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13.03.2010, 14:32
|  | Member | | Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wollishofen, Zurich
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| | Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords.
So, my husband and I are putting together our bedroom today. With the amount of furniture/wardrobes we have, we had to "flip" the room and put the wardrobes against the wall where the electrical outlets are.
Of course, that's the only place in the entire room where there are electrical outlets.
Both outlets will be covered by wardrobes.
Herein lies the conundrum:
We need to run two cords, one along the wall and one to the other side of the room. Not a big deal, except that the plugs here are massive and we'd have to cut multiple holes through our wardrobe.
Do they have flat plugs available here? That is, are there "flush" plugs made for going behind bits of furniture?
Let me know where we'd be find these glorious devices - we'd be very grateful!
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13.03.2010, 18:07
| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords.
Try Jumbo or any electrical hardware store, it's all standard equipment.
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13.03.2010, 18:56
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords.
I've not seen a flush plug, and I was in that area in a Jumbo today - they all stick out.
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13.03.2010, 20:11
| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords.
Here's a couple of options for you. The first one (black plug) is an adapter you can get at most all DIY shops. The cable feeds up through the bottom of the plug instead of straight into as normal plugs do, the clearance is 4cm. If that's still sticking out too far for you you could buy an extension cord (3 meters) that has a tight right angle at the plug (white plug) and only requires 3.1cm of space. I believe I bought the extension cord at Coop Bau + Hobby.
There is one more option but it's only meant for light duty use (ie: bedside lamp), it's also an adapter which is round and less than 2cm flat (sorry no picture).
Hope that helps..
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13.03.2010, 20:33
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords.
Swiss cheese the furniture time..
CK
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11.11.2020, 10:44
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords. | Quote: | |  | | | Here's a couple of options for you. The first one (black plug) is an adapter you can get at most all DIY shops. The cable feeds up through the bottom of the plug instead of straight into as normal plugs do, the clearance is 4cm. If that's still sticking out too far for you you could buy an extension cord (3 meters) that has a tight right angle at the plug (white plug) and only requires 3.1cm of space. I believe I bought the extension cord at Coop Bau + Hobby.
There is one more option but it's only meant for light duty use (ie: bedside lamp), it's also an adapter which is round and less than 2cm flat (sorry no picture).
Hope that helps.. | | | | | You can post the link of the last one you mentioned, can't you? I'm on the same boat as OP and getting really frustrated about electric stuff in Switzerland. Everything is so weird.
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11.11.2020, 11:26
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords.
Are your wall sockets T12 (flat surface) or T13 (recessed socket)?
A T13 socket + right angle plug is a lot more flush. Obviously it's a bigger job to replace the socket, definitely one for an electrician if you aren't experienced.
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11.11.2020, 11:38
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords.
The offender socket is a T12 socket… I really don't know if I really can replace the sockets for a T13. I think there isn't enough space in the hole to put a T13.
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11.11.2020, 11:39
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords. | Quote: | |  | | | The offender socket is a T12 socket… I really don't know if I really can replace the sockets for a T13. I think there isn't enough space in the hole to put a T13. | | | | | Yeah that's a bummer, I'm upgrading mine a bit at a time and some are fine, others a PITA.
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11.11.2020, 11:42
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords.
Interestingly enough, those T12, are not longer on use in Switzerland. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SN_441..._11,_12_and_13
We have several on our home. Besides, security issues, that is true they aren't really secure, they are pain in the ass.
I'm wondering if I can ask my landlord to change all of them for security issues.
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11.11.2020, 11:44
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords. | Quote: | |  | | | Interestingly enough, those T12, are not longer on use in Switzerland. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SN_441..._11,_12_and_13
We have several on our home. Besides, security issues, that is true they aren't really secure, they are pain in the ass.
I'm wondering if I can ask my landlord to change all of them for security issues. | | | | | Yes they are no longer in code for new sockets, the T13 is definitely safer and I think better since if you bang the plug it doesn't easily bend the pins like on T12.
