Stupid designs to solve a non-existent problem??

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

While clearing out some old hoarded and accumulated rubbish earlier this week, found a box on a garage shelf with a few of these special 3pin bayonet lamp holders...

(A relic from the requirement to ensure a percentage, {think it was 40%}, of lamps on a new builds must be energy saving lamps.)



even though it looks like you can still buy the lamps..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TBE-Lighting-BC3-PIN-Bulbs/dp/B08R5S1VDY/ref=sr_1_3?

Are these one of the most stupid designs over the past 30+ years???
(Maybe those plastic earth clamps are another good competition contender?)

Just pondering????

Answers on a postcard to:-
PO BOX "Who's The Twat That Keeps Hold Of This Tosh" c/o Electrician Forum, On the 'InterWeb'.

 

[Geoff1946]

Look similar to some old "fireglow" bulbs we used to have, probably a lot of years apart.

 

[Fleeting]

My mate purchased a house at the time when they were being fitted, as you say for energy saving. The lounge had two pendants one a standard one and the other as you have shown, madness. We ditched the lot and replaced them did his neighbours as well.

 

[kerching]

Look similar to some old "fireglow" bulbs we used to have, probably a lot of years apart.

Do you remember the Magicoal/Sunbeam? Lamps that had 2 long pins on them instead of the solder blobs?

 

[ProDave]

It still staggers me that BC and ES lamp holders with no protection of the live pins are still allowed.

If you were doing an EICR and you found something that allowed you to touch live parts as easily as you can with those lamp holders you would give it a C1 yet for some inexplicable reason we still allow them without any coding.

It just goes to show if the public are aware of a risk, they won't go poking their fingers in. Which probably means if you could have a socket in your bathroom they would soon learn no ti use the hairdryer while the water is running.

 

[Geoff1946]

Yes, there are still some traces of common sense left in the population.
It's my firm belief that typical British common sense is adversely affected by over protection.
It starts with kids' playgrounds where every conceivable hazard has been removed and rubber matting put everywhere. Where else are they supposed to learn that being cautious pays off and that stupidity hurts?
These kids grow up believing that anything you are not specifically forbidden to do must be OK, hence people sitting on a crumbling cliff edge for a picnic because there was no sign telling them not to!
I haven't seen this nanny like treatment in other European countries I've visited.

 

[Fleeting]

I used to do work at a large school in Ealing, they spent thousands putting in a playground for the pre school only for someone to came over a few months later to barrier it all off, too dangerous.

 

[UNG]

It still staggers me that BC and ES lamp holders with no protection of the live pins are still allowed.

If you were doing an EICR and you found something that allowed you to touch live parts as easily as you can with those lamp holders you would give it a C1 yet for some inexplicable reason we still allow them without any coding.

It just goes to show if the public are aware of a risk, they won't go poking their fingers in. Which probably means if you could have a socket in your bathroom they would soon learn no ti use the hairdryer while the water is running.

Crabtree started manufacturing a safety lampholder back in the late 70's or early 80's that disconnected the exposed lampholder contacts when the lamp was removed, they still manufacture them now. I don't think any of the other manufacturers make anything that is similar although I'm not sure there is much of a market these days

 

[Fleeting]

If I remember correctly they were awkward to fit the lamp into I suspect they never caught on because Regulations didn't require it.

 

[mort2376]

My first Electrical experience as a young boy was what happens if you put your finger in the lampholder when there's no lamp in it !!!!

I was 9 I think. No mcbs or rcds in them days.

The answer if anyones interested is your thrown across the bedroom and your fingernail explodes.

Maybe that's why I became a spark ????

Never did it again though so guess Darwins natural selection theory must have been having a day off and I got lucky.

 

[UNG]

If I remember correctly they were awkward to fit the lamp into I suspect they never caught on because Regulations didn't require it.

Don't know why you found them awkward to fit the lamp, I would agree a little bit more pressure is needed when fitting the lamp to overcome the safety mechanism but other than that I have never had any problems
As for the regulations any regulation change to mandate them would have been seen to favour one manufacturer and therefore would fall foul of the competition laws that exist

 

[Fleeting]

Maybe I didn't remember correctly.

 

[Phoenix]

I think all The MK and Hager (ashley) Pendant sets you buy today are of the safety type, I expect a lot of the well known brands probably are? Screwfix rubbish or wholesaler own brands are probably not

 

[binky]

I think all The MK and Hager (ashley) Pendant sets you buy today are of the safety type, I expect a lot of the well known brands probably are? Screwfix rubbish or wholesaler own brands are probably not

they've been around for quite a few years, but price puts people off buying them

 

[runningpiglet]

While clearing out some old hoarded and accumulated rubbish earlier this week, found a box on a garage shelf with a few of these special 3pin bayonet lamp holders...

(A relic from the requirement to ensure a percentage, {think it was 40%}, of lamps on a new builds must be energy saving lamps.)

View attachment 16043 View attachment 16044 View attachment 16045

even though it looks like you can still buy the lamps..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TBE-Lighting-BC3-PIN-Bulbs/dp/B08R5S1VDY/ref=sr_1_3?

Are these one of the most stupid designs over the past 30+ years???
(Maybe those plastic earth clamps are another good competition contender?)

Just pondering????

Answers on a postcard to:-
PO BOX "Who's The Twat That Keeps Hold Of This Tosh" c/o Electrician Forum, On the 'InterWeb'.

The light bulbs in old British Rail carriages from 1950s and earlier had three bayonet pins too, so I think the concept goes back a very long time. I always thought the idea might have been to stop BR workers nicking the bulbs for use at home!

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

The light bulbs in old British Rail carriages from 1950s and earlier had three bayonet pins too, so I think the concept goes back a very long time. I always thought the idea might have been to stop BR workers nicking the bulbs for use at home!

Interesting, I never knew that.

 

[Fleeting]

It was to stop theft from passengers and staff. The BBC used MK plugs with BBC moulded onto the top I had them all over my house in the 80s.

 

[ProDave]

Ant there were those "special" MK 13A plugs and sockets with the earth pin on it's side.

I am sure I also remember some "special" plug with a combination of round and square pins?

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

It was to stop theft from passengers and staff. The BBC used MK plugs with BBC moulded onto the top I had them all over my house in the 80s.

Wow!!! so back in the 80's were the BBC using your house as TV studio? Radio studio? Props dept? Make-up/dressing room? Archive vault for film/video tape/vinyl records? Or something else if they had their plugs in use all over it??

 

[Fleeting]

Wow!!! so back in the 80's were the BBC using your house as TV studio? Radio studio? Props dept? Make-up/dressing room? Archive vault for film/video tape/vinyl records? Or something else if they had their plugs in use all over it??

I worked in SFX in those days all the big studios and centres. The BEEB insisted on their branded MK plugs and we all used to steel them.