For simple rugged power distribution it's hard to beat these rugged Ceeform connectors. They're available in a range of current and voltage ratings with suitable colour coding and keying. They're so common that they literally only cost a few pounds each in quantity for the basic blue/yellow 16A plugs/sockets.
They can be dropped from height, dragged across rubble and left out in arduous weather conditions without too many problems. The fact they're made of resilient plastic with long overlapping lips means that they can be handled relatively safely in wet conditions.
One thing I didn't mention was that the black bodied connector is specifically designed for the entertainment industry where it blends in better than coloured connectors.
I love these connectors. Easy to wire and super-rugged. The most common problems I have with them are broken wires or very rarely a welded contact on higher current connectors. They're cheap and common, so easy to keep spares in stock. Swap or reterminate and they're back in action.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of KZhead's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
I just enjoyed watching someone talk about outlets for 16 minutes
His video on time delayed washing machine locks has a similar effect
May I recommend his video on the British residential outlet.
Just
I just did also. Not sure why 🤔. I’ll never use these connectors, but video was pleasant to watch. I kept telling myself, “Hit PAUSE. Go find another video”. Nope. Watched it all the way through until the very end. I need a life. 😂😂😂😂😂
@@z31drifterlf no please, no more power outlet content... Actually send us a link hahahaha
The amount of times i have wired them up then realised i forgot to put the cover over the cable first lol
You haven't wired enough of these if you haven't forgotten the cover a couple of times 😂
Try Socapex connectors. 18pins that have to be soldered with 2.5mm2 wire If you forget the PG end cap on both ends it takes literally an hour to fix 😂 I still have a couple of socapex cables at the workshop with missing covers. Haven't had the motivation to fix them yet. Probably never will.
Didn't you learn anything from all those times you soldered a splice joint only to find you didn't put on the heat shrink tubing in place. I know I did not.😟😱😵
I am also learning resistant to this
Connector bodies/covers, backshells, lock rings, insulating boots.... So many ways for this basic mistake to trip you up and waste your time! You typically only do it once or twice before getting in the habit of double-checking yourself before starting to terminate wires. But if you're having an off day or you get distracted, it's still easy to catch yourself out.
I know an electrician, who went to do some work at a farm. The farmer had a three phase motor, but there was no three phase connector in the shed. However, there were three domestic 3-pin sockets in the room, and, by an amazing coincidence, each one was wired to a separate phase, so he connected each of the three lives from the motor, to the live pins on 3 13 amp plugs, plugged all three plugs into the sockets, and off he went. Apparently, he'd been running it this way, for a number of year.
These are used as caravan/camper connectors in New Zealand. As an apprentice, I was taught to always make the earth longest in all plugs,so that it is the last to loose contact from abuse.
That pe thing is for anything
Yes, and NZ and AU are the only two counties in the world that use 56 series of exclusively for the same application as iec309 (apart from camping equipment). Bloody stupid
You should do that with ALL earth/PE connections
They are often used for server rack PDUs for 16A and above connections as well.
In the Netherlands/Europe they are also used for caravans and campers, though in some campings you'll find the E/F connectors and you'll need an adapter. Edit: They are also used to charge electric boats.
Used in server rooms to avoid pesky cleaners unplugging live systems for their hoovers (vacuum cleaners).
For the rest of the world, a Hoover is a vacuum cleaner
Clever.
@@Mr1bassman1 For Americans Hoover was the 31st president
@@Mr1bassman1 oops. Thanks.
That realy sucks
I love how you stared with a whole workbench full and started pulling more connectors out. Haha.
I know right. Title could be "Lets Look At A Thousand Dollars Worth Of Connectors I Have Laying Around".
I used to work for a tool rental company. These were the only connectors the customers couldn't break.
Until they run over them.......
Sweden, blue and red ones commonly used... and green ones for 400Hz in aircraft related applications. About current ratings.. it makes more sens if you start from 1000A.. and halves the rating...ie.. 1000/500/250/125/63/32/16... ie the 63 A is a rounding instead of 62.5A... :)
The green connector is the only one which is allowed to be used with various voltages between 50 and 500V. The other colors are fixed voltages!
Yup, red one can be found in just about any concert hall or conference hall just outside the stage.
In Finland the red one is used in 3 phase power. Our house has one of those.
Halving from 1000 … that's one way to explain it, but it's actually from the R series, after one Charles Renard.
63A is not a rounding of 62.5A,its 60A+5%. 300A fuses are replaced with 315A ones.
