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  • MazieMarfyMazie@yiff.life
    Apr 11, 2026, 7:12 PM

    DIY or just smarter than I fedi, I need help on two things. (UK based if makes a difference)

    1) Need to replace the old night latch, its a cheap feeling case thing, I swapped the lock easily but hate the case. Unfortunately living in a block of flats I can't drill any more holes in my door.
    Am I correct in thinking the mounting plates for night latches are more or less standardised? If I buy a new latch I can use the old door mount/replace it without needing new holes

    2) my flat has what I'm told are "lamp sockets". To me they look like BS 546 from a theatre but smaller (so sub 15A). As far as I am aware these are really old standards, but my building is about 2006, my question is: are these OK to use? Can my IKEA G plug lamps and such use this if I can find some adapter or some easy way to tell? Or am I stuck with annoying two switch light switches that only have one usable switch and useless sockets?

    #DIY #askfedi #fedihelp #electricity #lockstodon

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Replies

  • Chloé Raccoonchloeraccoon@mastodonapp.uk
    Apr 11, 2026, 7:43 PM

    @MarfyMazie @Beckydog For the light: 546 is old, but still valid - 1363 itself is over 80 now, being first introduced in the late 40s.

    546 has multiple plug/socket types, the most common being 3 and 5 below the (massive!) 15A.
    A modern light (led) isn't going to get anywhere near the capacity of a 3A, let alone a 5A 546 plug.

    Using it: If you don't want to mod the lights, I'd get the right plug and a single socket extension and use it to make a (short) converter from 546 to 1363, and mark it very clearly for lights only.

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  • MazieMarfyMazie@yiff.life
    Apr 11, 2026, 8:05 PM

    @chloeraccoon @Beckydog awesome, thank you so much!

    I know just enough about all this to /think/ and be fairly sure, but not /know for certain/ that if I can find the bits I could assemble an adapter and use my lamps with them.

    Having some confirm that they're actually still usable is good. Thank you.

    Now the hard part of finding bits ...

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  • Chloé Raccoonchloeraccoon@mastodonapp.uk
    Apr 11, 2026, 8:08 PM

    @MarfyMazie @Beckydog 5A is the most common, you can stil buy them new (even on amazon!) as they are used in this exact usage - to have a controlled light with out being able to plug a "normal" plug (BS1363) into it.
    So you find them to this day in hotels, etc.

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  • MazieMarfyMazie@yiff.life
    Apr 11, 2026, 8:40 PM

    @chloeraccoon @Beckydog huh, neat. Thank you, learn something new every day.

    Didn't help I could not find at B&Q, ScrewFix or RS.
    Unfortunately all I can find now elsewhere is just the plug currently, no full adapters, otherwise it's to India travel adapters.

    I don't mind wiring my own adapter, but... nice to lower my risk :P

    Thank you again for the help!

    When I sort this out I'll share an update.

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  • Chloé Raccoonchloeraccoon@mastodonapp.uk
    Apr 11, 2026, 8:42 PM

    @MarfyMazie @Beckydog Yeap, you won't find a premade adapter, as due to the most common use would be to plug a 1363 device into a hotel's lighting feed, and risking overloading it.
    Therefore no one is going to sell a commercial version due to the liability.

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