Cleaning pins on UK mains plugs

It's trivial to test. Take two dirty plugs with only earth connected (well, you could use any two similar pins, but I'd prefer the ones which don't usually have current!). Plug them in to adjacent sockets on a multiple outlet and measure the resistance. Clean, repeat.

Tim

Is this for real????

I recommend sending them all away for a thorough glass bead shotblasting, this will remove any residual surface oxide and then quickly (before they can oxidize over again. est .273 milliseconds) to the Electroplaters for zinc passivation. If the distance from the shotblasters to the electroplaters takes more than .273 milliseconds to traverse, you could try immersing them in Boric acid for the journey.

You're looking in the wrong place. Think of all the other connections you're not servicing, like the VGA, USB, KB, mouse, memory and CPU sockets.

I'd look into bumping up the gold plating on all these if I were you..

|> > I am in the UK and was wondering if there was any merit in cleaning |> > the brass pins of my three-pin mains plugs. |> >

|> > In many cases the pins look tarnished and I must have had some of |> > these plugs for 10 or 20 years. |> >

|> > The plugs all seem to work well and they do not heat up. But I |> > thought it would be good practise to sandpaper the pins so they |> > were shiny. |> >

|> > Am I wasting my time? | | I recommend sending them all away for a thorough glass bead shotblasting, | this will remove any residual surface oxide and then quickly (before they | can oxidize over again. est .273 milliseconds) to the Electroplaters for | zinc passivation. If the distance from the shotblasters to the | electroplaters takes more than .273 milliseconds to traverse, you could try | immersing them in Boric acid for the journey.

Why not just do it all in a perfect vacuum?

Because that would royally suck! :-)

shotblasting,

Surely just doing it in pure CO2 would be as good, without having to worry about sealing the room? :)

I'm most unimpressed by the answers Piotr has received to his question. Perhaps the answer seems obvious to most of us, but that's no reason for 95% of replies to be poking fun at him.

Tim

Spoilsport....

Yes, 110%.

Cheers,

Guy

Surely, EU regulations take precedence?

Cheers,

Guy

'Cos there ain't no such thing .

Cheers,

Guy

Nitrogen would be better!

Cheers,

Guy

With all due respect, Tim, I am absolutely convinced that no one is poking fun at "him".

I'm willing to wager my last nickel that the question was asked as a joke.

Take care.

Ken

Dr Teeth wrote: | On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 23:05:14 +0100, Malev wrote: | || Under the terms of The Clean Pins Act 2003, you are legally obliged || to ensure that all 3 pins are exempt of any deposit whatsoever and || shine to BS 6907 specifications. | | Surely, EU regulations take precedence?

No - they're best ignored ! :-) Kevin.

I agree. But they're like a boil on one's bum. One would like to ignore, but it isn't possible...more's the shame.

Cheers,

Guy

Why not just use 24ct gold plated mains plugs, IncaTech (the people who make the Claymore amp) do 'em.

That's a nickel you owe me.

The OP was not asking about the science, but if clean pins have any

I would challenge anyone to see if a bit of equipment, using a well tarnished plug (don't forget about the socket contacts 'Mr Science') had any degradation in performance. Of course the trial would have to be double-blind.

Cheers,

Guy