3 phase plug

[wallace]

Hi all, I ordered a 4 pin plug for my planer and wired it up then went to plug it in :shock: It was bigger than all the other plugs. I checked the label. I'd ordered a 32A one. Why are they bigger than 16A ones (hammer). I hate wasting money on silly mistakes.
Mark

 

[Digit]

The normal reason for this sort of thing is a) to prevent the wrong plug into a given socket, and b) the extra size to handle a heavier cable.

Roy.

 

[No skills]

When the firm I work for closed and brought into another yard we moved in with some of our old 3 phase equipment (welders and compressors), much to my annoyance all the plugs/sockets in the new yard are the smaller 16a ones - same with the 240v as well :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Oh and we also had a mix of 4 and 5 pin plugs as well :roll:

 

[EssexChris]

Years back I use to do a lot of heavy industrial maintenance engineering all on site. We used to have to cart around a huge crate of adaptor leads. Single and three phase
16A 32A 63A. Then you had the three phase 4 and 5 pin variations. The introduction and standardising of the CEE type plugs has made things much simpler, years back there were so many types of industrial plugs around. If you have to move machines between buildings there are plugs available with two pins that you can push in and turn to swap the phases to get motors running in the correct direction. Saves hours re wiring plugs.

Chris.