china ones dont seem too bad.
The brown ones look quite old school too.
we buy them and they get quite hard use in an EMC lab and seem to hold up well. HOWEVER they are a bit more brittle than traditional bakelite ones, I have busted some dropping them onto Terazzo flooring.
Car boot sale is the best bet, or local rubbish tip.
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Old 19th Sep 2021, 7:31 pm   #13
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

RS do these hard bakelite ones albeit with the mk-style push-in cord grip.
But for normal usage I have the CPC black ones.

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/mains...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
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Old 19th Sep 2021, 8:02 pm   #14
Lloyd 1985
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

Those RS ones look like they'll do the job nicely! Black or white urea-formaldehyde, so no floppy plastic.

Cheers,
Lloyd
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Old 20th Sep 2021, 8:25 pm   #15
medge799
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

Hi,

Personally I don't tend to fit new plugs any more; I prefer the pre-made mains leads with a moulded-on plug from CPC for a couple of quid. The original mains lead almost always is beyond salvation. Failing that there is always the local tip as suggested by @nickthedentist.
Ta,
Mark
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Old 20th Sep 2021, 8:46 pm   #16
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

I use a rotary wire brush in a power tool to remove the tarnish from plug pins. It polishes them up nice and shiny.
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Old 22nd Sep 2021, 9:23 am   #17
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Default Re: Decent mains plugs, do they exist?!

I will often replace older plugs and leads with moulded ones, I have loads of unused 'kettle leads' from my days in the IT industry when everything you bought came with a new lead.

Snip the connector off the end and you have a great pre terminated lead a couple of metres long.

(I have some of these leads that are five metres, I use these wired to a 13amp free socket as cheap and cheerful extension leads)
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