Leads from UK mains plugs

[neate]

As far as I can find in the search box, no one has given a satisfactory answer to this question: Why do some UK mains plug leads come out from the plug top while some come out from the plug bottom?

Bottom leads I think always go to items that require electricity direct such as cookers, toasters and central heating. Up leads I thought would be for items that need charging like phones and tablets. But no I've just checked and my rechargeable shaver has an up lead and my phone and tablet have a normal bottom lead. My tv has a bottom lead and my BT WiFi has a top lead.

 

[EFLImpudence]

All plugs that are just plugs have the lead at the bottom (in the UK); only chargers and power supplies have different lead positions and I have one where the lead comes out the middle (opposite the pins). I suppose it is up to the manufacturers.

I say "in the UK" because, of course, in a lot of places the plug fits in either way up so doesn't have a top or bottom.

There is also the oddity that some people in the UK call the whole plug a "plugtop" so your question might need to specify the plugtop top or the plugtop bottom.

 

[ericmark]

The main lead should as said come out the end with the live pins or bottom as you say as the regulations stipule there should be room below the socket so the lead is not strained by being pushed against floor or work top, but there is often a provision for just the earth wire to come out of the top next to the earth pin.

Sockets should be mounted with the live pins at the bottom, as the flex holes in some plugs if mounted upside down would not comply with the IP rating, the earth pin hole should be either low enough down from top of socket so a plug can not be fitted upside down so opening the live shutters, but oddly this is not the case with extension leads.

Any wallmart should still comply with the BS1363 regs, but many don't, the type which fold flat for example. Often plugs have a bit to the side to make them wide enough to comply but this is often missed out with wallmart power supplies. I think a plug like this

is good as if cable pulled the plug comes out without damaging the plug or socket, but it seems not allowed. Yet we do see it with wallmart power supplies.

So when looking for plugs, not wallmarts I have only found a couple where the cable does not come out of the bottom clearly there are some, but other than the earth wire, not seen any where the cable comes out of the top.

 

[mattylad]

In all my 50+ years I have never ever seen a power cable come out of the top of a std mains plug unless it has been modified by someone, be default the cable comes out the bottom of them all.

Mains adapters/power supplies/wall worts or whatever you want to call them can have the lower voltage USB cable exit in any direction.

 

[neate]

At last. A definitive reply. Many thanks to all especially mattylad.

 

[EFLImpudence]

How is that more difinitive than my reply?

 

[opps]

Wikipedia suggest that an advantage of the flex exiting the plug at the bottom is that it reduces the likelihood of someone tugging the flex to remove the plug from the socket.

It also points out that rewireable plugs are designed such that if the cord grip fails, the earth will be the last to pulled out.

 

[Taylortwocities]

It also points out that rewireable plugs are designed such that if the cord grip fails, the earth will be the last to pulled out.

Perhaps more importantly, the line conductor is the first to be pulled out.

 

[opps]

Perhaps more importantly, the line conductor is the first to be pulled out.

Indeed.

 

[ericmark]

Wikipedia suggest that an advantage of the flex exiting the plug at the bottom is that it reduces the likelihood of someone tugging the flex to remove the plug from the socket.

Is that an advantage or disadvantage? If tugging the flex removed the plug, it stops the flex from coming out of the plug or damaging the flex grip.

 

[JohnW2]

Why do some UK mains plug leads come out from the plug top while some come out from the plug bottom?

As has been said, I don't think that any 'regular' UK plugs do have the cable coming out of the 'top' (by which I take you to mean cloests to the earth pin) - not the least because such would not be allowed by the product standard.

As has also been said, things which 'plug in' which are more than just plugs (e.g. phone chargers, power supplies for other things etc.) may have the cable coming out anywhere.

Kind Regards, John

 

[plugwash]

I'm pretty sure that BS1363 spe

The main lead should as said come out the end with the live pins or bottom as you say as the regulations stipule there should be room below the socket so the lead is not strained by being pushed against floor or work top

A problem here is that moulded plugs often have large strain reliefs. So significantly more space is needed to achieve a reasonable bend radius with a moulded plug than with a rewirable plug.

, but there is often a provision for just the earth wire to come out of the top next to the earth pin.

My understanding is this was intended as an inspection hole so people could check the earth was connected, it did sometimes get used as a way to bring a separate earth wire out though.

In any case only seen on very old plugs.

Sockets should be mounted with the live pins at the bottom, as the flex holes in some plugs if mounted upside down would not comply with the IP rating

While that may be good practice I can't recall it actually being stated as a requirement anywhere.

, the earth pin hole should be either low enough down from top of socket so a plug can not be fitted upside down so opening the live shutters,

I recall searching for this in BS1363.

I did find a requirement that if the shutters were operated by the live/neutral pins they had to be far enough from the edge to prevent a plug being inserted upside down in the live-neutral holes, but I did not find any requirement to prevent a plug being inserted upside down in the earth hole, regardless of what shuttering mechanism is in use.

, missed out with wallmart power supplies. I think a plug like this View attachment 314212 is good as if cable pulled the plug comes out without damaging the plug or socket, but it seems not allowed.

Indeed, BS1363 does not allow such plugs.

The plug you picture, was sold not as a "plug" per-se but as part of a "cable coupler".

Clipsal also sell a plastic screw-lock waterproof 13A plug and socket which had the cable come straight out the back, I think these were also sold under the crabtree brand at one point but perhaps my memory is faulty. IIRC they were marked as complying with "relavent clauses" of BS1336. Lewden also have metal waterproof plugs using various BS pin configurations (though they made an incompatible design change not so long ago for some reason), again with the wires coming straight out the back.

 

[Sureitsoff?]

and strangely i dont think i have seen a blue or yellow 16A plug with the cable coming out at right angles to the pins. they always seen to be in line

 

[JohnW2]

and strangely i dont think i have seen a blue or yellow 16A plug with the cable coming out at right angles to the pins. they always seen to be in line

That's true, but I'm not sure that I would call it 'strange' - but I think that it would become a pretty strange-looking, and probably cumbersome, plug if the cable came out at right angles.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Sureitsoff?]

And of course when you search for them......

16 Amp Angled Plug 3 Pole 230 Volt Blue Industrial

Garo PA216-6S IEC Connectors for Camping, Caravans, Marinas, Farms, Garages etc

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