These are used all over europe on campsites to connect caravans, campers and such to the mains
Fun fact: They are also used in places where they don't want members of the public to use the wall sockets: Subway stations and even on some regional trains. Or course you can buy adapters but who would carry one in his backpack during a day in the city ?
I think I seen one of these at a U.S. campsite, but not sure.. Maybe marinas, too? IDK. Definitely in factories, restaurants and such. Much more common cable than one would think by looking at it.
In New Zealand they are simply called a "caravan plug" :)
@@pete3897 In Germany we are calling that also an caravan plug.
We also use them in HazLoc areas.
Slugs like hiding in plugs left in gardens. The slugs expire spectacularly when you plug them into a live socket.
Just add garlic butter. Is garlic butter an insulator?😜
@@Fazer_600 This sounds like something Clive could test as a departure from his MRE tasting? :D
Don't plug slugs into a live socket :p
Slug sockets
They are used all over Europe, the CEE16 and CEE32 (red connectors) are quite commonly used in houses as 3 phase plugs in countries where 3 phase home connections are common (mostly Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg)
13:35 Oh god... I'm getting PTSD from this bit. I've had this happen so many times. Last time the caterers were given a 32a and brought everything in on 13a plugs. They then told the guests we were to blame for not providing enough power when their fuses blew ON THEIR OWN GEAR. Can't believe I hadn't watched this already, great advice in this one Clive.
Germany: exporting all our machines built in germany in the whole world with the CEE16A.
At work we have DOZENS of cee16a to schuko adapters for whenever we rent something from denmark/germany/etc 😂
@Chris Landry we've stopped doing that a long time ago. Bad publicity, you know...
@@jk9554 lmao
@Chris Landry Is that why Israel throws the Palestinian kids in Camp 239 for arbitrary torture?
@Chris Landry So are you going to tell me I haven't lived there and seen with my own eyes, children with stones being fired upon with automatic weapons?
"I like to twist them, and fold them over, and fill that hole there" -Clive
what about ferrules? i like using ferrules, even if uncrimped, on stranded wire which goes directly under a screw
@@ketas you may have missed a double entendre.
Dirty fecker! 🤣
So that's what he means by *big* clive.
@@johnf3326 Depends on which holes he likes the fill. So holes are dirtier that others. 😯😈😆
I've always wanted to wire something stupid (like a toster) to one of these style sockets just because I think there cool.
The only problem with doing this is these plugs don't have fuses so you would need 13A fuse protection elsewhere.
@@neilpinner5750 Fused plugs aren't really a thing outside the uk, and even there you should have fused circuits by now.
The big 32 amp plugs can fit a small phone charger (EU plug) in the screw terminals (don't question the safety) then you would have a big red plug with a USB lead sticking out charging a phone
@@vrzn LOL I want that :D
@@vrzn did once have one with a gitar plug on it for real hard solo's in my van to make fun of some artists lol and one with a garden hose and a gardena plug
Red ones are commonly used in Poland, almost every house has at least one 16A or 32A 3P outlet, usually in a garage, storage room or basement as our houses are supplied from a 3 phase system. It lets you plug in a welder, large saw, concrete mixer, etc. Blue ones are sometimes found in RV's and trailers or in industrial 1 phase equipment. At work we have a power supply for testing stuff that is powered from 3 phase 125 A outlet. Older houses and equipment use 4 pin variant of red sockets and plugs with a combined neutral and PE.
In the US we generally just use strings of household extension cords plugged together end-to-end.
Either that or cheap snippers and black electrical tape. All you need!
And you might have a couple new ones, but most of them are from the 70s that you got from your grandma's house, with no protection at all
Bonus points for a string of Christmas lights somewhere in the middle.
@@wthrwyz and don't forget to replace all the fuses with tin foil, aluminium foil or if you feel like it lead foil.
These are used on the kitchen equipment at my McDonalds in Canada.
Same in the USA
Was going to say this. These are used in a lot of restaurants in the US for running things like grills/fryers
oh canada... our Mc. donalds are better equiped than our hospitals.
You know they'll work in Canada if they are flexible in BC's basement.
I read that in Mister Meeseeks voice
In the Netherlands (and i suppose in the rest of the EU) they are quite common. Almost every device that needs 3 phase power has a red CEE plug, so you will find them in workshops on drills and sawing machines. The red plugs usually have 5 pins, or 4 when no neutral is needed (in case of symmetrical loads). The blue single phased types are often used on campsites and marinas. On marketplaces they use CEEform plugs a lot to distribute power to the stalls. This is usually done by distribution boxes which we often call a 'paddenstoel' (mushroom) because of its shape. These boxes split the incoming 3 phase power into separate single phase outlets which are protected by fuses and RCD breakers.
