It's the little things that annoy!

[snowyskiesau]

My shed has 3 phase power but only a single 10A power point.
As I'm renting I don't really want to pay for an electrician to install some more GPOs so I thought I'd get one of these Arlec multiple power point thingies, 6 power points at 2 metre intervals.
The picture on the box shows the power points leading off to the right of the plug, just what I need. Get the box open and the power points go the LEFT of the plug, no use to me at all. Another trip back into town to get a refund

[_fly_]

Yep, Tasmania.
Taking the left handed screwdriver back as well.
Just put the sockets upside down on the wall....
Trust me the electricity will still work that way.

[rwbuild]

Use a suitable length extension cord, run it to the side you need to start your inline power points, problem solved..........

[snowyskiesau]

While I realize that the power points will still work upside down (I wasn't born in Tasmania! ), it annoys me to have to work around what is a minor problem.
I'd even checked the Arlec website before I bought them and checked the box at Bunnings.
Perhaps the problem is that they are made in China and the assemblers were confused over the Chinese standard sockets as shown (no, that picture isn't upside down)

[malb]

Geoff, do have an excess of 3 phase 5 pin outlets?

If you have some 5pin outlets spare in your usage plan, you could have a sparky make up some adaptors to give you 3 single phase circuits (one or two 10A double outlets each or a single 15A each) to suit. Should be able to get a used 3 phase plug for about $25, cable, and outlets to requirements fairly cheaply any hardware store. Would still be paying a sparky but for something portable that you could take with you if/when you move. Could be cabled to have one single phase circuit branching to the left of the outlet,one at the outlet, and another branching to the right, or a group of 3 on seperate phases at a central point remote from the outlet, or anyway you want.

Might even be able to find a distribution power box setup on ebay or some other surplus source

Send me a PM detailing what you want if you have a surplus 5 pin 3 phase outlet and I might be able to come up with most of the bits for you.

[snowyskiesau]

malb,
The only 3 phase outlet is 4 pin, not 5 pin. Attached picture shows the sorry state of the available power, you can just make out the black 4 pin plug at lower right.

When I moved in, I had to get an electrician to do a condition report before the power company would turn the power back on (well, the owner did). The sparky removed the existing fuses/switches for power/light and replaced them with MCB/RCD. The 3 phase side of things (3 centre fuses plus switch on left) was untouched.

Edit: Added picture of current s/board.

[Acco]

I could be wrong here, but that meter & power board looks to be two phases to me. Did the sparky actually say that it was 3 phases?

[snowyskiesau]

The meter is definitely 3 phase.
The last picutre of the switchboard, after modification, shows that the two fuses on the right and the two switches (power/light) have been removed and the holes filled. The two large fuses on the left were marked welder but no connections to them.
The electrician left them in place as the mounting screws have a strap inside the switchboard to support the wires for the 3 phase. He didn't want to play around with the switchboard more than necessary as it's asbestos based board.
The 3 smaller fuses are the ones for the 3 phase connector in the shed. From memory, 30A.

[Acco]

No worries, if that is the case, your 4 pin 3 phase socket in the shed doesn't have a neutral wire which is required for machinery that has any 240v motors in addition to 415v motors.

[malb]

Hi Geoff, If you still have the extension string you bought, another suggestion would be to turn off the power, unscrew the double GPO and remount it upside down. Then when the plug on the extension is upside down to connect, it will exit the direction that you want it to. But beware, and try to check whether cable is the rubber or plastic insulated beforehand. Rubber has a tendancy to decompose and crumble off the wires if disturbed.

Last cheap alternative would be to bite the bullet and buy a rear exit 3pin plug and replace the side exit on the extension string, Could send you a photo tutorial if needed.

[RicB]

I just had a look at a set I bought, it looks like you can access the insides, with a security bit of course, perhaps you can just change the leads over?

[snowyskiesau]

malb, the problem is not the plug or string of power points itself, it's the location of the only fixed GPO in the shed.
It's located at the left hand corner of the wall where I want the extra power so the string of power points has to go off to the right but the way it's set up, the power points would be upside down - hope that's clear?

soredust. I do have a security bit that fits so that might be an option.

I did complain to Arlec and they thanked me for my inquiry I can't find the receipt so a refund is not an option.