UK Mains Plugs

[Oliver]

Does anybody know who makes UK plugs which can accept an 18mm power cable which contains 6 cores - each core being about 2-2.5 mm diameter - with each pin taking 2 cores? There are some large body Clipsals which can just about take the main cable - with a bit of persuasion! - but whose pins only have a hole large enough for one of the cores. And because of the design, it's not easy to drill the holes any larger.

Thanks

[i_should_coco]

But why would you want to?!

[Oliver]

Good question! 'Cos my CDP arrived with a power cord with a US plug attached and I would prefer to use it with a UK mains plug rather than via a US-UK adapter.

[i_should_coco]

Righto. Can you change the mains lead for something sensible?

I think you're gonna have problems - as far as I can see, all that the likes of Farnell & RS stock is standard 13A plugs. The MK catalogue doesn't appear to have anything, either...

[Oliver]

That's the ultimate fallback. But having spent a large amount of my hard earned dosh already, I'd rather not just go there yet.

Thanks for checking the Farnell and RS catalogues. Do you know where I can get access to the MK catalogue? The manufacturers of the cables (Audience) apparently fit a MK 13amp plug for sale in the UK - MK part no #09977 - but that might be a US number

[hifinut]

Just buy a us mains filter I use 2 anaudio magic stealth and a shunyata hydra 4 both are superb or buy a extension block which willhas us sockets check audiogon or ebay us for ideas otherwise place a wanted ad on hififorsale etc see what you get offered?

A cdp dont need high curent though so the cable may be wasted unless it's sheilded well or summat ?

[Injector]

Seems like pointless fannying to me. Just plug the sucker in (with a normal cable) and have done with it.

[i_should_coco]

Oliver wrote:

That's the ultimate fallback. But having spent a large amount of my hard earned dosh already, I'd rather not just go there yet.

Thanks for checking the Farnell and RS catalogues. Do you know where I can get access to the MK catalogue? The manufacturers of the cables (Audience) apparently fit a MK 13amp plug for sale in the UK - MK part no #09977 - but that might be a US number

http://www.mkelectric.co.uk/products/index.asp

bit hard to navigate, but basically if you look around, they have PDFs of each range catalogue.

You could also try dropping in to your local electrical wholesalers (not B&Q) and asking them.

Cheers,
Pete

[meninblack]

Oliver wrote:

Does anybody know who makes UK plugs which can accept an 18mm power cable which contains 6 cores - each core being about 2-2.5 mm diameter - with each pin taking 2 cores? There are some large body Clipsals which can just about take the main cable - with a bit of persuasion! - but whose pins only have a hole large enough for one of the cores. And because of the design, it's not easy to drill the holes any larger.

Thanks

Hell's bells!

How much current does the CD player draw then? Must be a very odd design.

[Effem]

Hi Fi For Sale have a large bodied UK plug which again has small entry holes on the conductor pins. Made of a nasty rubbery substance and doesn't have much room inside itso I would give it a miss.

The only UK plug I know of that can accept a large diameter cable and large conductor gauges is theFurutech FI-I363which are not cheap. Found a seller on ebay that does them for around £55.00

LINK

[Oliver]

Hell's bells indeed! I've no idea about the design ... technical stuff is beyond my understanding. ButI work on the basis, it's there for a purpose

Was that a typoaboutthe price, Effem? Nope, found the very thing on ebay. More hell's bells. I never knew plugs could be so expensive! They're only a couple of quid in B&Q. Mind you, T&E only costs a quid a metre

[TIGGS]

Withe regards to the furutech mains plug, try: www.merlincables.com where they are £40.00 = £5.00 postage, but thats still £10.00 less than £55.00!, personally I don't see anything with us-uk adaptors, although the ones you can get for £3.00 - £5.00 are a bit naff, but £10.00 - £20.00 will buy you a decent cryo treated adaptor available in either in-line form (plug sticking out the front), or the outlet on the bottom of the plug so the cable drops down. For these type of adaptors try either: www.vhaudio.com or www.takefiveaudio.com. Another option would be to obtain a good quality basic power lead, look up volex on: www.audiogon.com as one of their leads seems to be very highly rated and said to be comparable to big money leads!, and is only about £10.00, I am sure it can be had with a uk moulded plug fitted but am not 100% sure. Also if you swap the us lead for a uk lead it may be worth checking the polarity of the inlet socket as us plugs are wired differently to uk plugs.

[TIGGS]

On the subject of the mk plug audience fit to the uk powerchord, its a waste of money the toughplug and safety plug are way overrated and overpriced, and better can be had for less money ie, the standard duraplug at £2.00 odd or permaplug at about £1.30 odd.

[Puffin]

Oliver. A couple of years ago I bought some MK 13A plugs that were not supposed to be used for domestic use. I think it was because they had a soft rubber cover (which pulls off quite easily) and the cable entry was through the back and not the bottom. You could get quite a sizeable cable in the plug, but the holes to connect the cable are normal size. I got around this by drilling out the holes and soldering the wires in place. I don't know if MK still make them. I have seen some similar plugs that have a transparent cover on the back. I have one available if you are interested.

[Oliver]

Puffin - Iguess they are the ones which Effem refers to and doesn't recommend.Hifi for sale sell them on their site.And i'll be taking the advice of our resident expert.

I also suspect that the clear backed one you have is a Clipsal. I have a couple of those but the rear entry (oo er missus) just ain'twide enough for my purpose without further surgerynor willthe pins accept two conductors!

Which leads on to 'There's a hole in my bucket .....

[Effem]

Yes the rubber topped plug was the MK as I recall.

I didn't know you could get the Furutech from Merlin cables for £40 so that's useful to know.

The big clear bodied thing is by Clipsal and it's a "water/splashproof" connector used in wet environments, hence the huge diameter of the body and locking ring. I found the maximumum diameter of cable that will go though is around 16mm and that is a really tight fit. Even after removing the ring and filing down the remaining shoulders it still overlaps adjacent sockets on a power strip so I much prefer the Furutech even though it is nearly 3 times the price of the Clipsal.

[Oliver]

Tiggs - Followed up your suggestion with Merlin and they should do the trick. Thanks for the advice

[TIGGS]

Effem, i have seen on ebay some lewden industrial 13 amp plugs, that have a drop down cable outlet and are advertised as being able to take large cables and appears a lot slimmer than the clipsal. If you want a link, let me know and I will look around for it.

[Miller-8]

Furatech stuff is good quality but stupidly expensive unless you're loaded.