Excellent job JW, can't wait for the next part. I want to see that thing burn. I decided against rewiring the plug to a genuine BS1363 as I assumed the conductors would be smaller than stated and would send it to you to destroy and share on your channel. Thanks again JW :)
I have a similar IEC lead, it came supplied with a hard drive dock from eBay. The fake BS1363/A plug is identical and with the Guida make, The resistance is more than a comparable genuine lead. The terminals of the IEC plug are of ferrous metal as are the fuse contacts of the plug.
as a pat tester I'm seeing these leads every day and advising customers to destroy them. the part shielding on earth pin is contrary to bs requirements and actually stops the earth pin making proper contact with the socket giving a reading of several ohms rather than the 0.1 +r recommend in IET code of practice. also they nearly always have that particular motif stamped on the back so if you see that then treat with suspicion!
You should have done the ohms measurement through the fuse. The cheap chinese fuses are made out of all kinds of funny materials. Also to properly compare against nominal resistance of materials nulling out the contact resistance from the equation could be a good idea.
the dimple on the official fuses is for fuse holders that use a spring to hold them in at the ends (i not seen that many devices that use the held in by the ends method)
FYI: The reason you had the problem with getting the fuse out of the red holder is the tight fit of the holder. The rounded ends of the fuse easily slide into the plastic, but when trying to remove the sharp internal edges of the end caps hang on the edge of the plastic loop, making it difficult to remove. I'm in the middle of ordering some BS1362 fuses; that's how I found your website. I would have liked to see you measure the fuses before you broke them, as it brings up an interesting point. The BS1362 fuses I'm replacing are 6 x 30, and I am seeing 6 x 25. I haven't got far enough in the ordering process to see if both lengths are available, (some dang video about fake fuses interrupted me! lol). Looks like I need to look up the BS1362 standards... Good info... I need to watch the last part of this one, and the follow up..
Oh, I should add. The fuses I'm replacing don't look the fake fuse, though they did come from China. They state 15A, but have small black lettering saying only BS1362, 15A and 6 x 30 mm. I got them in two DC PMD motor control units, (PMD may not be accurate, they are phase mod controllers, so it's close. Just can't recall, and don't want to look it up.)
Interesting vid, You'd never suspect something as simple as a power lead to be fake. I bet 99.9% of "PAT" testers (as in the person testing) never check for these things.
They do, but only for class 1 appliances. Usually if it's got a partially sleeved earth pin it'll fail the earth continuity test as it didn't make contact with the earth institute the outlet
This looks exactly like a dubious C5 lead I had... it came from Denmark when I attempted to order a type E/F to C5 lead. I used it for a while, but it eventually failed, seemingly at the type G end, on the neutral. When I cut the plug off, I found the insulation on the three wires to be the wrong colour (black, white and striped) as well as poor quality. I scrapped it, and a few other dodgy ones I found in my spares box.
(1:15) - I've also heard these particular connectors called "Mickey Mouse" plugs. In this case, they really do seem to be, inordinately more: "Mickey Mouse" than: "Real McCoy"
Recently I got an AC that works near the 15 amp limit, but due to the location, it has to be plugged in to an extention cord. After buying 4 different extension cords, i gave up finding one that could ACTUALLY handle 15 amps continuous without getting uncomfortably hot, and ended up making my own. 15 amps at 110v requires more copper than anyone is willing to provide apparently, even though 15amp continuous on a dedicated breaker is perfectly within spec. It only took 5 minutes and actually was cheaper to make my own, so no sweat off my brow, but I do wonder how they are getting away with that. From my best estimate, it seems 12 amp continuous is being sold as 15 amp wire now, even though it could never handle 15 amps for 3 or more hours safely. And mother of god... no sand filling? I have had the misfortune of seeing a ceramic fuse go off that did not have a sand filling. Not good for the heart. Sand is not only to absorb the energy of the explosion, the arc melts the sand and coats the wire, quickly insulating the wire from further arcing. Without it, the arc will grow out of control and BANG! Ceramic shrapnel and sparks everywhere.
+Richard Smith here in DE you can get 1.5mm² extensions regularily, and in most home improvement stores and in every electric supply store you can get 2.5mm² als well. If that is not the case in your country, that means your domestic production is sub standard as well or there is none...
