SOCKET-OUTLET CONTACTS

Material

Contacts shall be of a corrosion resisting metal with sufficient rigidity and durability for the intended application.

Construction

Contacts shall be such that they make and maintain, under normal service conditions, satisfactory electrical and mechanical contact with the pins of the appropriate type of plug. For socket-outlets intended to accommodate plugs with flat pins, contact shall be made with both sides of each pin, except that it shall be permissible to use spring-assisted single-sided contacts. These contacts shall not rely exclusively on the resilience of the contact material and shall have an opposite face of material other than thermoplastic or resilient insulating material.

The alignment and contact making properties of contacts shall be independent of terminal screws.

The effectiveness of the contacts shall be independent of pressure from any thermoplastic or resilient moulding.

A visual inspection is conducted to determine the existence of interference between the metal contacts and the thermoplastic or resilient moulding to provide supplementary contact pressure to the metal contacts. The contacts independence shall be established in
accordance with the requirements of Clause 3.14.8.1.

Entry or withdrawal of plug pins into a socket-outlet

Within the socket-outlet, there shall be provision for effective guidance of the corresponding plug pins to ensure direct entry and withdrawal without critical distortion of the socket-outlet contacts. Conformance is checked by visual inspection and, if necessary, by a manual or electrical test.

Depth of contact

Depth of contact for socket apertures for flat pins
For socket-outlets with apertures intended to accommodate plugs having flat pins, the following tests shall be performed.
When the test gauge of Figure 3.1(a) or Figure 3.1(b), as appropriate, is inserted into the socket-outlet live contact apertures in any possible manner, without undue force, contact with live parts shall not be possible.

Gauge for Depth of No-Contact Test of AS/NZS 3112 Figure 3.1

When the metal test gauge of Figure 3.1(d) or Figure 3.1(e), as appropriate, is inserted, perpendicular to the socket-outlet face, into each and every aperture for flat pins, contact shall be made before the gauge is fully inserted.

In addition, the three-pin plug of Figure C1 of Appendix C or of Figure G1 of Appendix G, as appropriate, shall be capable of being fully inserted into a socket-outlet.

Depth of contact for socket apertures for round pins

For socket-outlets with apertures intended to accommodate plugs and having round pins conforming to the dimensional requirements of Figure 2.1,the following tests shall be performed.

When the test gauge of Figure 3.1(c) is inserted into the socket-outlet live contact apertures in any possible manner, without undue force, contact with live parts shall not be possible.

When the metal test gauge of Figure 3.1(f) is inserted, perpendicular to the socket-outlet face, into each and every round contact aperture, contact shall be made before the gauge is fully inserted.

In addition, one of the three-pin test plugs shown in FigureG1 of Appendix Gshall be capable of being fully inserted into a socket-outlet.