Power leads

[nuevoboy]

As the previous owner of our "motorcamper" went to the trouble of wiring in extra power sockets, digital TV aerial and TV bracket, I thought I may as well buy a TV!

However, the power sockets are inside the wardrobe with the TV bracket mount on th'outside with a rotating grommet thingy between, to feed the lead through.

As there is only a fairly small aperture in the above named thingy, it would mean removing the power plug on theTV if I wanted to store it between trips.

I was wondering if there is a small in-line plug and socket available that can be safely (and legally) connected before the main power plug, to effect easy poking through aperture and aid provision and removal.

[Clive]

You can purchase from many electrical / electronic components outlets both halves of the "Kettle Plug" connector. Try Maplins or RS components or farness for starters. Make sure you fit the socket half on the cable with the power connected to it.

C.

 

[Derek Uzzell]

I think the type of product shown on the following link is what Clive is referring to:

 

http://www.growell.co.uk/g/144/IEC-kettle-plug-Electrical-Connectors.html

 

But it would be tidier if you installed a proper fixed socket into the wardrobe wall to accept the 'kettle plug' (see below) rather than have a cable poking through the wall.

 

http://modulusamplification.com/POWER-SOCKETS-C142128.aspx?sid=12886

 

However, if you were going to extend your present within-the-wardrobe 230V mains power-supply to the wardrobe's outer wall, it might be preferable to fit an ordinary UK-standard 230V 3-pin socket to the wall to accept your TV's current 3-pin plug and avoid having to cut the TV's power cable into two parts. (If you decide to do this and the TV subsequently develops a fault (power-related or otherwise), there's a strong possibility that your action will have invalidated the warranty.)

 

Even 'kettle' plugs/sockets are fairly large and it's highly unlikely that you'll find a connector that will be small enough in cross-section to allow it to pass through a 'grommet' that's presumably just wide enough to take the width of a power cable. (I don't really understand why you'd want to do this - as, if you wanted to put a connector in the TV's power-cable, surely you'd position that connector OUTSIDE the wardrobe?)

 

I don't suppose there's any chance of you buying a TV with a removable power-lead? If you could, then the power-lead's cable could pass through the wardrobe wall to the existing 230V power outlet and stay in place when you've disconnected it from the TV before storing it between trips. Obviously, if ploy this were practicable, you'd need a 2nd power-lead for the TV should you wish to use it at home.

 

Me, I'd install a UK-standard socket in the wardrobe's outer wall (assuming, of course, that there's room for it) as that would save butchering the TV's power-cable.

[nuevoboy]

Thanks for those tips chaps.

I'll have to see if the aperture is big enough to take the kettle plug.

 

Derek, I don't see why the plug of the connector would be better on the outside of the wardrobe. I would just poke it through so that all the connections would be within the wardrobe and then the idea was to be able to remove the lead through the hole when removing the telly for storage.

I've not seen many TV's with removable leads but will investigate further.

I've got a mate with a TV repair business, so think I'll see what suggestions he can come up with too.

Thanks.