Hi Clive! I had the same "discussion" with a colleague at work the other day about the weird amp rating numbering (eg. 16A,32A,63A). After some research I found that we owe this to Charles Renard, a French engineer who came up with these preferred numbers when he was tasked to reduce the number of ropes used on balloons in the French army. Makes for an interesting read!
Who new having a favourite industrial connector was a thing? Love the channel.
Jack Madden we love them so much we made a video showing how they are made - kzhead.info/sun/p7ZvnqZob52LipE/bejne.html
No kidding!
It's the standard here in Sweden, and also in Denmark where i'm from. I have the 5-pin version on all my 400v equipment, and i'm just a regular hobbyist.
Peter G Finland also, 5 pin 16A 400V version available basically in every house, at least near main fuse panel, also maybe in garage etc.
The 240V 16A version are pretty much standard throughout Europe for mains connections to touring caravans and motor caravans (recreational vehicles). They are also used at moorings for canal boats in the UK, so may be widespread for seagoing craft too.
I use these all the times in datacentres, especially the 3-phase ones. I've done event sound and lighting work before too, and they're the standard. I love these connectors.
Finland, the most common connector used for anything 3-Phase
Yes but only that red one, not those blue ones.
@@1978jra True
1978jra Have seen the blue ones being used for car engine heaters...
The plug ring colour defines the voltage - red 380v blue 230v yellow 110v
In germany to
I work in retail, driving a van and delivering shopping. We use these connectors to power the van's refrigerator while we are loading up the van. Each van bay has its own connector and what's interesting is while they are connected the van is 'disabled' in that we cannot start the engine and drive away while the cable is connected!
Unfortunately, the van where I work aren't so high-tech, there's been few wires torn apart and connectors absolutely fucked over the last few years I've worked there. Where you have to leave the van running, so the alternator gives that extra bit of power, so the fridge & freezer don't eat the battery while loading.
Same sort of work but you can still drive off with these connected. I did it and re-wired it back together before anyone noticed 😬
KrozMcD same sort of work but it doesn’t disable the engine. You can still start it. I drove away at very low speed with it still connected and pulled the wires out but I rewired it and no one noticed 😬
@@SimonJ57 They do mke auto-ejecting connectors which are common on the side of ambulances and Drs cars in the UK. www.ludomcgurk.com/auto-eject-connectors-product-124.html
@@mcgherkinstudios Self ejecting plugs... Hmmm, sounds like something Apple would invent. Or perhaps it's the latest way that Samsung are going to circumvent over-charging of LiIon batteries?
When you mentioned caterers and their lack of electrical knowledge I nearly pissed myself from laughing as I have "fond" memories of those poor lads and lasses. Most memorable was when they plugged in their heat-lamps to keep hot dishes warm during a buffet. Unknowingly, they plugged in, into one of our break-out cables we used for ambient up-lighting of the venue. During the event, we had to dim all of the lights on a few occasions, including the up-lights. This is when we noticed what they'd done and quickly pulled a regular power line for them to use. Second memorable event, although not as funny, was during a posh Christmas dinner. We asked the caterer how much kitchen equipment they'd brought in as we were doing power management as well that night. Oooh, only a small oven and a little deep fryer plus 2 fridges was they head chef's reply. Okay, then. We pulled a 32A 3phase line for them and a break out box for them to use. An hour or so into the event, all of the power went out. We went in to check what had happened but couldn't find any problem then. So, we flipped the breakers back on and within 5 seconds they'd trip again. We quickly set out to investigate what was going on and within a minute or so, my boss came walking in and told us that he'd found the issue. That small oven and little deep fryer turned out to be 3, 12 plate ovens, an industrial 2 pan deep fryer and 8 fridges. Needless to say, nobody was amused that evening. Though, in most cases, the caterers I've encountered were pretty easy going and asked before they'd plug anything in to avoid issues. It's also worth mentioning that in ones best interest is to keep caterers your friend as they do provide the stage crew with lots and lots of tasty things and snacks throughout the evening ;) As for those surface mounted enclosures, most modern campers and caravans use those (the male variant).
Caterers hmm, once had a conversation with a catering supplier who when asked what his power connection requirement was replied "just electric!"
