Another "What is this" thread

I found a couple of them this morning. Someone had thrown them out. It plugs into a standard UK 3-pin socket but the earth pin is a dummy. There's a gap for an external fuse (3 amp according to what's written on the plug). On the front there's what looks like an LED indicator and, rising above it, a vertical perspex panel with an incised design on it like a sunburst: radiating lines of different lengths ending in little balls.

Unfortunately I couldn't find a 3-amp fuse to put into it so I couldn't test it out.

Do I remember correctly that you don't have any means to take photographs? A digitally drawn version would at least help clarify the description.

My first guess would be some form of air freshener, (though unless the external fuse could be securely covered, I doubt it'd be passed as safe for household use).

OK, here's a pdf of what's engraved on the perspex display.

...

The attached PNG is my interpretation of your description. Is it accurate?

Originally Posted by boughtonp ... The attached PNG is my interpretation of your description. Is it accurate?

Yup, that's the one! I think mine is a different make but definitely the same kind of thing. Now tell me what it is.

night light maybe?

https://www.toolstation.com/integral...htlight/p94943 seems to match the description fairly well.

Yes, that's less like mine than the one boughtonp showed but quite similar all the same. If it's a nightlight, what's the perspex thingy for?

Originally Posted by hazel Yes, that's less like mine than the one boughtonp showed but quite similar all the same. If it's a nightlight, what's the perspex thingy for?

Internal LED would light the perspex so that it gives off a diffuse glow.

When you shine a light through the edge of the acrylic, roughed up edges and anything etched into the plastic will refract the light and glow. Its called edge lighting.

Thanks, everybody. I completely understand it now, even what the etched starburst is for. What a pity I can't mark it as solved!

And here's a fancier one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Automatic-P...%2C186&sr=8-94

Originally Posted by DavidMcCann And here's a fancier one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Automatic-P...%2C186&sr=8-94

Nice find David. I must say I did not realize that nightlights came so far from the little incandescent bulbs that were as hot as small torches.