Upside down 3 pin plug?

[webstarblue]

Is it possible to buy a 240v 13a 3 pin plug which is wired from the top?

 

[flameport]

No, they all have the flex exiting from the lower edge, it's part of the specification.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Is it possible to buy a 240v 13a 3 pin plug which is wired from the top?

Why? As it is possible to have a socket outlet fitted upside down.

 

[winston1]

No, they all have the flex exiting from the lower edge, it's part of the specification.

Many wall warts have the cable exiting from the top. Does this mean they don't comply with the specification?

 

[JohnD]

wallwarts are not fused plugs so do not conform to BS1363.

The plug was specified that way to discourage people from yanking on the cord to remove the plug from its socket, which risks loosening the connectors inside. American and continental plugs are often yanked like that. Perhaps it is not such a problem now they are usually factory sealed, and stay together except when they come apart.

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_po...three-pin_.28rectangular.29_plugs_and_sockets

which relates to the world's finest plugs.

 

[Taylortwocities]

American and continental plugs are often yanked like that.

American plugs are more yanked than continental ones!

 

[ericmark]

Not seen wired from top the MK Duraplug

is central wired but designed to take a round cable and seal around the cable to be used outdoors with matching socket. The reason sockets should not be mounted upside down is so the top of plug is IPXXD or IP4X the bottom or side needs to be only IPXXB or IP2X. Often the cable entry would allow objects to be dropped inside the plug if mounted upside down. The exception is many plugs had an opening for an earth wire at the top.

I see nothing in BS7671 to say the socket should not be mounted upside down except for reference to follow manufacturers instructions, and most sockets are made with "TOP" clearly marked. However I would hope electricians would use some common sense and not mount sockets upside down, it's not the socket which has a problem but the plug which is clearly designed to have cable entry at the bottom.

Personally cable entry so should the cable become a trip hazard it would auto disconnect from the socket rather than break the plug or cause cables to pull out of the clamps has some safety features, however also having a cable part inserted due to tugs on the cable also has some dangers. Problem is when some one trips on a cable we blame the person putting the cable there rather than the inability of the plug to auto release under tension so finding data for a risk assessment as to where cable enters a plug would be hard.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Problem is when some one trips on a cable we blame the person putting the cable there rather than the inability of the plug to auto release under tension.

That's not a problem, that's the way it should be.

Sometimes maybe the tripper should be blamed instead and/or as well as.

 

[PBC_1966]

American plugs are more yanked than continental ones!

Unfortunately, you do see people here abusing cords and connectors terribly sometimes, probably one of the most common household examples being those who yank a vacuum cleaner cord out from halfway across the room, even when not directly in line with it, so that it pulls against the plug and receptacle at a considerable angle, sometimes to the extent of bending the prongs and cracking the receptacle face.

Fortunately for my electrical sensibilities, my wife knows not to pull on the cord instead of the plug even up close, as apparently her father told her off for doing that at an early age!

 

[seasickstevie]

... it's not the socket which has a problem but the plug which is clearly designed to have cable entry at the bottom.

If however it's a switch socket we're talking about, having it mounted at anything other that the correct orientation can cause some (slight) confusion when determining which is 'on' and which is 'off'.

Discovered this the other day:

No reason at all why this Wylex should've been mounted sideways.
It means you have to stop and think, which way is 'up' and which way is 'down'

 

[ericmark]

True no reason for not mounting sidewards done it a few times when replacing old socket with screw top and bottom for new with screw side to side.

 

[PBC_1966]

Discovered this the other day:

No reason at all why this Wylex should've been mounted sideways.
It means you have to stop and think, which way is 'up' and which way is 'down'

So which way is "up" and which way is "down" here?

 

[Iggifer]

So which way is "up" and which way is "down" here?

Depends which way you want your tails coming into the board

 

[PBC_1966]

Joking about which way is "up" and "down" on sideways mounted circuit breakers aside, there is sometimes debate here about which way to mount receptacles, as there's no generally accepted "correct" orientation as with British BS1363 sockets. By far the majority of regular 15A 120V outlets in homes are mounted this way up:

The angled cordsets supplied with appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines are mostly designed so that the cord exits downward when used with such outlets. "Ground up" orientation is less common in homes, although found more often in offices, shops and similar commercial buildings.

Sideways mounting is also common in places where available height is limited, and is the norm for most outlets in a few areas.

 

[webstarblue]

So do I take it thats a no?? Thanks for all the replies