dummy 13a plug with earth

[ef37a]

Know what I mean sport?

A plug with no live or neutral connections but a solid connection to the earth pin.

I can find plugs that have a high resistance earth outlet for static control but nothing with a solid earth.

Dave.

[Hugh Robjohns]

The only one I found was this one from Groundology:

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/groundology-earth-connection-plug

Silly money -- because the market it's designed for can withstand it! -- but it is well made.

[Sam Spoons]

My inclination would be to make one from a standard plug top. Maybe encapsulate the live and neutral pins internally in epoxy so there is no risk of the earth wire becoming detached and making contact with the live?

I do have slight reservations WRT safety so what does the 'hive mind' think?

[ef37a]

My inclination would be to make one from a standard plug top. Maybe encapsulate the live and neutral pins internally in epoxy so there is no risk of the earth wire becoming detached and making contact with the live?

Yeah, 'I' could do that but I want the information for a very 'newb' person on another forum and a US (I think) mains supply.

Dave.

[Sam Spoons]

Definitely a 'point him at the Groundology website' situation (assuming they do US plugs).

But, are US mains installations routinely 'grounded'? Outside my experience but if not ...

[Martin Walker]

My inclination would be to make one from a standard plug top. Maybe encapsulate the live and neutral pins internally in epoxy so there is no risk of the earth wire becoming detached and making contact with the live?

I do have slight reservations WRT safety so what does the 'hive mind' think?

I did make one for exploratory use, although I consider myself an experienced user. That idea about epoxy is probably a sensible one for general purpose safety though.

Martin

[Drew Stephenson]

My inclination would be to make one from a standard plug top. Maybe encapsulate the live and neutral pins internally in epoxy so there is no risk of the earth wire becoming detached and making contact with the live?

I do have slight reservations WRT safety so what does the 'hive mind' think?

I did make one for exploratory use, although I consider myself an experienced user. That idea about epoxy is probably a sensible one for general purpose safety though.

Martin

I just followed Hugh's tip and used a couple of rounds of heatshrink.

[Sam Spoons]

Good idea, though TBH you could probably cut the L and N pins off at the end of the insulated part...

[MOF]

You could use a child safe ‘dummy plug’ and replace the plastic earth pin with a brass one.

[Dan LB]

Have someone 3D print some dummy live and neutral pins in plastic for the specific plug type and roll your own.

[MOF]

Most plugs, if not all, have removable live and neutral pins, so do that then the earth pin will locate the plug securely. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that first.
You could use the plastic pins from the dummy plug I mentioned first to glue into the holes left by the brass live and neutral pins.

[zenguitar]

I came here to point out exactly the same thing. It will plug in with just the earth pin. No live or neutral to worry about.

Andy

[Sam Spoons]

Ingenious, and obvious when you say it out loud

Now, the guy Dave is trying to help may be in the US which would change things a little. However I will probably make myself one using that method. I like the extra rigidity having plastic L&N pins would give though they are probably unnecessary.

Just a thought, those flat fronted socket blanks would work but the pins would be a little short.

[ef37a]

Yeah, hmm, see I don't really want to suggest the guy MAKES anything because he has no electrical knowledge AFAICT and I am after all suggesting he sticks something in a POWER socket!

Thank you all for your interest and suggestions though.

Dave.

[N i g e l]

CPC sell the yellow plastic grounding plugs in different versions, 0 ohm or including 1M Ohm resistor, Stud or binding post.

Now, the guy Dave is trying to help may be in the US which would change things a little.

Somewhat !

CPC are Farnell and might have a USA option in their USA store.
I got "Access Denied" when I tried to look.

[Folderol]

CPC sell the yellow plastic grounding plugs in different versions, 0 ohm or including 1M Ohm resistor, Stud or binding post.

Now, the guy Dave is trying to help may be in the US which would change things a little.

Somewhat !

CPC are Farnell and might have a USA option in their USA store.
I got "Access Denied" when I tried to look.

These days they are very fussy about the browser you use - idiots!
Vivaldi works for me,

[Hugh Robjohns]

Groundology don't appear to do a specific USA plug... just an international adapter one which has an mode for the US:

https://www.groundology.co.uk/earthing/earth-connection-plug-ww

[ef37a]

I have sent the guy a link to the CPC plug, best I can do I think?

Dave.

[Moroccomoose]

I just googled 'ESD strap plug' and various options came up ranging from £4 to £20. Or did I miss something?

Edit.... yes I did miss something... its a US one yer after. That will teach me to read the thread more thoroughly!

[wireman]

Know what I mean sport?

A plug with no live or neutral connections but a solid connection to the earth pin.

What for?

[N i g e l]

These days they are very fussy about the browser you use - idiots!
Vivaldi works for me,

bah !!!!

RS components USA have a thing....

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/esd-grou ... s/2877559/

Still a helluva price though !

[Martin Walker]

My inclination would be to make one from a standard plug top. Maybe encapsulate the live and neutral pins internally in epoxy so there is no risk of the earth wire becoming detached and making contact with the live?

I do have slight reservations WRT safety so what does the 'hive mind' think?

I did make one for exploratory use, although I consider myself an experienced user. That idea about epoxy is probably a sensible one for general purpose safety though.

Martin

I just followed Hugh's tip and used a couple of rounds of heatshrink.

I was going to suggest heatshrink, except that the MK mains plugs I tend to use have live and neutral pins that are a firm fit in their sockets, so you couldn't push them back in with heatshrink shrunk onto them.

Martin

[Sam Spoons]

Know what I mean sport?

A plug with no live or neutral connections but a solid connection to the earth pin.

What for?

Getting a good earth into a floating system, say a laptop and bus powered interface. It's not a problem if something in the rig has a 'proper' earth, say through an IEC power plug but many laptop PSUs don't pass the earth connection to the computer.

[James Perrett]

but many laptop PSUs don't pass the earth connection to the computer.

Or, if they do, it possibly isn't as low impedance as it needs to be.

[wireman]

Know what I mean sport?

A plug with no live or neutral connections but a solid connection to the earth pin.

What for?

Getting a good earth into a floating system, say a laptop and bus powered interface. It's not a problem if something in the rig has a 'proper' earth, say through an IEC power plug but many laptop PSUs don't pass the earth connection to the computer.

OK, then. I would just look for a plug that is designed so that the end of the fuse connected to the live pin is encapsulated in the plug top when screwed in. The other end and the fuse would not be needed. It would be pretty unlikely for the earth wire to come loose and hit the live but as far as is possible this should be prevented. Covering up with something insulated or using a directly connected ESD plug would also be an option. If the plan is to make a wander lead then it would make sense to use a short segment of full 3-core cable with insulation at the plug end to get good clamping (for plug styles like the MK safetyplug).