@@mickb6285 *face desks* never had that happen to me personally. That's just cringe worthy
So this is where I add my food truck experience, oh they where very nice and I managed to get lunch out of it. I managed to get myself into running the electrics for my County Fair I've enjoyed it for two years so far. but this one trailer came equipped with an 240-volt Inlet and a fancy 2x 20 amps to a 30 amp connector that way they could grab two different 20 amp circuits and have 240 or at least have all of the equipment throughout separated on two circuits. Problem is out of the 5 extension cords they brought one had a hot neutral reverse and just happened to be one of the two that they grab and used to plug in and instantly tripped the breaker. which I then had to go hunting for in a large 60s era facility that is currently a Community / Senior activities Center and I think I finally got up to like 6 or 8 electrical panels. So I rewired their cord checked all their cords and transferred them over to the generator and then went on a finding spree for every electrical panel in the building. To their credit the cord had a replacement end and for some reason I literally encountered the same problem when I went to check and verify a new cord to my collection the night before. For some reason the manufacture decided to color to neutral screw black and leave the hot screw brass oh, I guess this was Old Stock and predated the silver for neutral. The following year I found out the 2x generously donated large pull behind 500? kilowatt generators were far more money than anybody thought they were the year before to rent. and I had to make do with
i would never let caterers use 3 phase, its easy to unbalance it and have it start to smoke
@@araineylights we don't have a choise in the matter as the ovens they all use are running on 3 phase. Mind you, we typically ran big 500 amp or larger gensets or used power from the main lines.
They are all over Germany. You can find them anywhere nowadays.
I've always being fascinated by these connectors: when I was a child I saw them being commonly used to connect camper vans to campsites and boats to docks (16A for the first and 32A for the lattest), I guess because being more rugged they withstand pretty well being exposed to the environment (rain, dirt, saltwater...) some people leave their boats connected 24h/day for years so they must be doing a good job. Also I've started seeing them at my unuversity lately, both in server datacenters but also in the corridors. Probably most poeple don't touch them because they don't know it, or maybe it's becuase they look industrial-y and somewhat scary, but they could well be used to charge phones and laptop (which sometimes people desperately need). Also at concerts and discos I can sometime some dangling power cords with the red adapter (so triphase) if I wanted I could have ruined fun for a ton of people lol. The fact that this does not happen really means that workers are confident in people not being confident with infustrial grade components.
Yep trains also sometimes use them, because nobody will carry an adapter for them. Server rooms maybe also because nobody will just yank them out and stick his charger in.
You say that they can be used to charge laptops. Does that mean I could in theory use this instead of the C13/14 connectors I currently use at home, so that I don't need different ones when travelling countries and outdoors?
@@RokeJulianLockhart.s13ouqjust make sure that it outputs 220v (or whatever is the mains voltage in your country) and it should work just fine. A lot of 3 phase systems run on 380v or higher, and if you plug a laptop power brick into that, it'll let out the magic smoke. At the end of the day these are just connectors, what matters is the voltage that runs through them.
Belgium : mandatory for semi permanent connections on building sites.
Ceeform!! wow in all these years i've always called and heard them called commando plugs. You learn something new every day.
Hi Clive, I am a Showman and as you they are used on fairgrounds. Thank you for a great channel, I'm learning a lot.
I got an ad for Harting industrial connectors before the video 😅
You'll find these ALL OVER Europe (at least), as they're codified and standardized in IEC 60309. You may also hear them referred to as "Commando" connectors, as the first major supplier of these, MK, sold them under the "Commando" brand name. Here in Canada and the US, there's a whole mess of differing NEMA plugs and sockets picked seemingly at random for a wide variety of uses.
Here in Canada and the US, there's a whole mess of differing NEMA plugs and sockets picked seemingly at random for a wide variety of uses" Just as i expected. No standardisation with the rest of the world. US power is a bodgy unsafe inefficient mess. Lots of videos on YT of US power lines on fire, most of which were preventable with a bit of maintenance. None from the UK.
@@simontay4851 - Yeah no wonder California burns down every other month. Or wait no.. I'm sure that's not the issue. Right, it's because people should be raking the forest floors... of .. California? 🤔
Here, let me help you out with how NEMA plugs and sockets work, let's take an L6-20R for example: L - designates this as a LOCKING type 6 - designates the voltage 240, single phase, and that this has a grounding connection 20 - designates the amperage R - designates this as a RECEPTACLE So how do you figure out what you need to use? It's not done at random! 1)Do you need a ground connection? In most cases, especially at voltages over 120V this answer will be YES. 2)What voltage do you need? 3)Single phase or three phase? 4)How many amps do you need? Note that you are not allowed to draw more than 80% of the rated current of the plug/socket for continuous loads(defined as loads that will be powered for longer than 3 hours), so for example a 20 amp plug/socket needs to be derated to 16 amps, and a 15 amp derated to 12 amps. 5)Do you need a locking or non-locking plug? With these 5 pieces of information, combined with a table of NEMA plugs and sockets, you can determine the exact plug and socket you need for a given application, assuming that the manufacturer of the device you seek to connect has not already done it for you.
