Electrical Question - Plug with Two Wires

anotheruser

Here's my situation:

I have an extractor above the stove. Don't have a clue if it works.
I have a plug with no on/off switch near the ceiling. It has two plates over the bottom two holes.

The plug from the extractor has been cut in half at some point. It was taped together. I plan to chock and tape this to make it a bit safer. Unfortunately the wire won't reach the plug without chocking it.

The plug is a bit of a mystery.
It doesn't have the third top bit to go into the earth section. It's missing entirely. The extractor only has a live and neutral anyway but I guess I will have to change the plug as I can't just plug it into the socket as the doors won't open?

If the doors do open, is that safe?
If they don't, I guess it doesn't matter if my top bit is metal or plastic as there won't be a wire going to the extractor anyway.

Cheers

Robin9

Some details of the socket please - is this a modern 3 pin with rectangular pins or round large pins or small rounds pins ?

Aylesbury_Duck

It all sounds a bit dodgy and potentially dangerous. Get a new cable fitted to the extractor with a proper plug on the end that matches the socket you describe. What you're proposing is at best a bodge and at worst, dangerous.

antilles

I wonder the extractor had some kind of European connector (2 pins) and they've bodged it to fit into a UK 3 pin wall socket. It definitely sounds non standard or some kind of bodge - as a previous poster says, get a new cable fitted to the extractor, assuming it's modern enough to take one.

brightontraveller

anotheruser wrote: »

Here's my situation:

I have an extractor above the stove. Don't have a clue if it works.
I have a plug with no on/off switch near the ceiling. It has two plates over the bottom two holes.

The plug from the extractor has been cut in half at some point. It was taped together. I plan to chock and tape this to make it a bit safer. Unfortunately the wire won't reach the plug without chocking it.

The plug is a bit of a mystery.
It doesn't have the third top bit to go into the earth section. It's missing entirely. The extractor only has a live and neutral anyway but I guess I will have to change the plug as I can't just plug it into the socket as the doors won't open?

If the doors do open, is that safe?
If they don't, I guess it doesn't matter if my top bit is metal or plastic as there won't be a wire going to the extractor anyway.

Cheers

Energising appliance you dont know is safe, into a socket that could be dangerous. on cable with joins taped or chocked etc potential for steam / moisture ingression just stupid get appliance checked ditto socket replace complete cable length from extractor to plug /socket its money saving not Darwin awards site...

stator

Post Photos

Norman_Castle

anotheruser wrote: »

I have a plug with no on/off switch near the ceiling. It has two plates over the bottom two holes.Presumably an unswitched socket, not a plug.

The plug from the extractor has been cut in half at some point. It was taped together. Presumably the wire was cut and not the plug?

The plug is a bit of a mystery.
It doesn't have the third top bit to go into the earth section. It's missing entirely. No mystery, the earth pin is missing. Replace the plug.

...............

anotheruser

Yeah, my technical descriptions are terrible.

It'd be too difficult to simply replace the wire from the extractor as I guess it's not like a PC kettle cable that you can just get a new one, it'll mean taking the whole thing apart.

The socket is a modern one, not round.

I thought modern appliances were all self earthing so having the earth pin on the plug would be neither here nor there.

Not particularly fussed about getting it working as we don't use it. But if I could, then I would. Taking apart an appliance to fit a new wire which I'd have to buy isn't what I was looking to do !!!55357;!!!56848;

Norman_Castle

anotheruser wrote: »

I thought modern appliances were all self earthing so having the earth pin on the plug would be neither here nor there.

Some are double insulated so no need for an earth wire. The earth pin on the plug is still needed to open the safety cover.

http://www.plugwiring.co.uk/tag/double-insulated-symbol/

Risteard

anotheruser wrote: »

It'd be too difficult to simply replace the wire from the extractor as I guess it's not like a PC kettle cable that you can just get a new one, it'll mean taking the whole thing apart.

So ring an Electrician.