Picture of house wall socket in your country

[iBlue]

I'm sure rewiring every single house, shop and factory in the UK, changing the transformers in every sub-station to supply the new lower voltage and in the process rendering billions of current appliances obsolete would save the UK a fortune.

I giggled... because I was thinking pretty much the same thing.


Here you go, David, one from my very own kitchen. I quite like how some UK sockets have a slightly phallic shape... and some power plugs really add to that.



^ not this plug, mind, but you may see what I mean about the socket and imagine a plug which emphasizes this.

 

[Transporteur]

The UK's socket design is just plain ridiculous.
Why the heck to I need ANOTHER fuse in the plug when the line itself has a fuse anyway? Seems a little redundant to me.

I mean look at what it makes of the tiny Apple power brick:

 

[mfacey]

The UK's socket design is just plain ridiculous.
Why the heck to I need ANOTHER fuse in the plug when the line itself has a fuse anyway? Seems a little redundant to me.

I mean look at what it makes of the tiny Apple power brick:

In theory there's nothing stopping you changing the sockets/outlets in your house to for example European ones... the only problem is that you have to cut the plugs off all your appliances and screw on some European ones....

 

[peskaa]

I like how solid the plugs are the UK - EU and US ones look so flimsy, and I expect stuff can be pulled out really easily if the wire gets tugged. UK plug isn't going anywhere...

 

[Transporteur]

I like how solid the plugs are the UK - EU and US ones look so flimsy, and I expect stuff can be pulled out really easily if the wire gets tugged. UK plug isn't going anywhere...

Actually, at least the German EU plugs are more solid than the UK ones and in fact a little harder to remove from the sockets than the UK ones since the grounding connectors push themselves into the socket.

 

[rdowns]

.

 

[garybUK]

UK Plugs/Sockets are some of the safest in the world. The US ones are just plain rubbish, any brick adaptor makes it hang off exposing live pins!

The UK have fuses in the plug because we use a Ring Main system on a 32Ampre ring. Therefore any device must have a correct rating e.g. 3A for lamps / low appliances etc. The beauty of our system is, you can't snag a plug out, you can't insert items into the live/neutral without messing with the earth slot first. And pretty much any device uses the same plug/socket system.

Also our voltages across Europe are harmonised to 220v/50hz with a +/- 10% Tolerance. This makes it cheaper to produce electronics for the whole of europe (usually using a Euro or Schucko plug + Adaptor).

Americans might think theirs are better, truth is: we've been having a safer system for years in europe. Maybe you should change to our superior system.

 

[Transporteur]

The UK have fuses in the plug because we use a Ring Main system on a 32Ampre ring. Therefore any device must have a correct rating e.g. 3A for lamps / low appliances etc.

Can you explain this a little more detailed?
I don't really get why every single plug (or sometimes even the socket) requires an additional fuse when the whole line in the room is secured by a fuse in the central fuse box anyway.
Is the fuse required to limit the current on the plugs?
Apparently I'm not an electrician, so go easy on me.

 

[OllyW]

Can you explain this a little more detailed?
I don't really get why every single plug (or sometimes even the socket) requires an additional fuse when the whole line in the room is secured by a fuse in the central fuse box anyway.
Is the fuse required to limit the current on the plugs?
Apparently I'm not an electrician, so go easy on me.

This explains how the fuses in the plugs work...

The plug has a fuse inside. The fuse is required to protect the cord, as British wiring standards allow very high current ring main circuits to the socket. Accepted practice is to choose the smallest standard fuse (3, 5 or 13 A) that will allow the appliance to function. Using a 13 A fuse on an appliance with thin cord is a fire hazard. The fuse is 1 in (25.40 mm) long, conforming to standard BS 1362. Sockets are required to be wired with neutral on the left and live on the right (viewed from the front of the socket) so that the fuse in the plug disconnects the live feed if it blows. The same convention is used for all British sockets connected directly to "mains" wiring.

 

[Happybunny]

Trust the British to do it differently.
Here in the Netherlands we use this type.

220 volt Central fuse system whole house.

 

[Transporteur]

That makes sense.

Cheers buddy!

 

[rdowns]

Wow, we even have socket fanboys.

 

[allmIne]

the UK should update there wall socket to something that isn't so big and bulky maybe go with the A/B, that North America is using and lower there voltage to 120v the same us the U.S. is using so they don't have to worry about changing voltages, and socket plugs, so they can have the latest electronics right away since they will be using the same voltages and socket plugs and it will save them some money too.

On behalf of the entire UK; we're quite happy how quickly our laptops and phones charge at 240V, thanks.

 

[Fuzzy14]

I'm sure rewiring every single house, shop and factory in the UK, changing the transformers in every sub-station to supply the new lower voltage and in the process rendering billions of current appliances obsolete would save the UK a fortune.

Maybe USA should switch to 50 Hz as well?

 

[Queso]

the UK should update there wall socket to something that isn't so big and bulky maybe go with the A/B, that North America is using and lower there voltage to 120v the same us the U.S. is using so they don't have to worry about changing voltages, and socket plugs, so they can have the latest electronics right away since they will be using the same voltages and socket plugs and it will save them some money too.

