The Plug is a vital part of any electrical appliance. It is the connection to the power source if any part of the connection is damaged or inadequate a there could be severe consequences; fire, injury, or death. Here is some things to look for.
- Plugs should be at BS 1363 standard and should have that stamped into it. Now days it is hard to find ones that don't meet this standard but there are a few.
- plugs also have an amp rating on them. the most common is the 13 amp rating but there are 3, 5, and 10amp ratings also. do not use a higher rated fuse in plug with a lower rating as it may cause severe damage.
- The live and neutral pins should have insulation paint half way up them. My wife and I had the biggest scare of our lives about 16 years ago when our two year old daughter was playing with keys and with managed to slide one behind a loose fitting plug in the hallway. there was a loud POP and everything went dark. It took only a second to realize what had happened and started to call out for our baby. although alright she had been frightened so bad she couldn't move or speak and that terrified us even more we didn't know if she was alive. As my wife found our daughter and I got a torch we both knew how lucky we were. it would have never happened though if there had been insulation around the pins.
- Ensure there is no cracked or burn marks on the plug, wires or pins. this is a sure sign of a problem and should be investigated also the plug should be investigated.
- Coloured wires should not be sticking out of the base of the plug. Ensure the outer insulation is fit securely in the plug.
- Make sure the wiring instructions are taken off the plug.
- make sure the wiring inside the plug is done exactly and the wiring instructions indicate.
- ensure there is no loose strands in the wiring
- make sure all the screws are tight.
- fuses should be at BS1362 standard and ASTA approved for safety
