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BS 4573, shaver plugs and sockets |
 BS 1363 |
BS 546 |
BS 372 |
| BS
4573:1970 defines 2-pin shaver plugs and special shaver
sockets. They are the only not earthed domestic devices that are allowed nowadays in the UK. |
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| Safety.
Electric shavers have to be supplied
with a shaver cord that has a 2-pin plug. It prevents that shavers are
directly plugged into a BS 1363 socket. The use of these sockets in wet
rooms
may cause electrocution. A
2-pin shaver socket is safe and legal alternative. Also in many hotels, worldwide, shaver socket are installed in bathrooms. |
| 1 | BS
4573 two-pin reversible plug, moulded
to a curly shaver cord. Pin diameter (5.1 mm) and spacing (16.7 mm) is
identical to BS 372 Part I
5 Amp plugs. The other end of the shaver
cord has a 0.2A IEC 60320-C1 appliance connector. BS 4573 plugs have a
top end cord entry, rather than side entry which is compulsory for all
BS 372, BS 546 and BS 1363 plugs. Manufacturer of shaver cord: LEONI, German company that produces a large range of wire products. {DF} BS 4573 plugs resemble Europlugs (CEE 7/16), but British plugs does not fit in continental European sockets, because of differences in pin diameter and pin spacing. Europlugs have 4.0 mm pins and a pin spacing that tapers from 18.6 mm (plug base) to 17.5 mm (pin tip); see inset. These non-parallel and to some degree flexible pins ensure sufficient contact when a Europlug is inserted in a CEE 7/3 (Schuko) socket with 4.8 mm contacts. |
| 2 | BS 4573 dual voltage shaver socket with
shuttered outlets, rated at 200 mA. Socket has an isolating transformer
that complies to BS 3535. The shaver symbol is compulsory. Round pin contacts have an elongated shape that allows the use of both shaver cords with BS 4573 and Europlugs. |
| 3 | BS 1363-3* adapter for a BS 4573 shaver
plug. It is an older model; from 1994 partially insulated L and N pins
are compulsory. * Part 3 of the BS 1363 standard gives specifications for adapters. Shaver adapters must have a 1A fuse, safety shutters, power pins with insulating sleeves (from 1984) and a FOR SHAVERS ONLY indication. Instead of a brass earth pin, a shaver adapter may have a plastic Insulated Shutter Opening Device (ISOD). {DF} |
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4 BS 1363 shaver adapter for US shaver plugs (NEMA 1-15). Adapter fits in left (115V) slot of shaver socket no. 2 and BS 1363 shaver adapter no. 3. Manufacturer: US General Electric Company (GE). {TH} |
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