@@simontay4851 Don't blame shitty engineering for what is really a problem of poor maintenance.
@@brianleeper5737 - They literally say it's a problem with maintenance in the very same sentence..
in the netherlands we use these kinds of connectors extensively in the event industry. mostly the 380v (red) ones but also the 230v (blue/black) ones. never really seen any of the other voltages.
yellow onec where ofeten used for blinders (die lampen staan in serie en 1 rij werkt op 110v)
I work in a factory with a warehouse. We had a cable with a connector like this for connecting our electric forklift's charger to three-phase (I believe). I think there was a second one for one of our big three-phase machines, too. There's something very pleasant about handling tough rubber-clad cables like that, with good sturdy connectors. It feels very reliable.
We use them everywere for lights and sound on stages for concerts in Poland
Mumohan atpQuan Lord Mumo
and in every garage we have red 3ph ones :p
You'll find these connectors at harbours throughout Europe. I've been sailing since I was 5 and I've never had one break or malfunction, they are great.
The twist lock NEMA plugs we run in boat slips in the US are awful. Malfunctions all the time. I wish they'd gone with a better connector like this.
We use those connectors in our server rooms for power-to-rack.
I like how the shark fin on the shark connectors catches on the flap of the other connector, just to deter accidental disconnection.
France, Using them all the time for lights and sound on stages for concerts, festivals etc
Yup ^^. Industrial use in my case (FR also) 1P+N+GND, 3P+GND, 3P+N+GND
Same industry, using them in the UK. I think they're an EU standard pretty much?
Je ne suis donc pas le seul français à regarder cette vidéo ? 😂
@@psirvent8 Non
d1rcwill they are the same across the world IEC60309
We use them In finland also. Sometimes even In server rooms because of the high current demand.
We have these in Sweden, you can buy them in most trades stores but I think mostly they are only used in industry. I changed my garage three phase sockets to these kind and use them on my engine warmer since ... snow gets everywhere. Always glad to see a Big Clive video :)
These are really joy to wire. They even make three phase ones where you can turn two pins with out disassembling the plug to change the direction of the phases.
The PCE connectors are brilliant, so cheap yet great quality.
And you get nickel plated pins for almost no extra cost.
Poland: same usage as you described in video, really common connector here
I commonly see them being used for lighting applications for instance cinematic lighting. I work in the broadcast repair industry and I see them quite often.
That's a pretty close design to some XLR, NL4 and NL8 cables in the audio industry. Love those little connectors. So small, yet so stout and sturdy. Used in the USA, but I think that style of connector is used worldwide. Closest to NL4 or NL8 for connecting amplifiers to speakers in professional audio settings like concerts, large speaking events, etc.
Argentina, mostly for industrial tools in workplaces and factories, some industrial ovens too. Blue ones are 220v and the red ones are 380v, I have one on my desk and only have 1 screw in the earth connection :D
Here in Germany the Mennekes StarTops are the best you can get. They are amazing
Take a look at the Palazzoli XCEE range - kzhead.info/sun/drWmnauZapmAi40/bejne.html
Incidentally one of the longest German compound words that I was hit with in a technical manual for something referred to something very similar to one of these... Why on earth it was called Stromversorgungsteckkoppler I don't know as stromversorgungsteckker would have been sufficient
@@dasy2k1 I've never heard of Stromversorgungsteckkoppler, here in bavaria the 240v \ 16 go at caravan stecker\steckdose
The 3 phase ones are standard in Hungary, the other variants are rarely used, but we do carry 'em. The thing I like about them is that they are usually guaranteed 6 hours of continous use at nominal current while the household plugs might melt after a few hours.
Very nice. There is a certain beauty in a simple product, properly thought out and made well.
I’m sure there are content for a part 2 of this! For instance the “hour rating” on the plug - for a while I thought that the “6h” marking referred to “rated 16A continuously for 6h”, but I later learned that’s the description of the position of the earth pin in relation to the key.
Christoffer Lundgren oh is it really never knew that I assumed the same
There is always a mandatory break after a 6 hour period ;)
Frankhe78 McDonald’s runs their fryers only for six hours, then it has to cool down for an hour.
