What do you call the plug with no name?

[Lucien Nunes]

Yellow for 110V, blue for 230V, red for 400V. Other colours for special applications.
16A, 32A, 63A and 125A, 2P+E, 3P+E, 3P+N+E.

You know what I'm talking about. They've been around for 50 years, but no-one can yet agree what to call them.

The official name is "plugs, socket-outlets and couplers for industrial purposes" according to IEC 60309 (formerly IEC309). They go by lots of different aliases... IEC309, BS4343, CEE17... but a lot of people use a manufacturers' name or trademark: Commando, Marechal, Ceeform, or just the current rating 'a 32A plug' or something relevant to them 'Caravan plug'.

What do you call them? Does it depend on who you're talking to?

 

[l4urence]

Trade names work when there is only one market leader, Hoover, Sellotape - etc. Otherwise it gets confusing as the above comments prove. In the RAF WD40 was called Rocket - because years previously it was originally made by a company called... Rocket. Now everyone calls it WD40 - even if it's GT65 or similar.

 

[westward10]

Originally made by the Rocket Chemical Co. The company were trying to develop a liquid which displaced water and with the 40th formula they succeeded hence WD40 (Water Displacement, 40th formula).

 

[Lucien Nunes]

CEE FORM seems to me the best name to avoid brand

'Ceeform' is common in the entertainment lighting industry, but I thought it was originally a trademark of Mennekes Elektrotechnik GmBH who were one of the first manufacturers. A quick browse failed to find evidence for or against this, maybe someone can confirm?

The black PCE Shark series have all black bodies to reduce visibility, as distinct from black to denote voltage range. The data label is coloured to indicate the voltage (e.g. a 230V plug has a blue label) which in the case of the plug is concealed when inserted in a socket.

There can be differences if not bs4343 and a particular manufacturers design.Pin diameter, key slot.

I'm not aware of any deliberately non-standard plugs that are partially / forcibly intermateable with BS4343 (STOP PRESS... BS4343 is withdrawn and replaced by IEC 60309-2). I'm thinking these are actually substandard or incorrectly assembled plugs that are supposed to be to IEC 60309. I've seen people manage to put them together with insert in the wrong orientation, could that be it?

 

[pirate]

Call them anything you want...they can't hear you...

 

[l4urence]

Call them anything you want...they can't hear you...

Good point and well presented.

 

[telectrix]

all depends on the plug. if it's a qualified plug, call it "mate". if it's an apprentice plug, call it "Oi You"

 

[Charlie_]

Just watch you don’t sit on one, you might end up with a butt plug!

 

[Andy78]

Just watch you don’t sit on one, you might end up with a butt plug!

 

[Doomed]

'C' form or commando

 

[Chris1234]

24v is Pink

 

[MJPD29]

Commando, never heard of anyone referring to them by anything else either

 

[Deleted member 105166]

Within the events industry, it’s always a ceeform, although not all domestic sparks are familiar with this, or indeed 7909, however all sparks are familiar with them referred to as commandos.

 

[DPG]

Where did the 'Commando ' name originate from? Anyone know?

 

[westward10]

MK called them Commando plugs/connectors.

 

[DPG]

Cheers!