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Old 25th Jan 2014, 11:40 pm   #1
02churmat
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Default Which fuse to use?

I've got a UK model JVC Videosphere TV from the 70's and the cable is a grey plastic outer 2 core cable.

Can anyone recommend a period plug that would suit the TV?

And what rating fuse should I be using in the plug?

240v 50Hz 21w
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Old 26th Jan 2014, 12:22 am   #2
Nickthedentist
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

Hello,

A classic MK plug like this would have been pretty much universal on most things in the 1970s: http://www.flameport.com/electric_mu...k_13a_plug.cs4

A 3A fuse would normally have been fitted, though you might be able to get away with 2A or even 1A (both are available), so long as the switch-on surge is not too great.

N.
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Old 26th Jan 2014, 12:35 am   #3
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

Cheers for that. Have just searched ebay and found one for sale
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Old 26th Jan 2014, 2:16 am   #4
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

Although "at the time, sleeved pins were not required or even thought of" isn't exactly true, is it? Plenty of pre-war 5A and 15A plugs have sleeved pins. MK probably deemed them unnecessary with the shielded moulding they had designed. Sleeved pins were sometimes seen as a weak spot, both mechanically and electrically.
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Old 27th Jan 2014, 7:12 pm   #5
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

Sleeved L and N pins on 13A plugs were introduced as a result of a change made to BS1363 as a countermeasure to the '1p prank'.

If you take a 13A plug, particularly the unsleeved design, and a 1p coin, you will find that the coin is a near-perfect interference fit between all three pins when pushed up against the underside of the plug. The 'prank' was to place a coin here and fit the plug into a socket but to not switch the socket on. Because the coin is so thin it is difficult to see that the plug is not pushed fully home in the socket. When the victim switched the socket on you can imagine the effect.

Ha ****** Ha! very funny, I don't think!

Some plug manufacturers may well have made this change before the BS required it, and that seems likely in the case of MK, a leading quality manufacturer.

The skirt at the base of the MK plug in the link was necessary to provide for the required 'creepage and clearance' as laid down in BS1363 (etc). Other makes of plug that lacked the MK's slimmer body design did not need this skirt as those plugs were already wide enough in the body to satisfy the c&c regulations. The slimmer body design of the MK made it easier to unplug when they were used side by side in a double (or greater) socket, as there was more room of fat fingers!
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Old 27th Jan 2014, 10:54 pm   #6
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

I have a pre-war 5A 3 pin plug with sleeved pins, and the sleeving on one of the pins has completely disintegrated. It was already like that in the early 1950's.
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Old 28th Jan 2014, 12:01 am   #7
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Smile Re: Which fuse to use?

Hi,
There is another version of this MK plug which had spring loaded sleeves. It looked the more or less the same but was a bit deeper. I think maybe the idea was to have shrouded pins without reducing the thickness of the pin.
This plug & socket combination (especially in brown) is my all time favourite classic design.
Sorry if I've drifted off topic.
Cheers, Pete.
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Old 28th Jan 2014, 12:39 am   #8
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

Quote:
Originally Posted by 02churmat View Post
And what rating fuse should I be using in the plug?
The fuse is there to protect the cable (not the TV or whatever which will have its own internal protection). There are only 2 official sizes of fuse 3 and 13 amp. So use a 3amp.
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Old 28th Jan 2014, 11:04 am   #9
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

Quote:
Originally Posted by winston_1 View Post
The fuse is there to protect the cable (not the TV or whatever which will have its own internal protection)
Very few people remember what the fuse in the plug protects, even though it's clear in the specifications.
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Old 28th Jan 2014, 1:24 pm   #10
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

It was the accepted rule that 3A fuses were fitted for black and white TV's and 5A for all colour TV's, to allow for the switch on degauss surge. The fitting of 13A fuses was frowned upon. 5A fuses are still available from most good retail outlets.
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Old 28th Jan 2014, 4:33 pm   #11
02churmat
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

Thanks everyone for the info, pictures and thoughts.

I've got a plug on its way from ebay, so there will be photos when its all up and running
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Old 28th Jan 2014, 6:42 pm   #12
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Smile Re: Which fuse to use?

Hi,
'Tis but a pity you didn't put a request in our 'wanted' section, I could have popped a couple in the post. I changed dozens of them when we moved out here. I sent a 5Kg box of them back to a friend in the UK too!
Cheers, Pete.
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Old 29th Jan 2014, 12:34 pm   #13
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickthedentist View Post
A classic MK plug like this would have been pretty much universal on most things in the 1970s
Great plugs, my personal favourite. On a house move in mid 1973 we were provided with a pack of new MK plugs of the part rounded design, press-in cord grips and shielded pins. This suggests the design above was discontinued in the early '70s.

Cheers,
Brian
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Old 29th Jan 2014, 4:36 pm   #14
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

Good point, Brian. OTOH, plugs were always re-used back then so it was not uncommon for a plug to last much longer than an individual appliance. We certainly had the sort I posted a link to on our 1978 cassette recorder, 1983 Sony TV etc. etc.

This is the type to which you were referring, I believe: http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...s/PICT2765.jpg

N.
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Old 29th Jan 2014, 6:25 pm   #15
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

That was Granada's policy, 3A for B/White and 5A fuse for colour TV. Still have lovely white MK plug with Granada written on.
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Old 29th Jan 2014, 6:32 pm   #16
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Smile Re: Which fuse to use?

Hi,
They were designated the MK 'Safetyplug'. I have an illustartion of an early one which had the traditional cable grip with two screws instead of the 'press in' variety.
Cheers, Pete.

PS Perhaps this fascinating thread could be moved to a more appropriate section. It'd be a pity to close it.
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Old 29th Jan 2014, 7:11 pm   #17
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

Quote:
Originally Posted by HamishBoxer View Post
Still have lovely white MK plug with Granada written on.
Morphy-Richards had a version too. Yes Nick, these are the ones I referred to, the early version had white shielded pins with black used later. Indeed plugs were often re-used in the days before fitted plugs became compulsory.

Cheers,
Brian
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Old 30th Jan 2014, 1:15 pm   #18
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

Quote:
Originally Posted by winston_1 View Post
There are only 2 official sizes of fuse 3 and 13 amp. So use a 3amp.
The 3 and 13 Amp fuse choice was a simplification for those who did not understand 'electrics'; most Electricity Board shops had posters with pictures of common items vs which fuse. I think you will find 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10Amp fuses are widely available from component suppliers and wholesalers and as to the 'officialness' of them - the ones I have bear the BS1362 marking which I consider official enough for me.

B/W TVs I use 2 or 3 Amp, Colour 5 Amp.
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Old 30th Jan 2014, 4:09 pm   #19
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

The full range used to be available from Woolworths in the 1960's. I remember sticking the label from a pack which showed the colour coding of the various ratings, in the lid of our tobacco tin of fuses. I have a MK plug which has a three-position pointer for indicating 3A, 7A or 13A.
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Old 30th Jan 2014, 4:20 pm   #20
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Default Re: Which fuse to use?

I know there are lots of different ratings available, but only 3 and 13A are official and are colour coded pinkish red and brown respectively. All other sizes (unofficial) are colour coded black.

Ay one time is was 1A green, 2A ?, 3A blue, 5A ?, 7A yellow, 10A ?, and 13A brown. Anyone remember the ?s.
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