@@JasperJanssen They desperately need to replace those 6H connectors ;)
@@JasperJanssen Ahhh, thats when you get the bad soggy shoestring fries
Use them at McDonald’s for the muffin toasters, grills, vats and such.
I was just wondering why I was having deja vu back to my golden arches days
I worked at McD back in the 90s, and remembered the grills and vats were basically permanently attached to the walls, but they could have had those connections at the back. The main aisle definitely had them hanging from the ceiling for the "Q'ing ovens", patty/egg warmer, muffin toaster and muffin warmer, since all of those were designed to be broken down and cleaned nightly.
Yeah in my kitchen we use them for the rachenels that are like 20k and we have 3, each oven has a HUGE switch. Its scary.
@@RyanFinnie lol once a week someone would stuff the muffin toaster too much or not unload it smoke would roll out and out came a hocky puck
Are you telling us to use them in McDonald's?
I got introduced to many of these connectors & plugs a few months ago working a fabrication & welding machine trade show. Very fascinating to work with.
I work in mcdonalds UK, and we have these all over the place! From powering 1 egg cooker to powering 10 Frying vats, our fridges and freezers use these our grills, absolutely everything!
Clive have a look on the side of a Tesco home shopping delivery van, they use them to give shore power to the chiller and freezer (16A 240v) when the van is in the yard and not running.
That's because they copied caravan hookup plugs
I have my garage door connected to one of these, and then my 100A welder is plugged into a regular wall socket.
I worked for Lincoln Electric's (the welding & cutting product manufacturer) Automation Division for 14 years and we used them for our 220 & 480 volt connections. Since we built robotic welding systems and welders for robotic applications we had to test systems. We had these attached to SOO cable and would use them for temporary power supply to the systems. Then disconnect them when the system was shipped to the customer where they would permanently wire the systems at their facilities. We are in Cleveland, Ohio USA
Used to do lighting at a club and used these all the time. Did an event with caterers who decided to leave their high and low current calling coiled up under load. Thankfully they ended up with curly cables and not a fire.
Live audio (concert sound) we use these all the time.
Used a lot in server rooms \ Data Centres. Blue type connector typically.
Confirm that. Same for me too.
Yep, use them in our Data Centres and network distribution points Both 16 and 32 amp in use, I understand
Yes we have both the blue ones and the red ones in our server rooms. Haven’t checked their ratings
Yes we have both the blue ones and the red ones in our server rooms. Haven’t checked their ratings
We use them to hook up our refrigerated vans while parked at the yard , and as you say they do get hammered!
Occasionally use them in entertainment in Australia. Not a huge amount, but they are scattered about the place, especially where there are international touring acts.
Convention centres and hotel in the US like these -- So they can bill you for using the power drops & distro box rentals thru their in-house provider, usually PSAV.
We use them a lot here in Germany.
We use them a lot for pa equipment
@Sinon Strunje well people knowledge about electronics hasn't come up since it was invented.
Construction worker in Sweden here. 16A and 32A (mostly 16A) cables are commonly used for machines, like concrete cutters and drilling machines.
I LOVE these. Use them wherever I can.
I see those everywhere, I live in Argentina and we used to have the exact standards as europe, we changed the plug for the Australian variant in the 90's, but those Ceeform connectors are everywhere, now that I don't work in industries I see them used to connect things like power generators and construction sites.
CEE connectors are the standard in Western Europe. They are very affordable and reliable. Almost all of them are rated IP44 and use a clock position of 6H. In datacenters you will see mostly red 5 pin 32 A 3P+N+PE 230/400 Volt connectors and blue 3 pin 32 A and 16 A P+N+PE 230 Volt connectors. In film / motion picture lighting they use mostly blue 3 pin P+N+PE 230 Volt connectors in 63 A, 32 A an 16 A variants. Because lights are always single phase. In theatres you will find red 5 pin 125 A, 63 A and 32 A for distribution and blue 3 pin 16 A for equipment. Stage Rigging Hoists use red 4 pin 16 A connectors. In agriculture, industry and on building sites you will find mostly red 4 pin 32 A 3P+PE 400 Volt connectors. Because of all the electric motors around. Special application concrete vibrators are used for concrete compaction and are usually 42 Volt at 200 Hz. These use a green 32 A 3P connector without protective earth with 4H clock position. It comes with an external frequency converter that consist of a 42 Volt 3 phase generator creating 200 Hz directly driven from a 400 Volt 50 Hz motor. The power of these devices is usually 2.2 kW. Professional ovens in restaurant kitchens are connected using red 32 A 3P+N+PE connectors. In telecommunication installations you will find a lot of -48 VDC but I am not sure wat kind of connectors they are using.
