Plug With Two Prongs

[Ric.ror]

I have been called into my mums care home - long story
The tv in her room is a standard Samsung one but the plug although looking like a traditional 3 prong only has the bottom 2 prongs
Will it be ok to plug in

[gingejbee]

Has the third (earth) pin broken off/gone missing or did the plug never have one?

[Hopkirk]

It won't go in, as the long earth pin unlocks the guard on the other two holes

[Ric.ror]

It looks like it’s broken off but it’s flush with the rest of the plug
Might just try it to see if it will go in at least

You’re correct- it won’t go in

[Buenchico]

As Hopkirk indicates, the live and neutral terminals within a 3-pin socket are protected by a plastic screen. (That's to reduce the risk of electrocution if, say, a toddler was to push something into the socket).

When you insert a 3-pin plug, the top (earth) pin pushes that screen to one side, enabling the other two pins to then go into their respective places. (That's why the earth pin is longer than the other two; it has to do its 'shoving aside' trick before the other pins can go in).

So, without an earth pin present, you shouldn't be able to get the other two pins inserted into the socket anyway.

Cut the old plug off and fit a new one!

[Buenchico]

Crossed posts!

[gingejbee]

Lots available online...but make sure it's the same connector at the TV end - there are several different types.

[gingejbee]

Oh...cutting the old one off is the easier (and cheaper) option, of course.

[Hopkirk]

If the cable doesn't have a earth wire, just the blue and brown wires then the top long pin does nothing except allow the plug to be pushed in.

Someone who knows what they are doing could get the plug in. However it is not without risk to the person doing it as you have to override a safety feature.

[Hopkirk]

If it is a Samsung you may find the other end of the cable pulls out of a small socket on the back of the TV.

If you have a spare cable from an old printer you will probably find it fits.

Alternatively borrow the one from your current printer until you have time to sort the plug out.

[gingejbee]

^^old printer....current printer"....assuming you have a printer, of course. (We don't have one....hardly ever needed).

[Hopkirk]

Fair comment.

(I bet Ric's got a printer though)

[Tuvok]

Not an ideal solution, but I've done this in the past with a transformer type plug which had lost its earth pin - get an adapter, obviously don't have the adapter plugged in when you do this next step - use something to push the earth guard in enough so that you cab plug the plug into the adapter. Remove whatever you used in the earth hole. Plug in the adapter and switch on. (Perhaps tape the plug to the adapter if its likely anybody else could unplug from the adapter)

[Electrochem]

Some appliances don't need an earth connection because they are double insulated. In these cases the plug supplied with the product usually has a plastic earth pin in order to move the shutters to enable connection to live and neutral. The earth pin is longer not just to enable this to happen, but to ensure that the first connection made is earth, thereby making everything that bit safer. As has been suggested, you can cut it off and put a standard plug on. Make sure you wire it correctly though and if there isn't an earth connection (yellow and green wire), just use live (brown) and neutral (blue). You should also ensure you use the correctly rated fuse (probably 5A). Much easier to get a lead from Amazon or similar. I can remember the days of 2 pin 5A plugs, 3 pin 5A plugs and 3 pin 15A plugs, all of which had round pins and didn't contain a fuse.