In the US it should be quite possible to get a 14 gauge (roughly 2 mm2) or maybe even 12 gauge (something like 3 mm2 if I remember correctly) one and that SHOULD handle 15 amps quite nicely. the #12 should be good for 20. Moulded plugs and sockets are a different issue though, you never know what's inside them.
C5 connectors are rated for 2.5 A. So the Fuse might have been a 3 A fuse and there has never been the assumed 1. There is a good article in the german wikipedia about this kind of fuses. The Google translation ist a little bit of glibberish but i cold not find a simular article in English. It also explains why the fuse was a little shorter: two rather simular standards 6 × 30 mm; 6.3 × 32 mm (¼ × 1¼ inches). Sand filling is not a matter of quality it changes the characteristics of the fuse. translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fde.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSchmelzsicherung&edit-text=&act=url
No fake ASTA or other test house marks on the fuse or plug which is a dead giveaway to anyone who knows - but Joe and Jane Public just want the cheapest item they can find regardless of the consequences. The sand filling is to stop the arc as it blows BTW.
From a non electronics persons perspective, is there a way to tell these cables apart from the genuine laptop cables at face value at the store so I know to purchase the correct type?
Depends how well the outside is faked. But sleeved earth pin on a supposed BS1363, DK or IEC plug is a dead giveaway the factory doesn't know how it's supposed to work.
Excellent job JW, can't wait for the next part. I want to see that thing burn. I decided against rewiring the plug to a genuine BS1363 as I assumed the conductors would be smaller than stated and would send it to you to destroy and share on your channel.
Thanks again JW :)
I thought you were testing a brick of cocaine there for a sec.
It says that it’s BS1362 compliant, but it’s just BS
You wag you.
I have a similar IEC lead, it came supplied with a hard drive dock from eBay. The fake BS1363/A plug is identical and with the Guida make, The resistance is more than a comparable genuine lead. The terminals of the IEC plug are of ferrous metal as are the fuse contacts of the plug.
Thanks for this, great stuff. I've been going round checking my leads, no duds yet.
your videos are hilarious!! quality dry sense of humour at its finest :-)
Interesting technician. Definitely a valuable one for educational purposes too. Thanks for the wealth of information you share.
as a pat tester I'm seeing these leads every day and advising customers to destroy them. the part shielding on earth pin is contrary to bs requirements and actually stops the earth pin making proper contact with the socket giving a reading of several ohms rather than the 0.1 +r recommend in IET code of practice. also they nearly always have that particular motif stamped on the back so if you see that then treat with suspicion!
You should have done the ohms measurement through the fuse. The cheap chinese fuses are made out of all kinds of funny materials. Also to properly compare against nominal resistance of materials nulling out the contact resistance from the equation could be a good idea.
the dimple on the official fuses is for fuse holders that use a spring to hold them in at the ends (i not seen that many devices that use the held in by the ends method)
The common example are the black fuse holders with screw on lid. Fuse is held between the cap and a bottom terminal.
FYI: The reason you had the problem with getting the fuse out of the red holder is the tight fit of the holder.
The rounded ends of the fuse easily slide into the plastic, but when trying to remove the sharp internal edges of the end caps hang on the edge of the plastic loop, making it difficult to remove.
I'm in the middle of ordering some BS1362 fuses; that's how I found your website.
I would have liked to see you measure the fuses before you broke them, as it brings up an interesting point. The BS1362 fuses I'm replacing are 6 x 30, and I am seeing 6 x 25. I haven't got far enough in the ordering process to see if both lengths are available, (some dang video about fake fuses interrupted me! lol).
Looks like I need to look up the BS1362 standards...
Good info... I need to watch the last part of this one, and the follow up..
Oh, I should add. The fuses I'm replacing don't look the fake fuse, though they did come from China.
They state 15A, but have small black lettering saying only BS1362, 15A and 6 x 30 mm.
I got them in two DC PMD motor control units, (PMD may not be accurate, they are phase mod controllers, so it's close. Just can't recall, and don't want to look it up.)
Looks like this Hong Kong company are making compliant 1362's:
www.vask-hk.com/index.php?m=Product&a=detail&id=16&new=1
Interesting vid, You'd never suspect something as simple as a power lead to be fake. I bet 99.9% of "PAT" testers (as in the person testing) never check for these things.
