2.5mm T&E in a plug, dangerous fail!

I've never understood why anyone would put twin & earth cable into a plug, it simply isn't flexible and ultimately can be dangerous, as you can see here. The earth tab has snapped leaving this fittings casing with no earth (ground) path. To make it worse, one of the cables to the capacitor has then snapped off! Luckily it wasn't the neutral core, as if that'd then touched the casing, said casing would have become live, just waiting for someone to touch it!!

2.5mm T&E in a plug, dangerous fail!


I've never understood why anyone would put twin & earth cable into a plug, it simply isn't flexible and ultimately can be dangerous, as you can see here. The earth tab has snapped leaving this fittings casing with no earth (ground) path. To make it worse, one of the cables to the capacitor has then snapped off! Luckily it wasn't the neutral core, as if that'd then touched the casing, said casing would have become live, just waiting for someone to touch it!!

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Ash   [03 Feb, 2018 at 12:02 AM]
I dont see how the T&E is at fault for the broken Earth tab on the luminaire (bad design in many luminaires of many manufacturers). The luminaire is supposed to be able to handle cables used in building wiring
AngryHorse   [03 Feb, 2018 at 12:06 AM]
Shocked They have done well to even terminate 2.5 in a plug!, you can only just do it with 2.5 flex!
Slyspark   [03 Feb, 2018 at 12:06 AM]
The problem here is the fact the plug suggests this has been used as a portable lead light, rather than a fixed fitting. T&E cable isn't suitable for non-fixed applications as it's not designed to repeatedly bend and being much less flexible, has caused strain inside the fitting, that has snapped the earth tab off. In truth, whatever cable is used, if it's portable there should be some sort of cord grip or strain relief gland to prevent the cable being pulled out of the terminal strip. The whole set-up here isn't really ideal!
fluorescent   [03 Feb, 2018 at 12:15 AM]
What Rich said. I should have said this had been used as a portable light rather than permanently installed. Flexible cable and even just a zip tie to hold it secure and it would have been fine
Ash   [03 Feb, 2018 at 12:37 AM]
Doesn't make the Earthing tab any less of a poor design. Good luminaire designs secure the terminal block to the luminaire body with a screw or another way, in addition to the tab
Slyspark   [03 Feb, 2018 at 12:55 AM]
Yes, to be honest, I've found these broken inside fittings that were fixed to a solid surface.
MissRiaElaine   [05 Feb, 2018 at 07:22 PM]
I've seen it used to feed a 4-way strip fixed to a wall. Wasn't me though, guv Shocked Razz

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