High current CEE form plugs/sockets.

[DNS1]

Hi chaps,

Can someone enlighten me as to what the fourth pin is for in a single phase CEE-form plug? I've noticed that some 63A+ plugs have them and some don't...

Don't know why I've never wondered about this before... Was just faffing with some the other day and it got the grey matter working!

 

[Rockingit]

They're made in 2P + E, 3P+ E & 3P-N-E configurations, confusingly rated across all three voltages (colours).

Therefore, if you've got a blue 63A which has four pins it means it's a 3P + E.

 

[44ALLAN]

It's not single phase if it has 4 pins it's 3 phase and earth.

 

[Rockingit]

It's not single phase if it has 4 pins it's 3 phase and earth.

Exactly, but you are supposing a 400V 3ph!! If you take Lewden, for example, their range goes 110 -230-400- 500V (yellow, blue, red black) but in all pin configurations. So yes, 4 pins = Delta plus Earth, but that could be at any of these voltages. Not everyone lives in Europe!!

 

[44ALLAN]

Good point..................my 63amp is red whether 4pin or 5pin.........415volt.
Blue 230...........yellow 110....................sod the foreign sXXXe lol.

 

[Gazthesparky]

The spare pin on a 63a single phase plug is a reference pin doesn't actually get used for the supply. Not sure how exactly it works but I believe it is to confirm that there is an earth path before the supply is activated

Blue plugs are single phase
Red plugs are 3 phase
Yellow plugs 110v low voltage

 

[Rockingit]

The spare pin on a 63a single phase plug is a reference pin doesn't actually get used for the supply. Not sure how exactly it works but I believe it is to confirm that there is an earth path before the supply is activated

Blue plugs are single phase
Red plugs are 3 phase
Yellow plugs 110v low voltage

WRONG!!

Colour denotes voltage, it's the pin configuration that denotes phasing. And it's not a reference/pilot, it's the earth pin in a 3P+E config - the colour doesn't matter.

 

[Gazthesparky]

WRONG!!

Colour denotes voltage, it's the pin configuration that denotes phasing. And it's not a reference/pilot, it's the earth pin in a 3P+E config - the colour doesn't matter.

Right I now see the errors in my ways after looking you are right it is the voltage rating

 

[Rockingit]

This page from the Lewden book explains it all far better than words can!

 

[Rockingit]

Then of course there's also 7 pin.......

 

[Gazthesparky]

Right it is a pilot pin in a 63a plug blue single phase ceeform it's shorter than the other pins and it's used to stop the connection being made on load

I haven't come across many systems that have the pilot pin wired so I don't have first hand experience of them.

There is a diagram at the bottom of the page that shows this configuration
http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1504039.pdf

 

[DNS1]

Cheers for the replies.

The plugs I'm talking about are definitely single phase 230v and are blue.