13A plugs with incorporated switches.....

[AndyPK]

The ‘van has several 13A sockets, all without switches. To avoid the cost of replacing them with switched sockets, I was considering buying something like this.....
Amazon product ASIN B00927MFM8

Two questions really - has anyone else used them, and are they safe.......??!!

 

[MichaelT]

one question why?

 

[AndyPK]

....because not all of my ‘appliances’ have on/off switches on them........

 

[MichaelT]

....because not all of my ‘appliances’ have on/off switches on them........

so just pull the plugs out?

 

[Guigsy]

My (poor) understanding is a switched socket breaks the live connection, which is good. But with a motorhome, you aren't sure how the EHU is wired (particularly in Europe). AC means your appliances generally don't care if they are reversed. So you could be turning off the switch, but there's still live going to the appliance. Therefore the safe thing to do is to force you to unplug if you want it off. I suspect these sockets also break only the live connection side.

(please correct the above if it's wrong)

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Gellyneck]

Switched socket \ plugs need to be double pole or the neutral is permanently connected.

 

[Pausim]

(please correct the above if it's wrong)

I agree, much safer to pull the plugs. Single pole switches seem to be a UK thing which means we have to be paranoid about polarity. Much safer to assume that either wire might be live as they do elsewhere. Also worth remembering that some inverters use both wires as live feeds but at lower out of phase voltages. I remember reading about a canal boater who electrocuted himself when fixing an appliance because he had turned off the single pole switch but left the plug in.