Introduction of new plugs and sockets to be gradually phased in – SABS

While the country’s upcoming electrical revolution – a massive introduction of new plugs and sockets – is likely to cost billions of rands, the SA Bureau of Standards (SABS) yesterday gave the assurance that the change would be gradually phased in over years.

This despite the fact that the SA National Standard (Sans) 164-0 governing the new electrical equipment comes into effect on 1 July, 2021.

It is uncertain as yet what effect this will have on homes/ buildings which are being sold and according to SABS lead administrator Jodi Scholtz, should plugs and sockets not meet standards and compulsory specification requirements, an electrical compliance certificate may not be issued, necessary by law when selling a property.

Asked whether the SABS had mechanisms to ensure compliance and monitoring, Scholtz responded: “The national regulator for compulsory specifications is the regulatory authority. All new installations of sockets will be guided by the revised national standards.

“An electrical certificate of compliance will need to be issued when a home or building is sold and all qualified contractors will have to ensure compliance.”

In line with international standards, the SABS wants SA to ensure that household, business and industrial plugs and sockets are changed to accommodate more compact designs – “averting a risk of fires, short-circuiting, damage or malfunction of appliances”.

The SABS updated the standard in June to introduce warnings on adapters not permitted to be plugged into one another by introducing new wall sockets.

Scholtz refused to be drawn on overall countrywide cost estimates, urging consumers to choose SABS-tested and approved plugs and sockets.

“Consumers and businesses may need to upgrade their adaptors and sockets over time to accommodate the new type of plugs,” she said.

“Once the standard is published, there is a transition period of 12 months. “Sans 164-0: 2020 version 1.7 will replace Sans 164-0:2019 version 1.6.

“Standards get revised periodically – influenced by technological advances and developed consensually by technical committees.

“The national standard is referenced in the compulsory specification for plugs, socket-outlets and socket-outlet adaptors, as published in the Government Gazette of 19 November, 2010.”

Scholtz said the Sans 164-0, which covered the general requirements for plugs and socket-outlets, was “not a new standard and was amended in June, 2020”.

“The requirement for updated sockets was included in the previous revision and all new buildings should have had new sockets, since 2018.

“While the configurations of sockets and switches will be different, new sockets will still have inclusion of the large three-pin plugs. It is important to remember that sockets for large three-pin plugs are still going to be used for the foreseeable future and will still exist to accommodate these.

“The revisions allows sockets to accommodate additional plugs and improves the safety of using plugs. For example, kitchen sockets will need to accommodate the large type of three-pin plugs for large appliances. But bedrooms and lounges will need to have sockets that can accommodate USB-type plugs and two-pin plugs,” explained Scholtz.

“The standard seeks to reduce the use of and the number of adaptors that are plugged into another adaptor.

“There is no need for South Africans to replace all the sockets or plugs in their homes. Appliances and devices over time will be fitted with the newer types of plugs and adaptors, or multiplugs will be able to accommodate the plugs.”

–brians@citizen.co.za

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