My valve audio equipment expired long before double insulation was thought of. . I guess the major difference is that valve equipment needs high voltage power supplies (90V ish) compared to 5 and 12 V DC requirements of solid state components.

Now, see, if you'd invested in a Quad II you could still have been using it today.

No, neither did I*.



* My excuse being that I'd barely reached double figures when they were discontinued.

A 7.1 setup might be a bit hard to accomodate

Im sorry I went off topic and my final word is that if you are happy using a "sand" amp, then there is no more to be said

I believe that valve amps also involve the use of sand in their construction.

Just can't get away from the stuff.

At least, not since the end of germanium transistors.


(Mind, making transistors from a pot plant was never that good an idea.)

I had done the same test after I was told by Nigel Goodwin that plastic earth pins were normal. ( would also have expected a plastic earth pin, but have not got one!)

Nigel have you got an example with a plastic pin, in front of you?
I would have expected Humax to make them all the same

This following post was particularly puzzling, to me
Quote:
( Originally Posted by White-Knight
I'm kind of puzzled here as the Humax neither has a 2 core cable or is double insulated. )

My cable is oval sectioned, whereas 3 cores are usually round.
Also, looking at the rear of the HRD box, at the bottom right there is the square within a square that denotes double insulated.

Are Humax making 3 types??
David

Doubt that, the double insulated symbol is clearly visible in the manual on pages 20 and 21 (and others).

If you cut the plug off, you could check .

Edit: Oh. Bad, bad me. Why did I have to say that ? It was just too tempting .

Very good, I will have to dig out my pocket x-ray

For those with x ray eyes you can see the two mains wires on the internal piccie here

http://foxsatdisk.wikispaces.com/The+eSATA+modification
Last edited by grahamlthompson : 01-04-2009 at 19:05

I am still a little concerned for people living in older house & who are unable to afford the mods to include an RCD.
Nigel G stated in post 96 that
"Incidently, we don't have trips in the service department at all, they are of no use in that environment."

I'd be a bit concerned if I worked there!


They check the difference between live & neutral currents. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device


I left UK 8 years but then there ws usually just one RCD in the consumer unit covering all circuits in the house. (I was advised to exclude the fridge & freezer in case of nuicence trips.)
If the latest regs impose more than one RCD then I'm sure someone will tell me. In any case there will still be millions of houses with just one RCD.

You cant reach the screw head if it in a socket. Good design!


Agreed but if you start with an electrical screwdriver in one hand & plug in the other, it would be difficult to take more than 1 minute.
In an earlier post I advocated doing this in front of the customer, for good customer relations.
Most will be right.
A very few will have loose wire. This might damage the electronics but the customer will believe what he saw. Many might be sceptical if told that when collecting the repair, & that it was not covered on the warranty!
If it is wired dangerously he needs a stern but tactful lecture along the lines of getting plugs wired by an elecrician! for survival reasons

David
Last edited by SWIZZ? : 01-04-2009 at 21:28

Looking at BS 1363 for UK 13 Amp plugs I notice this section.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BS_1363...onverter_plugs

I cannot describe it as well as the picture in the (URL) i.e web-page above, please take look.

As I currently live in France I possess trailing socket extensions. They sometimes include sockets for the 2 pin Europlugs which are rectangular recesses, 138mm X 18mm with rounded corners.

The Europlugs are moulded, impossible to open & then remake.

For the user who cannot get the usual 13 Amp plug through their cabinet, it is possible that a 138 X 18 mm, cross section plug would go through.

Humax could use this Europlug (with its BS1363 Euroconverter plug) & maintain their valued critical safety integrity.
The customer could then, if necessary, dissemble the converter & thread the smaller Europlug through a smaller hole.

I have not seen one of these converters, so I would welcome comments from people that have.

David
Last edited by SWIZZ? : 02-04-2009 at 17:39

They are very common NAD amps often use them.

So do you think other users would like them on an HDR & other entertainment kit ?
David

Replacement microwaves are cheaper than replacement kitchen units. Microwave loses.

Unlikely - yes, virtually impossible - no. I once came accross a house where the external earth connection oxidised, leaving the whole house floating with no proper earth. A person then miswired a plug leaving the whole earthing system live. I was called in when they started getting shocks from an electric kettle! (Obviously, the kettle was not double insulated and there was no RCB/ELCB in the house.)

For the record: Nigel is correct that changing the plug invalidates the certification. I have first hand knowledge here, I was responsible for getting certification for telecommunication products, in a previous role. However, it is patent nonsense for Bob_Cat to state this is a safety hazard. It is not a credible reason to invoke a warranty violation. If it happened me here in Ireland I would bring an immediate claim to the "Small Claims Court".

(Sorry Bob_Cat, I still think that my Humax PVR, still with its original plug intact, is a great product. )

You are misrepresenting what I said. I had already agreed that this combination of circumstances is entirely possible and has happened many times (40 yrs in Electricity Supply). The argument was simply that by changing the plug on a double insulated appliance could not under any concievable circumstance cause the situation described to happen. In other words it's a complete red herring. In order for the house earthing potential to rise above earth requires a live to earth fault somewhere, this is not possible on an appliance without an earth conductor.

Graham, slow down a little, no misrepresentation was intended. Why is this thread so bad-tempered?

The simple point I was making was that a miswired plug could cause a live to earth fault. In a domestic setting, where elements of the electrical network were already suspect, that could then cause a hazard. (The fact that the appliance to which the plug is attached is double insulated means that the hazard so created would not be in that appliance. Instead, the hazard would occur in another earthed appliance connected to the same electrical installation.)

Faulty plug wiring should NEVER cause a hazard in a properly installed repair workshop where suitable protection should be in place as a matter of routine. (e.g. floating live and neutral, RCD/ELCB, insulated floor mats, whatever.) Therefore, I agree that the whole area is a red herring.
Last edited by hillel : 10-04-2009 at 15:45

Hi Guys,

I got a new microwave yesterday and while browsing the manual to find out what button produces a well done sirloin steak with masses of fried onions, french fries, corn on the cob, a side salad with dressing.......followed by fresh fruit cocktail and single cream..........I came across this......

Quote: If the plug fitted to your oven is a non rewireable type and is not compatible with your home, cut off the mains plug and refit with a suitable type containing a 13amp fuse.

So it seems Sharp are happy for you to do this

Still enjoying the light show

Far be it for me to question anyone's culinary expertise, but I do wonder if a Foxsat HDR (with or without non-rewireable plug) would be almost as good at creating your menu .

Probably better, as the fan could be keeping the dessert cool

Let me know if you find that button; can't find it on our microwave either

Rgds.

Les.

I did some MEGA typos in my previous post. I'll blame it on too many years learning yards, rods, poles & perches


Bob_Cat, is it possible that Humax would consider such a solution with a 36mm X 15mm plug inside.

I kind of sympathise with the thoughts & simplicity behind not rewiring.
The Wiki article also mentions that teenagers at school now learn to rewire plugs but I know that even electricians make mistakes.
2 years back one working for EDF re-established power to our district at 290 volts instead of 220 volts !

David

Did he have shares in incandescent bulb manufacturers?

How did he manage that, there's only 2 ways to get it wrong.

1 Give you a phase-phase supply which at 220V is 360V

2 Set the supply transformer to a wrong tap position, these normally have a range of +- 10% giving potential voltages of 198 to 242 Volts