Yeah, pretty much, Germany calling in, they are the most common connector for Outdoor 1 phase (camp and boat) and 3 phase connections in general. Since every basic electric utility connection is 3 phase here, they are also very common in houses. Yes, many Europeans have common access to 400V 16 or 30 A 3 phase power :-) and most utility connections are ≥80A. Even the oven in my 3 room flat is hooked to a 3 phase 400V 20A connection :-P
They are pretty standard in whole Europe., West, central, east. Doesn't matter. There are few exceptions, like low current 3 phase connectors in Switzerland, but the cee is used too, and probably equally popular.
@@movax20h we had the Perilex system here in Germany in domestic installations, but is has become quite uncommon and has mostly been replaced by CEE connectors. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perilex
Ex-TeleCity Datacentre engineer.....back in the 90's we ran with 16A-32A per rack so mostly saw the blue variants per phase. Out of the game now and I imagine things have moved on.
@@tehklevster nah they are still standard, blue for single phase red for 3 phase in 220-240 V countries.
We use them for power distribution on "remote vehicles" for radio stations when we are out on a remote site for live shows at stadiums, events, etc.. For powering large amounts of RF equipment on top or regular things like pre-amp, mics, SatComs, and so on. love that they can take a beating and I like that they look like huge XLR connectors
We use these plugs in most industrial workshops in Oman. We use the UK electrical system over here.
My favorite type of these are the ones from Mennekes witch wont even require you to remove the insulation frome the wires to clamp them in the screwless connector
My fav are the ones by the mennekes brand. I have used the 63A and 125A ones a lot from them at work and there plugs and sockets are pretty neat in the way they look and also are put together. Very rigid and easy to install. They also come in IP68 rating.
In Norway, we use these on floating docks to provide power for boats. They are thoroughly sprayed with salt water in a storm :)
German theatre technician here. The 16A blue ones are not seen in the event industry much. The Schuko plug we normally use is rated the same and you can get IP44 versions, ao that's just what we use. What you do see these on is garage doors and the like where the motor is plugged into a 16A CEE single phase socket, maybe because they don't want ppl removing it for their own stuff. The 32A blue ones are often called camping plug because you find these on campsites. I believe these are also used for high wattage lamps, like 5kW or 10kW tungsten. My theatre doesn't have those, though, so I don't know for sure. The red ones are far more common here because 3 phase power is common and it's the plug for that, unless you enter powerlock territory. 16A 3 phase is often used for chain hoist controllers, with a 16A four pin socket going to the hoist. Controllers for more hoists might use 32A 3 phase instead, and they have one Harting out so you can run one cable to multiple hoists. 32A, 63A and 125A 3 phase is typically the socket provided by the venue, so you would typically have a power distro that takes 32A, 63A or 125A 3 phase in and connect it to the socket with an accordingly sized red CEE plug/cable and you split it up from there. Outside of events and theatre, 16A CEE 3 phase is also commonly seen in workshops for tools that require 3 phase. Although homes are connected to all three phases here and have their single phase sockets split up across the phases, you typically don't find 3 phase sockets in homes, so this is a purely industrial application.
Used quite a bit in Canada, we call them Pin and Sleeves
I wish you mentioned the 3phase variants where with a screwdriver you can switch the phases over without the need os opening it and switching the cables around. This is handy when you want to change the direction of rotation of three phase motors.
I work in film and TV and can't go five minutes without seeing or using one of these
Used on planet earth. Very common. Merry xmas Clive, have a good one, thank you for this year.
PhotonicInduction uses them for his "I've popped it" system. Come to think of it, we haven't seen anything new from him in a long time. Hope he's okay.
Pretty sure he mentioned in one of his last videos that he's not doing it anymore
@@romainmarteau5047 Did the new wife take issue?
@@romainmarteau5047 That was a while ago. He was (incredibly) upset that his wife couldn't come into the country. However, a few months ago, he posted a picture of him and his wife happily in his home. He probably just needs time to recover before making videos again.
@@romainmarteau5047 I remember him posting a comment on a comment that he'd been working on new videos, but that was nearly 6 months ago.
He gave up on electronics because his indian wife told him to. Probably has 3-4 stupid indian children that are working in call centres now. He announced it before he wiped most of his videos out. Torrents exist of his old videos. Shame.
Interesting.. I'm not familiar with these in the US- perhaps they show up industrially, but I haven't seen them. I thought it was interesting that you mentioned that the yellow one (110V) is used in the UK for construction sites? Any more information on that? I'm surprised to hear that 110V is used in the UK at all.