So the UK, being just off the coast of Western Europe where they use 230V current as we do and have nicely compact plugs that even fit our current sockets with a bit of help from a biro, should if we choose to change ignore the obvious choice of gradually migrating to EU sockets and instead take the completely nonsensical approach of chucking our entire infrastructure away and replacing it with 120V, which would incidentally also involve having to rewire every building to support the inevitable higher current a lower voltage brings AND make life more difficult for the huge numbers of people who regularly cross the channel in both directions who would need to start carrying great big transformers to ensure they can charge their stuff in countries on the other side?

You've thought this through haven't you?

On behalf of the entire UK; we're quite happy how quickly our laptops and phones charge at 240V, thanks.

230V. We haven't been on 240V for some time.

BTW, love the Denmark one. I'd like little smiley faces dotted around my home too

 

[-SD-]

I'm more than happy with the safe and secure UK plugs. They can be a little annoying at times when you're as OCD about wires/cables as I am, but I'd rather have grounded fused plugs for all my expensive electronic equipment.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Wow, we even have socket fanboys.

You're just jealous of how ace our plugs are.

Admitting it is the first step in dealing with it.

 

[sammich]

I'd rather have a plug I can yank out by pulling on the cord. Turns out if you do it carefully, nothing gets damaged.

So those secure ports in the UK, you can't pull them out easy? What if you snag on it? Could you damage the cable itself, or the appliance or pull the plate out of the wall?

 

[Queso]

So those secure ports in the UK, you can't pull them out easy? What if you snag on it? Could you damage the cable itself, or the appliance or pull the plate out of the wall?

Cables supplied with all appliances are moulded with the plug as a single unit to stop cable damage in that circumstance. Sockets are also typically recessed and held into the wall firmly. The whole EU has very strict safety standards regarding electrics.

 

[chrismacguy]

I'd rather have a plug I can yank out by pulling on the cord. Turns out if you do it carefully, nothing gets damaged.

So those secure ports in the UK, you can't pull them out easy? What if you snag on it? Could you damage the cable itself, or the appliance or pull the plate out of the wall?

1 of 2 things happens in my experience (Lived here for=oooh=ever) either you fall over/get pulled back by the plug, because well, they stay in the wall and the appliance doesnt move, or you pull the appliance off wherever it is/ pull its powercord out of the back of it. You certainly dont pull the plate out of the wall or damage the cable, at least not in my experience

 

[candan9019]

UK Plugs/Sockets are some of the safest in the world. The US ones are just plain rubbish, any brick adaptor makes it hang off exposing live pins!

Yes our North American plugs are very unsafe, houses burning down all the time. Seriously I know people in the UK seem very fond of their plugs but to call to our plugs unsafe and "flimsy" they obviously haven't used our plugs before.

The UK system was a post-war compromise to save on material and labor. How a ring circuit is any safer then a breaker panel is beyond me. But it works well I suppose and rewiring the country is ridiculous. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

I don't understand how a plug design becomes a point of national pride

 

[iBlue]

Yes our North American plugs are very unsafe, houses burning down all the time. Seriously I know people in the UK seem very fond of their plugs but to call to our plugs unsafe and "flimsy" they obviously haven't used our plugs before.

The UK system was a post-war compromise to save on material and labor. How a ring circuit is any safer then a breaker panel is beyond me. But it works well I suppose and rewiring the country is ridiculous. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

I don't understand how a plug design becomes a point of national pride

I don't think it's national pride and I wouldn't assume people from Britain haven't used North American sockets/plugs. Being an American expat with a penchant for clumsiness I can attest that tripping over an American power cord can tear it right out from the wall socket with sadly bent prongs. In Britain? The electronic device I tripped over went flying, as did I, and that plug stayed firmly in the wall. I've also stepped on both. Let me tell you, these bastard british plugs have NO GIVE AT ALL, only stiff metal pain!

But whatever, so long as it electrifies my shyte, I don't care.

P.S. My Fire Marshall grandfather may tell you that there are plenty of electrical fires in the USA, not helped by the typical wooden framed homes, which make a lovely fuel. I don't know the fire stats between the two places but I'm not sure I'm bothered to know anyway.

 

[Queso]

But whatever, so long as it electrifies my shyte, I don't care.

I've never had one do that, regardless of country. Each to their own though.

 

[iBlue]

I've never had one do that, regardless of country. Each to their own though.

Oh, you're missing out!

 

[allmIne]

Yes our North American plugs are very unsafe, houses burning down all the time. Seriously I know people in the UK seem very fond of their plugs but to call to our plugs unsafe and "flimsy" they obviously haven't used our plugs before.

The UK system was a post-war compromise to save on material and labor. How a ring circuit is any safer then a breaker panel is beyond me. But it works well I suppose and rewiring the country is ridiculous. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

I don't understand how a plug design becomes a point of national pride

Oh it's not national pride, not at all. Just grates a little when an American comes on and suggests, with not a hint of levity, that we change our electrical system so it matches the US system. It just perpetuates a certain myth that I know not to be true, generally!

As for the poster who pointed out my voltage mistake - thank you kindly, sir