Safe plugs

[oxyjohn]

Where can i buy safe electrical plugs? The sort where the first part of the prongs are conductive and the rest is plastic. It is so the 1 year old, who is into everything, can't touch the live part of the plug if he sticks his fingers between the plug and the plug socket.

[bankruatsteve]

I've never heard of a plug like that. Maybe because if the prongs are non-conductive it wouldn't be much use as a plug. Most plugs the contact is not made until the plug fully seated so maybe not to worry about that. But curious babies do try to stick things into empty sockets so the plastic plugs that cover the holes would be good to put around the unused sockets.

[Lamkyong]

a potential problem indeed i have not seen the type of plug protection you describe ( well not here)

but as a suggestion if you buy some heat shrink tubes used for electrical wiring available on e bay

again not seen here cut said tubing to size place on prongs of plug and carefully shrink with heat ie cig lighter

of course a fully earthed system with three pin plugs tested and connected to make sure earthing circuit is fully working

is a very good start i am not sure about breakers etc but there are some good advisers on this forum

getting back to your question about your plugs my idea i think is a start

[Berty100]

I've never heard of a plug like that. Maybe because if the prongs are non-conductive it wouldn't be much use as a plug. Most plugs the contact is not made until the plug fully seated so maybe not to worry about that. But curious babies do try to stick things into empty sockets so the plastic plugs that cover the holes would be good to put around the unused sockets.

I have seen plenty of plugs connected to devices like the one below. At the point that the conductive part of the plug makes contact, only the non conductive part is sticking out of the socket.

[KhunBENQ]

I assume you refer to this type of "Euro" plug and particurlaly in a mountable/screw attached form:

Absolute standard in Germany e.g.

Again and again I looked around for such a thing in Thailand to no avail.

Funny enough you find devices with Euro plugs (non mountable of course).

(see post above)

AND: be aware that these plugs are very unreliable in getting contact in the usual Thai sockets (due to their construction).

Some simply fall off when the sockets is a bit worn out

I have given up.

To be safe at home you would have to exchange all sockets and plugs with Schuko type whjch is available in Thailand.

But really all plugs of all devices as many devices sold in Thailand have flat pin plugs.

Edited July 19, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[ubonjoe]

I think this is what you want. But don't recall seeing them for sale anywhere.

[lopburi3]

As said not common except as part of sold items and often makes very poor contact in Thai sockets - a fire hazard when that happens. I would highly advise having a whole house RCCB if you do not currently have and buying the outlet plastic covers for unused places.

[ubonjoe]

I forgot or I could of posted a pic of a plug for a hairdryer that got hot from a bad contact and melted the plastic on the pins. Had to use a screwdriver to pry it out (after shutting power off) of the outlet.

[Crossy]

The TIS166-2549 (2006) plug has shrouded pins and should(!) be fitted to all new appliances, but it isn't

And I've not seen a re-wireable one

Looks like this:-

[bankruatsteve]

Class-1 appliances for sure.

Just for whatever... I just fixed a plug from the sister's rice cooker where a Schuko style plug had fried one of the prongs and fallen off. I replaced with another Schuko plug since that's all I had in my bag of spares but there was no ground in the original cable to attach to the replacement plug ground. Doesn't matter, the sister has no ground anyway - the only "protection" being a house (?) constructed entirely of wood.

[oxyjohn]

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like there is nothing ideally suited or is easily available.

[KhunBENQ]

It's a can of worms

[ThaidDown]

It's a can of worms

For safety lets hope they are earthworms.

Edited July 22, 2016 by ThaidDown

[Crossy]

It's a can of worms

For safety lets hope they are earthworms.

Ouch!

[Issangeorge]

Do you mean the ones that have plastic prongs and a flat plastic back? They are not plugs, but are used to cover the plug so kids can't put their fingers in. I've never seen them here, but they are light so I would think someone from your home country could post you some.

[Jdietz]

You could probably make existing plugs a bit safer by adding a piece of heat shrink tubing on part of the plugs. Any car repair shop will have it in stock, buy the right size and a lighter.

Not as good as the real thing but better than the exposed metal hanging out of the socket.

Also go visit a DIY shop and buy some replacement sockets, that are not so loose as to drop half the plugs straight out. Anything not-Asia branded will do.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat-shrink_tubing

Edited July 24, 2016 by Jdietz

[Jdietz]

Also if you don't have it yet, the best investment you can make in safety is a safe-t-cut or similar (RCD / RCBO), which will turn everything off the moment somebody touches a 'hot' wire, if it is dimensioned right, even before you feel anything.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device

For Thailand:

http://www.safe-t-cut.com/en/

[Crossy]

Sadly I don't think you can get enough heatshrink on the pins to do much good and the plug still fit the socket.

The Haco 2 and 3 pin plugs (the clear plastic ones) are a pretty tight fit in our outlets and would be more difficult for small hands to pull out (can't use the cord to pull), could be worth trying a few.

+10000000 on the RCD / Safe-T-Cut set as low as you can without it nuisance tripping (watch your freezer).

[Artisi]

Also if you don't have it yet, the best investment you can make in safety is a safe-t-cut or similar (RCD / RCBO), which will turn everything off the moment somebody touches a 'hot' wire, if it is dimensioned right, even before you feel anything.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device

For Thailand:

http://www.safe-t-cut.com/en/

An absolute necessity especially around kids, but remember safe-t-cut and RCBO only detect and trip on active to earth leakage -- however, if a child with small fingers, scissors, hair pin, knife etc. gets between the active and the neutral without any leakage to earth, it could be a nasty -- if there is no leakage to earth the safe-t-cut / RCBO won't trip.

The only safe guard is close supervision of kids, switched power points and blanking plugs on all vacant power outlets.

[Artisi]

Do you mean the ones that have plastic prongs and a flat plastic back? They are not plugs, but are used to cover the plug so kids can't put their fingers in. I've never seen them here, but they are light so I would think someone from your home country could post you some.

They are available in Thailand - try the bigger stores.

[Berty100]

Also if you don't have it yet, the best investment you can make in safety is a safe-t-cut or similar (RCD / RCBO), which will turn everything off the moment somebody touches a 'hot' wire, if it is dimensioned right, even before you feel anything.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device

For Thailand:

http://www.safe-t-cut.com/en/

An absolute necessity especially around kids, but remember safe-t-cut and RCBO only detect and trip on active to earth leakage -- however, if a child with small fingers, scissors, hair pin, knife etc. gets between the active and the neutral without any leakage to earth, it could be a nasty -- if there is no leakage to earth the safe-t-cut / RCBO won't trip.

The only safe guard is close supervision of kids, switched power points and blanking plugs on all vacant power outlets.

Sorry, but I think you're wrong.

RCBO's trip on imbalance between Neutral and Live wire, not on earth connection. I think there are even RCBO's that don't have an earth connection.

Someone like Crossy will probably correct me.

[Crossy]

You are both right

RCDs / RCBOs detect imbalance between L and N current and trip when that exceeds a pre-determined level (usually < 30mA).

That "missing" current is going to earth somewhere, either through a faulty appliance (wet outlet perhaps), or through a perfectly functional human.

RCDs / RCBOs don't "need" an earth themselves (VOELCBs did, but worked in a very different way), some do have "functional earths" which improve their detection and immunity to noise etc.