What the new South African plug standard means for your old plugs

[Hanno Labuschagne]

What the new South African plug standard means for your old plugs

While South Africa’s new plug and socket standard has seen increased adoption in the past few years, the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has emphasised that it is not yet compulsory to switch over from our old plugs.

Gianfranco Campetti, the chair of the technical committee responsible for South Africa’s plug and socket standards, said that South Africa’s old, big triangular plug configuration will be with us for a long time.

“Millions of accessories are fitted with these big plugs. There is no point in cutting them off, putting on a new plug, and maybe running the risk of connecting the wires incorrectly,” Campetti said during an online media briefing held by the SABS on 6 October 2020.

 

[mm001]

And another one of these....

SANS 164-2 « Tags

mybroadband.co.za

 

[backstreetboy]

Nothing. Business as usual.

 

[jeevadotnet]

At the going trend we will probably see news soon on how the old plug config is racist.

 

[friedpiggy]

Nothing. The new plug means nothing for my old plugs.

 

[SilverCode]

3 "articles" about plugs in 2 days. Riveting content. Advertisers must be lining up around the block to get in on some of this action.

 

[susefan]

Campetti explained that the reason South Africa has so many standards is that we are too small a player in the international market to insist on one standard for South Africa.
Why not use the standard of one big international market like EU or UK?

 

[AfricanTech]

Campetti explained that the reason South Africa has so many standards is that we are too small a player in the international market to insist on one standard for South Africa.
Why not use the standard of one big international market like EU or UK?

No opportunity for

 

[markings]

Campetti explained that the reason South Africa has so many standards is that we are too small a player in the international market to insist on one standard for South Africa.
Why not use the standard of one big international market like EU or UK?

We are too small for one standard, so we will make another uniquely SA one. So that when we go overseas it won't fit anywhere.

 

[susefan]

Some African countries just use the standard of the former colonizer and that solves the problem of being a small international market. Does South Africa consider itself having been a British colony at one time? It could adopt the UK standard where there are no international standards.

 

[chrisc]

SANS 164-2 was promulgated in 1995. There is a 25 year window for changing sockets to the new one. Much safer design and robust

Trouble is, Chinese manufacturers will figure a way to cheapen the design. Even though these should not be sold, many will as today you can walk into any hardware shop, or even an electrical wholesaler and non-SABS approved devices are on sale

I asked the manager of Waco why they still sold this stuff and risk prosecution

The answer was "everybody else sells them and no-one ever checks". If we did not sell them, then people will go elsewhere and we will lose a sale

Money before safety, every time. One shop has 2-pin to 15A adaptors. Plug the two-pin plug into it and the adaptor disintegrates into flimsy pieces. The shopkeeper says "no-one else has complained" and walks off

 

[cr@zydude]

Some African countries just use the standard of the former colonizer and that solves the problem of being a small international market. Does South Africa consider itself having been a British colony at one time? It could adopt the UK standard where there are no international standards.

SA did use the British standard. Our type M plugs were British standard. The British only switched to type G post World War 2.

 

[Ipwn 4]

Slow news day, maybe post another salary article while you are at it.

 

[susefan]

SA did use the British standard. Our type M plugs were British standard. The British only switched to type G post World War 2.

Oh! And we couldn't switch with them.

 

[Wasabee!]

I want to pay plug tax.

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

Uniquely African solution, problem does not exist - so okay we create one.

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

No opportunity for

View attachment 929143

That is an old photo, today, only R200.00's will do, not R50.00's

 

[xumwun]

Campetti explained that the reason South Africa has so many standards is that we are too small a player in the international market to insist on one standard for South Africa.
Why not use the standard of one big international market like EU or UK?

It is compatible with the eu style

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

It is compatible with the eu style

I cut off most two pin plugs, simply because getting a reliable electric connection with the adapters in the market are dicy these are mostly pathetic.

 

[Moto Guzzi]

Few years back, not many, I replaced many wall sockets in my house and added a lot in a new garage, today many of them had failed, while the older ones lasted for many many years. The new ones failed either you plug a plug in and then cannot get it out(Have to force it out) if earth prong was plastic, or the on/off part just stay on or stop functioning. These are still sold full blast no problem.
So I was looking the new ones in town, and cannot find one single one wall socket or plug to buy, because in some places the connections stay the same and won't bother if its different.
So my question wll the new standard prevent rubbish being manufactured and sold to me-?