Main cables advice

[oceanobsession]

Hi folks , im not convinced that mains cables make a difference to sound quality, but think my system deserves better than standard kettle leads , also
having three fuses into my amplifiers seems mad , it would be ideal if you could get a mains plug with no fuse , and only the correct rating fuse in the
components , ive been looking at the viborg ve80

https://www.hifi-amplifiers.com/en/viborg-ve80-hifi-power-filter-plant-schuko-socket-8ways-eu-outlets-p-5396.html

fairly cheap and there plugs are
copper , has anyone used there gear , im not interested in using standard plugs because of the fuse , any bargains out there im missing . there is also the us plug

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Viborg-Pure-Copper-Gold-Plated-Transparent-US-AC-Power-Plug-IEC-Female-Connector/201967424087?hash=item2f06325257:g:4F0AAOSwk4ldiYd c

which looks great , wonder if you can get the female that these fit into . phil.

[Barry]

Hi folks , im not convinced that mains cables make a difference to sound quality, but think my system deserves better than standard kettle leads , also
having three fuses into my amplifiers seems mad , it would be ideal if you could get a mains plug with no fuse , and only the correct rating fuse in the
components , ive been looking at the viborg ve80

https://www.hifi-amplifiers.com/en/viborg-ve80-hifi-power-filter-plant-schuko-socket-8ways-eu-outlets-p-5396.html

fairly cheap and there plugs are
copper , has anyone used there gear , im not interested in using standard plugs because of the fuse , any bargains out there im missing . phil.

I assume you can buy mains leads with an IEC line socket at one end and a Schuko plug at the other. If you can, then there is no reason why such a distribution board cannot be used. There are similar distribution boards that are fitted with IEC sockets, though finding mains leads with an IEC connector at each end is a little more difficult.

[oceanobsession]

Thanks barry , ive just found these

(https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-Gaofei-BLA-D20A-US-AC-Power-Duplex-Receptacle-Wall-Outlet-Copper-Socket/232161750589?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649)

(https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T60-HiFi-US-Power-Distributor-Socket-Chassis-6-Outlet-Case-diy/232371631833?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649)

looks very well made , phil

[Cycleallday]

UK plugs never used to be fused until we bought a lot of cheap copper, from South Africa I believe, which went into our houses in around the 70,s. I’m sure many on here will remember the fuseless 2 pin plugs used in the 50s and 60s, much like the common schuko found in Europe. The safe way of dealing with the issues was to add a fuse to each plug as the problem was largely between the mains input and the room sockets.

It may or may not be safe to rely on the new distribution boxes depending on the age of your property. One thing for sure is if you do not use U.K. fused plugs and a fire results your insurance may not pay out.

Many houses are also suffering pin holes in copper central heating pipes built in the same period for the same reason.

We sell leads, plugs and sockets for any country in the world and very few have fused plugs. Earth wires are quite common however, even in Europe - France in particular often uses an earthed schuko plug and socket.

Mel

[oceanobsession]

Thanks for your advice , i cant see me buying mains cable thats £25 a meter , not when the rest of the house is using twin and earth , i managed to buy 6mm 3 core
grey flex for about £2.50 a meter before now , phil.

[Audio Al]

Cable thread , Let me know when its over please :sofa:

[Barry]

UK plugs never used to be fused until we bought a lot of cheap copper, from South Africa I believe, which went into our houses in around the 70,s. I’m sure many on here will remember the fuseless 2 pin plugs used in the 50s and 60s, much like the common schuko found in Europe. The safe way of dealing with the issues was to add a fuse to each plug as the problem was largely between the mains input and the room sockets.

It may or may not be safe to rely on the new distribution boxes depending on the age of your property. One thing for sure is if you do not use U.K. fused plugs and a fire results your insurance may not pay out.

Many houses are also suffering pin holes in copper central heating pipes built in the same period for the same reason.

We sell leads, plugs and sockets for any country in the world and very few have fused plugs. Earth wires are quite common however, even in Europe - France in particular often uses an earthed schuko plug and socket.

Mel

Fused plugs were introduced along with the ring main system, to save on the cost of copper cable in new installations. Before then a radial system was used with each socket (or at most two) fed by its own cable running back to individual fuses in a central fuse box. The current rating of the plug/socket used was either 2A, 5A or 15A and the pins on all the plugs were round in cross section.

Obviously a radial system used much more cable (and hence expensive copper), so an alternative scheme was devised for the extensive house rebuilding that occurred in the '50s. In this new scheme a 'ring' of 15A rated cable ran around the house, starting and finishing at the fuse box, to feed all of the sockets, each socket being fed by two cables in a 'daisy chain'. The ring could thus provide over 3kW and was protected with a 30A fuse in the fusebox. To provide protection of any appliance connected to the ring a new design of plug was used which contained a fuse whose rating was applicable for appliance connected.

At the time it was assumed that 3kW would be ample and that the load would be more or less evenly distributed around the ring. There were other flaws in the idea, which if they occurred might not be obvious, but if the ring was installed properly and the ring main used as intended, these flaws would not happen.

In the Zambian copper crisis of the '70s, the cost of copper rose considerably, so the use of copper-clad aluminium cable or copper/aluminium alloy cable was trialled. Initially successful, it was later found that owing to the alloy being harder and more brittle than copper, the screw connections of each socket could fail with time. Today the use of poor quality Turkish-sourced copper used in mains wiring is a new cause of concern. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41391343

So fused plugs came first with the introduction of the ring main system, and not because of the use of poor quality copper.

[Barry]

Thanks barry , ive just found these

(https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-Gaofei-BLA-D20A-US-AC-Power-Duplex-Receptacle-Wall-Outlet-Copper-Socket/232161750589?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649)

(https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T60-HiFi-US-Power-Distributor-Socket-Chassis-6-Outlet-Case-diy/232371631833?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649)

looks very well made , phil

I would avoid using US style mains connectors, and stick with Schuko types, as the latter have better safety features designed into them.

[killie99]

You could use an IEC distribution block and use cables with C13 at one end and C14 at the other end. Now the only fuse you will have is in the mains plug which is connected to the IEC distribution block. This is the minimum you can use without getting yourself in to trouble in the event of a fire caused by using plugs with no fuse.
It really is NOT a sensible idea to have no fused plug and it WILL invalidate your house insurance should a fire happen because you have no fuse. Just for clarity, the fuse in the plug is to protect the cable, not to protect the equipment - the equipment fuse is there to do that job.

[Bigman80]

You don't believe mains cables make a difference but you are worried about fuses?

Can't catch yer breath sometimes.

[oceanobsession]

Thanks stuart and barry for some useful information . phil.

[Barry]

You could use an IEC distribution block and use cables with C13 at one end and C14 at the other end. Now the only fuse you will have is in the mains plug which is connected to the IEC distribution block. This is the minimum you can use without getting yourself in to trouble in the event of a fire caused by using plugs with no fuse.
It really is NOT a sensible idea to have no fused plug and it WILL invalidate your house insurance should a fire happen because you have no fuse. Just for clarity, the fuse in the plug is to protect the cable, not to protect the equipment - the equipment fuse is there to do that job.

Yes an IEC distribution strip/block is an equally acceptable alternative.

Agree regarding the use of a fused BS1363 mains plug between the wall socket and the distribution strip. Also I would be wary of using 'fancy' fuses. If they are not marked with the BS kite mark, or are at least marked as conforming to BS1362, then avoid. Also be aware there are many cheap counterfeit fuses for sale, that are unsafe - caveat emptor. Insurance companies will often look at these things when a claim is made.