News

Installing a new plug?

You install a new plug on an electrical lead for different reasons. For example, you have visible wires coming out of the plug or the plug pin insulation is damaged. Or it was not damaged, but you cut the lead because you want to feed the cable through a small hole.

Who can install a new plug or socket on a lead?

Only licensed electricians or competent persons can change a plug. A competent person is someone who is trained, assessed and found qualified to fit plugs and sockets. While testing and tagging, we come across a lot of wrongly installed plugs. Reversed polarity, not connected according to the manufacturer instructions and a wrong current rating are the most common fails.

What are the dangers of a wrongly installed plug or socket?

There is a reversed polarity when the active and the neutral wire are swapped. This means the appliance is still charged, even when switched off. 

A plug that is not installed according to the manufacturers instructions can be potentially very dangerous. Wires can became lose or exposed and can cause an electrical shock.

Different ratings on plugs have different pins. A 15A plug will have a larger earth pin. This way, it will not fit into a 10A socket. The main reason for this is to protect the internal wiring. There are adapters on the market that allow you to use a 15A appliance on a 10A socket. Those adapters have a built-in protection mechanism avoiding higher than 10A currents. It’s Illegal to change a 15A plug into a 10A or mechanically change the earth pin so it will fit a 10A socket.

When testing and tagging, we also check your equipment if it is not listed with Product Safety Australia. Following heater was a recall some time ago. As we still find them with new customers, we repost this recall:

Recall reminder: Bunnings Group Limited — Heller 2000W fan heater supplied by GAF Control Pty Ltd (FHH20A)

PRA No.: 2015/14545
Date published: 16 Jan 2015
Product description: Heller 2000W fan heater with oscillating base
Identifying features: Date Code 0514

What are the defects?

The heater does not comply with the flammability requirements of the Australian standard. Also, the internal wiring is not routed as approved and lose wires may come into contact with oscillating/moving parts.

What are the hazards?

The risk of fire and burns.

What should consumers do?

Consumers should immediately cease using the Heller Fan FHH20A and contact their nearest Bunnings store for a full refund. To locate your nearest Bunnings store, please call (03) 8831 9777 or go to www.bunnings.com.au.

Supplier

GAF Control (Sales) Pty Ltd (link is external)

Traders who sold this product

Bunnings Australia and Bunnings New Zealand

Where the product was sold: Nationally
Dates available for sale: 1 April 2014 – 1 November 2014

For more information and source, please visit https://www.productsafety.gov.au/recall/bunnings-group-limited-heller-2000w-fan-heater-supplied-by-gaf-control-pty-ltd-fhh20a
Energy Safe (VIC) is the responsible regulator for this recall.

In 2016, Product Safety Australia launched a major recall covering the two-prong plug portion of the Apple AC power supply (wall plug adapters). Apple determined that the two-prong AC wall adapters designed for, amongst other countries, Australia and New Zealand may break and create a risk of electrical shock if touched.

We still come across this power adapters almost every week during our testing and tagging. We recommend our customers to take those adapters to the closed Apple store for a free exchange.

These wall plug adapters shipped from 2003 to 2015 with Mac and certain iOS devices and were also included in the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit.

The affected adapters can be identified with a 4 or 5 characters or no characters on the inside of the slot where it attaches to an Apple power adapter:

Customers should stop using affected adapters and exchange them at no charge for a newly redesigned model that is currently shipping.

Visit http://www.apple.com/au/support/ac-wallplug-adapter/ for information about how to identify the affected adapters and the exchange process. Fill out a web form with their shipping address, email and product serial number and Apple will send you the new adapter.

You can also visit an Apple Retail or an Apple Authorised Service Provider location to exchange the affected adapters.

To this day we still come across these adapters in schools, offices and factories while testing and tagging.