Generic 60W Soldering Iron Station

[SpannerHands]

Hi all

Have a look at this thing of total crap, I bought this off Amazon, (needed the power unit for hot knife tool)

This has now has been removed from Amazon... Thankfully...

These are for sale all over the NET so please look out...

Anyway what do you think... I personally love that main power switch...

Please note UK Voltage is 230 +10/-6% and that's not a British standard plug...

[Monkeh]

That's not even that bad. Don't know why you've got your panties in a twist over the voltage.

Although the plug is clearly non-compliant.

[Matje]

Hi all

Have a look at this thing of total crap, I bought this off Amazon, (needed the power unit for hot knife tool)

This has now has been removed from Amazon... Thankfully...

These are for sale all over the NET so please look out...

Anyway what do you think... I personally love that main power switch...

Why the power switch, it is a dull standard mains switch, available from any number of manufacturers, 6 amps at 250 VAC are way overdimensioned, unlikely to be a problem (if it actually meets the specs)?

Please note UK Voltage is 230 +10/-6% and that's not a British standard plug...

220 Volts, 230 Volts, +- something, doesn't make a real difference in terms of safety. Now plugging a device designed for that silly 110 Volts thing the 'murricans have going on into a sensible mains system would be another thing.

If the device wasn't advertised as having a standard British plug then you can't complain about it not having one. Anything without a standard IEC socket at the back is suspicious anyway.

The one thing I can see from the images is that the power switch is only for one mains conductor - one must never assume which conductor is hot and which is neutral.

Hmm, having the red wires neatly and safely(!) separated from the yellow wires and the PCB would be a very good idea too. As would be having the metal front connector being connected to protective earth.

[Monkeh]

If the device wasn't advertised as having a standard British plug then you can't complain about it not having one. Anything without a standard IEC socket at the back is suspicious anyway.

The law says you can.

[Matje]

If the device wasn't advertised as having a standard British plug then you can't complain about it not having one. Anything without a standard IEC socket at the back is suspicious anyway.

The law says you can.

The law says a lot of things, many of them being pretty stupid (IOW practically(!) unenforcable, which is the same, hmm, actually way worse than stupid). ;-)

If the manufacturer hails e.g. from China, the sales platform is american, the buyer is from GB (for now still EC) - have fun enforcing any (which country/economical zone anyway?) law. Always remember, globalization is not for ordinary people, it's for corporations, only.

[Bored@Work]

Is that a fuse holder for cars?

[JohnWard]

The plug is the worst part, as although completely wrong and dangerous, it will fit into UK outlets, so most people would just use it without realising the danger.

The earth pin is partially sleeved, resulting in poor or no contact depending on the outlet it is used with.
The other pins are too close to the edge of the plug.
There is no fuse in it - a vital safety component as the majority of UK outlets are wired to 32A circuits.

[Matje]

There is no fuse in it - a vital safety component as the majority of UK outlets are wired to 32A circuits.

I'd guess there is a fuse in this biggish black plastic thingy on the red wire coming from the power switch?

[Monkeh]

There is no fuse in it - a vital safety component as the majority of UK outlets are wired to 32A circuits.

I'd guess there is a fuse in this biggish black plastic thingy on the red wire coming from the power switch?

And that will do what to protect the cable between socket and device?

[fluxcapacitor]

The plug is the worst part, as although completely wrong and dangerous, it will fit into UK outlets, so most people would just use it without realising the danger.

The earth pin is partially sleeved, resulting in poor or no contact depending on the outlet it is used with.
The other pins are too close to the edge of the plug.
There is no fuse in it - a vital safety component as the majority of UK outlets are wired to 32A circuits.

http://www.bs1363.org.uk/