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Frequently Asked Questions
When is a rewireable plug the right choice over a moulded one?
When the cord already exists or has to be made up. A moulded plug cannot be fitted to a cable after the fact, so a damaged plug on a working appliance, a flex cut to length on site, or a cable that has to pass through a hole smaller than a moulded body all call for a rewireable one. Where a factory cordset will do, moulded is more robust.
What does the cord grip do and why does it matter most?
It clamps the outer sheath so that any pull on the cable is taken by the sheath rather than by the conductors in their terminals. It is the single most important part of a correctly fitted plug: without it, a tug lands on the terminal screws, and the live conductor usually pulls out before the earth does. A grip that closes on the inner insulation instead of the sheath is doing nothing.
Does the conductor size range restrict which flex can be used?
Yes, at both ends. Terminals will not close reliably on a conductor below their minimum and will not accept one above their maximum, and the cord grip has its own overall-diameter range that is easy to overlook. A plug that clamps the flex but cannot terminate its conductors is as unusable as the reverse.
How is the fuse rating chosen where a plug takes one?
From the appliance and its cable, not from the plug. The fuse protects the flexible cord, so it is sized to the cable's capacity and to the load, which is why a low-power appliance on a thin flex takes a small fuse even in a plug rated far higher. Fitting the largest fuse that physically fits is the common and dangerous error.
Why does the plug pattern vary so much between countries?
Because pin geometry, spacing, current rating and earthing arrangements were standardised nationally and never converged. A plug is chosen for the socket standard in the country of use, and the same appliance sold in several markets is supplied with different plugs or a detachable cordset. Adapters change the shape without changing the electrical suitability.
What has to be checked after one is fitted?
That every conductor is in its correct terminal and fully captured, that no strands are outside the terminal, that the sheath is under the grip, and that the cover closes without trapping anything. Where the installation is subject to inspection, a fitted plug is also the item most often failed for a loose earth or a cord grip on the insulation.
Are they suitable for outdoor or industrial use?
Domestic patterns generally are not. Outdoor and industrial connections use plug systems with sealed bodies, ingress ratings and interlocks, and a standard rewireable domestic plug has none of that. The right answer outdoors is a plug designed for it rather than a domestic one inside an enclosure.