They do, but only for class 1 appliances. Usually if it's got a partially sleeved earth pin it'll fail the earth continuity test as it didn't make contact with the earth institute the outlet
This looks exactly like a dubious C5 lead I had... it came from Denmark when I attempted to order a type E/F to C5 lead. I used it for a while, but it eventually failed, seemingly at the type G end, on the neutral. When I cut the plug off, I found the insulation on the three wires to be the wrong colour (black, white and striped) as well as poor quality. I scrapped it, and a few other dodgy ones I found in my spares box.
(1:15) - I've also heard these particular connectors called "Mickey Mouse" plugs.
In this case, they really do seem to be, inordinately more: "Mickey Mouse" than: "Real McCoy"
Recently I got an AC that works near the 15 amp limit, but due to the location, it has to be plugged in to an extention cord. After buying 4 different extension cords, i gave up finding one that could ACTUALLY handle 15 amps continuous without getting uncomfortably hot, and ended up making my own. 15 amps at 110v requires more copper than anyone is willing to provide apparently, even though 15amp continuous on a dedicated breaker is perfectly within spec. It only took 5 minutes and actually was cheaper to make my own, so no sweat off my brow, but I do wonder how they are getting away with that. From my best estimate, it seems 12 amp continuous is being sold as 15 amp wire now, even though it could never handle 15 amps for 3 or more hours safely.
And mother of god... no sand filling? I have had the misfortune of seeing a ceramic fuse go off that did not have a sand filling. Not good for the heart. Sand is not only to absorb the energy of the explosion, the arc melts the sand and coats the wire, quickly insulating the wire from further arcing. Without it, the arc will grow out of control and BANG! Ceramic shrapnel and sparks everywhere.
+Richard Smith here in DE you can get 1.5mm² extensions regularily, and in most home improvement stores and in every electric supply store you can get 2.5mm² als well. If that is not the case in your country, that means your domestic production is sub standard as well or there is none...
In the US it should be quite possible to get a 14 gauge (roughly 2 mm2) or maybe even 12 gauge (something like 3 mm2 if I remember correctly) one and that SHOULD handle 15 amps quite nicely. the #12 should be good for 20.
Moulded plugs and sockets are a different issue though, you never know what's inside them.
The connection of the wire and the plug could also be a problem, experienced heated up plug with a moderate load.
C5 connectors are rated for 2.5 A. So the Fuse might have been a 3 A fuse and there has never been the assumed 1.
There is a good article in the german wikipedia about this kind of fuses. The Google translation ist a little bit of glibberish but i cold not find a simular article in English. It also explains why the fuse was a little shorter: two rather simular standards 6 × 30 mm; 6.3 × 32 mm (¼ × 1¼ inches). Sand filling is not a matter of quality it changes the characteristics of the fuse.
translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fde.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSchmelzsicherung&edit-text=&act=url
No fake ASTA or other test house marks on the fuse or plug which is a dead giveaway to anyone who knows - but Joe and Jane Public just want the cheapest item they can find regardless of the consequences. The sand filling is to stop the arc as it blows BTW.
BTW there's a DTI warning about fake BS1362 fuses here: www.bs1363.org.uk/DTI_warning_on_Counterfeit_Fuses_web.pdf
did that cord say 1997 on it there was no such plugs back then , could they be using old cord stock to make these
It should be 3 A as the C5 connector is rated for 2.5 A.
That connector is rated only for 2.5 A so it should have a 3 A fuse.
From a non electronics persons perspective, is there a way to tell these cables apart from the genuine laptop cables at face value at the store so I know to purchase the correct type?
Depends how well the outside is faked. But sleeved earth pin on a supposed BS1363, DK or IEC plug is a dead giveaway the factory doesn't know how it's supposed to work.
Cool, thanks.
Hmmm. Do you keep where you live a secret?
MegaZsolti No, contact info here: www.flameport.com/contact.cs4
Actually I found that out at 0:52.
Just asked in case you don't want that to happen. I like your website though.
C5 connector AKA 'Disney plug' due to Mickey Mouse ears.
used on laptops and starting to show up on TVs
there should be more of your type of info, program people would then think twice ,and not buy this rubbish ,cheers.
You wouldn't think it would be worth them blagging fuses. How much profit on making counterfeit 3A fuses? Yet more shite from the Orient.
chinapride is what china pride dose
Dirty lying dangerous producers should be closed down
Another class #fake #product...
INSULATE not INSHULATE.
I suppose you speak perfectly?