Dodgy 3 pin plugs on electrical goods

[TWINSET]

Just a heads up, received a battery charger today with a dodgy/dangerous 3 pin plug on it - it has no fuse fitted and no way of fitting one (welded rubber plug)

The charger's a genuine Olympus one (not a dodgy Chinese clone) but the plug on the mains lead is apparently not safe.

Looking over the interweb, there's doubts over whether the wire inside is up to it either

So far, I've not found any sites supporting the use of these, so keep an eye out

http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/DANGERIOUS-NON-FUSED-3-PIN-PLUGS-IMPORTED-INTO-THE-UK?ugid=10000000000984384

http://www.nickhill.co.uk/unfused_plugs_in_uk_delivered_from_china.html

[WillyChang]

looks like a double-insulated device, the ground pin probably not connected

(even though they've bothered making it in copper not plastic)

unless its already melted... how much current would device

be drawing to make it "dangerous"?

heck every proper goodbrand (i like "MK") 3-pin plug i've bought/installed

all come with 13A fuse... never knew anybody who bothered changing to lesser

[TWINSET]

Yup, but this thing is so 'sub-standard' it's laughable

I just snapped one of the pins off with my thumb

The insulation that was on the pin then slid off dead easy - Can't do that with an MK

[Percymon]

Sadly unless sellers (or intermediaries like eBay) rectify the quality at the supply end there is nothing but vigilance we can do this end. Trading Standards have ZERO influence on imported goods - the best they can do is warn people  

[TWINSET]

This wasn't imported though, this was bought through Amazon.co.uk albeit through a 3rd party trader.

TS have the seller's details, and the pics above now - The same seller is advertising them on eBay as 'with 3 pin UK plug'

[igbandy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BS_1363

That plug cant be UK spec Andy, to be UK spec it has to match at least BS1363.

"Distinctive characteristics of the system are shutters on the line and neutral socket holes, and a fuse in the plug"