The Industrial Connectors Division of the Ashington-based A-Belco Group has breathed new life into one of their oldest products, the Reyrolle Easigo Range of plugs and sockets which were first produced over 100 years ago in 1910.
Introduced to the world as the first voltage and Amperage non-interchangeable industrial plug and socket design, it set the criteria upon which the original BS196–1930 was based. Whilst the fundamental design of the Easigo range has remained essentially unchanged, material and functionality updates have constantly improved.
This latest improvement, which has increased the IP (Index of Protection) rating from IP44 to IP65 for 15 amp products and from IP44 to IP65/66 for 60 amp products will open up new markets to the products and directly challenges alternative CEEform / BS4343 / IEC60309 plastic products which A-Belco also offer to complete their range.
Iain Sneddon, A-Belco Group Commercial Manager, said, “A.Reyrolle & Co (Hebburn) first designed and produced the Easigo range in 1910, with production moving to the newly formed Reyrolle Industrial Accessories (RIA), a specialist design and manufacturing division, at their Ashington factory where it has remained under various guises before A-Belco was formed in 2001.”
“They were and are simply superb products which defined the standard for BS196 and seem to be virtually indestructible! We’ve heard from several contractors who have come across some of the original plugs and sockets form the 1920’s and were looking for replacements. They were more than pleased to find they’re still being made here in Ashington.”
“However, the products designed to the later European standard of IEC309 had a higher IP rating so that this latest upgrade now brings our products up to this standard. They are, in fact, superior in many ways to alternative ranges compliant to the European standard in that the 5 amp rated products will run continuously at 10amps, 15 amp rated products will run at 20 amps etc right up to the 60 amp rated products running at 80 amps. These products are typically smaller in size to the equivalent Amperage product to IEC60309. Some of the range even feature DMC (dough-moulded compound) interiors, and being zinc cast in construction will withstand up to 220°C without melting, charring, combusting or deforming. The range is engineered to have a higher through fault current rating than alternative ranges and is far more robust than most alternatives, and the Easigo plugs are available with fuse pins to protect from such.”
The improved IP rating, third party certified by NEMKO, has resulted from a 12 month programme of redesign, retooling and the production of new castings, an investment that is already seeing returns as Iain Sneddon continued, “The higher IP rating, and the products inherent strength, will allow us to target markets requiring a connect/disconnect solution to operate under challenging conditions. It will also let us make an improved technical offering to our existing installed base market. The increasing number of external applications, often in harsher environments, has created a steadily growing market for these robust plugs and sockets.”
“We’re now seeing a new generation of electrical engineers realise not only the merits of the Easigo range but also that they are still being produced in the UK from modern materials and are readily available from our stockists. This has meant that our markets have increased from predominantly simple replacements of plugs and sockets on existing installations to far more complete sets of connectors for new build installations.”
Further information on the Easigo range of Industrial Connectors is available from the A-Belco Group at www.a-belco.co.uk (connectors@a-belco.co.uk) or contact A-Belco on (01670) 813275 for more information on stock and availability.