There is no requirement to upgrade existing T12s though - so I think we know what your landlord would say.
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11.11.2020, 11:57
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords. | Quote: | |  | | | You can post the link of the last one you mentioned, can't you? I'm on the same boat as OP and getting really frustrated about electric stuff in Switzerland. Everything is so weird. | | | | | At least people drive on the right side of the road
There's also Jumbo. These are good enough since there's always a baseboard. https://www.jumbo.ch/de/montage-wink...46?sku=1325818 | 
11.11.2020, 12:02
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords. | Quote: | |  | | | I'm wondering if I can ask my landlord to change all of them for security issues. | | | | | It would be a safety issue  (English language knows safety and security which are two different things).
T12 socket are more a nuisance than safety risk. And grandfathering rules allow even more crazy stuff. Like TN-C wiring https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthi...of_TN_networks | 
11.11.2020, 12:11
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords. | Quote: | |  | | | It would be a safety issue (English language knows safety and security which are two different things).
T12 socket are more a nuisance than safety risk. And grandfathering rules allow even more crazy stuff. Like TN-C wiring https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthi...of_TN_networks | | | | |
That raises a question for me (sorry, not really related to plugs).
Are Swiss properties actually TN-S with earth provided centrally, or TT with local earth? Or does it vary?
I looked at my electric box and can't really tell - naturally my earth cable goes underground, which would apply in either case...
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11.11.2020, 12:39
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords. | Quote: | |  | | | 
That raises a question for me (sorry, not really related to plugs).
Are Swiss properties actually TN-S with earth provided centrally, or TT with local earth? Or does it vary?
I looked at my electric box and can't really tell - naturally my earth cable goes underground, which would apply in either case... | | | | | TN-C-S with an extra local earth point at the house where the PEN from the substation is split into PE and N. | This user would like to thank aSwissInTheUS for this useful post: | | 
11.11.2020, 12:44
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords. | Quote: | |  | | | Interestingly enough, those T12, are not longer on use in Switzerland. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SN_441..._11,_12_and_13
We have several on our home. Besides, security issues, that is true they aren't really secure, they are pain in the ass.
I'm wondering if I can ask my landlord to change all of them for security issues. | | | | | Doubtful. I do agree that they're unsafe - I actually shorted one by accident when doing some work a few months ago. The plug had come very slightly loose, just a couple of mm, from the socket and some floor insulation panels that were stacked nearby fell onto it and shorted it out. (Said panels have a foil top which overlaps, so leaving a 3cm wide strip of loose foil all along one edge, which was able to get into the plug/socket gap).
But from a legal perspective it's deemed acceptable to leave them. I was having some additional sockets fitted in a newly-constructed room and the electrician wasn't sure whether, having removed the the cover from an existing socket to access its wiring, he then needed to replace it with the more modern approved type. He checked with his boss but was then allowed to leave it in place.
So if it's legal to leave them in that circumstance I don't see how you could demand that the landlord replace them.
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11.11.2020, 12:54
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords. | Quote: | |  | | | The offender socket is a T12 socket… I really don't know if I really can replace the sockets for a T13. I think there isn't enough space in the hole to put a T13. | | | | | There is enough space, the T12 and T13 are about the same depth, I replaced several last year for RASI.
Tom
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11.11.2020, 13:12
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords. | Quote: | |  | | | There is enough space, the T12 and T13 are about the same depth, I replaced several last year for RASI.
Tom | | | | | Not the ones I've seen:
The T12 on the left is basically shallower by the depth of the T13 recess. No way a T13 could be that shallow, the pins would stick out the back of the housing!
It isn't always a problem, but it's very tight if you have five or six WAGO connectors also in the back of the wall recess.
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11.11.2020, 13:15
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| | Re: Looking for Flat Plugs for extension cords. | Quote: | |  | | | There is enough space, the T12 and T13 are about the same depth, I replaced several last year for RASI.
Tom | | | | | Great, perhaps I'll give it a try! Change a socket isn't that difficult to be honest.
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