I believe it's a "health and safety" thing.
It's annoying. We have to use heavy transformers to convert 240V to centre tapped 110V. Needless to say cordless tools are very popular. In other parts of Europe they just use 240V and an RCD/GFCI.
@@bigclivedotcom yeah, same deal here in AU, if it's not cordless it's plugged into 240V on an RCD
@@SomeMorganSomewhere yes a proper earthing / grounding system and a RCD is indeed perfectly safe for hand tools and the like. Equipment that needs reliable continues operation could benefit from those heavy transformers.
There is a yellow version for 110V. It's in the standard. I don't know if it's used a lot.
We use them extensively here in Australia in the audio and lighting industry. They are a great robust connector 👍
These are very usual in Sweden. The blue 1-phase one is perhaps a little uncommon, used for caravans and such, but the red 3-phase one is definitely 100% the one used everywhere. Sold and labeled by current rating and size going hand in hand. 3-phase is still very big here, every home has at least one 3-phase Ceeform plug. We just call them "gloves" or "Three phase gloves."
The hardware stores in Thailand do sell this kind of plug too.
This is one of the many connectors we use in the film industry.
I love seeing electrical connectors and wires from other parts of the world . Here in the states our flexible cables are sj, sjo,sjow and sjoow . It's looks almost the same .
I used to be a Truck Driver (Canada and the NE USA) and I've seen similar connectors in Schools (Rare), Commercial (not Common) and Industrial (Very Common) sites all over the place.
These are used for three phase in norway. Either 5 pin red ones, or 4 pin blue ones. The blue one has ground, but not neutral since places with 230v three phase use the IT electrical system.
As an American industrial electrician, I’ve never seen them in this particular form, but I don’t do a lot of travel work and I’m generally in only three different plants regularly.
I wish they were used in America. Just watched a video on festival/stage electrical distribution boxes comonly found in the USA, sorry to say that the cefform standard is in so soo many ways superior!
I use them every where, 16 for outdoor lighting at events, 32a for electric vehicle charging units , 3 phase in my workshop, really useful ....but can be buggers in cold weather ....
We use them in Greece too!! Love them also the 3 phase one To save your fingers just pull fast and with force they don’t really break...
We definitely use them in New Zealand, especially in heavy industry
And caravans, the blue one is a caravan plug in my head (Hi from Napier)
I've had experience with using these when powering a convention audio system.
A similar arrangement is used in Marine applications here in the USA. I've used them extensively in a printed circuit board factory for portable equipment. They are by far the best washdown rated (IP65) power connectors I've found. I REALLY like the angled surface mount socket for those applications.
Theese connectors area really common in industry environments here in Spain. When i was studying as a car technician, all soldering MIG equipment was equipped with them, as well as the milling machines.
I change every conector with it, so even my phone charger has it
Oh, I've got it! Replace usb-c so it's much more durable. Bit embarrassing to walk about and have people wondering, "Is that a Ceeform, or are you happy to see me?"
You're joking, but some guy at work took a CEE 16, a 3 phase one, and put his broken phone charger into it. Fully wired up. Reason: "Nobody ever uses the CEE 16 on the distributors, so nobody will ever unplug my phone again"
@@Waves0815 mmm... Over charging...
@@Waves0815 I like that!
I hear they’re going to replace the lightning port on the IPhone 12 with a Ceeform connector
In the states we call them "Pin & Sleeve Connectors" but I have never seen that brand of them
Do you use them at all in the States?
Netherlands here. Blue CEEform (3P16A) are used extensively on campsites to allow campers and caravans to connect to, though often only limited to 10A by circuitbreakers. I've also seen it used (the male appliance socket) in firetrucks, often hooked up to an extension cord where the female connector has the lid cut or broken off. (firetrucks usually need to leave in a hurry, after all) Red CEEform (5P16A) is incredibly common. Used for overhead doors, heaters, industrial/commercial kitchen equipment like ovens and deepfryers, 3-phase powertools both permanently installed and portable. I've seen portable heavy machinery like tablesaws and cement mixers which have a male appliance connector mounted to the side. A common thing on construction sites is "paddestoelen" (it sort of resembles a mushroom shape), which are plastic enclosures atop a steel frame. 1 male 5P63A and 1 female 5P63A connectors on the bottom: Power comes in, power comes out and heads up to another unit on the next floor. Each paddestoel has standard 230V outlets (Schuko, CEE7/3) in multiples of 3 and atleast one 5P16A outlet.
I like the way these connectors seem to fight to be in the view.