Check your electrical sockets and adapters

[JumbleDuck]

That's terrible.
Proper procedure is to find a mains lead with a PAT sticker on, cut and strip and twist the wires onto what you want to power.

Before the physics department I worked in an engineering department with a VAX 11/780 (that's how old I am) and terminals all over the building. When PAT testing came in they employed someone to do it. The high voltage insulation test he used destroyed every single terminal.

 

[Heckler]

Slight thread drift: my European built boat has 2 mains outlets, 2 pin continental style. I have never got around to fitting the UK style "square" pin sockets, but use a travel adapter instead, so far without a problem.
I have only recently noticed that the adapter has "not for use in the UK, use only on the continent" embossed on it!
I am not sure why, or what potential harm can ensue: could someone enlighten me?
I think it's probably time I put UK sockets on, anyway.

The reason is that, as I found out, when you put the cheapo adapter in to the euro socket on our boats, it goes in upside down and swops the polarity over! Not a big deal until you plug something in that you can touch the working bits, such as a toaster! When the "polarity" is swopped the switch is switching the neutral and the live is still very definitely live!
I did a small article for PBO highlighting it!
Stu

 

[penberth3]

... Had he returned the next day he would have found the radio still in use, powered by the two stripped ends of the cable wedged into a 13A socket ...

Pop rivets are ideal for this, but you probably know that already.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Pop rivets are ideal for this, but you probably know that already.

I did not. Splendid idea. One leaves the sticky-out bits sticking out, I presume, for added hilarity.