On 28 Jun, 13:59, (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:
b wrote:

1. fused plugs.

Ok, I'll conceed that one, but only 50%, after all, how many people
put a 16amp fuse on a .5mm cord?

There are 2 main advantages to fused plugs.

1. When an appliance has its own fuse, a faulty appliance disables
itself. With unfused plugs that most countries use, someone can and
likely will plug the faulty appliance into another socket at some
point, and be exposed to the danger again, possibly several times as
it changes hands.

2. The fuse only need be rated to supply the appliance, so most
protective fuses will thus be of much lower current rating (typ 3A)
than they would be on unfused plug circuits. This improves
discrimination greatly, helping to ensure more faults are cleared
quickly and safely.


2. cord grip in plugs

You can get them in the U.S. I occasionaly use them here for 120
volt equipment (I brought a few items with me) and had a friend
bring me some LEVITON (high quality plugs) from the U.S. They
ave execelent grips on them.

Many plugs not having them means lots of damaged and failed
connections due to repeated movement and strain. Sale of gripless
plugs has been illegal here since the early 70s.

I used to use gripless plugs years ago, and all the bad connections,
wires coming out and most-strand-broken conductors that happened then
are rarely seen with today's gripped plugs.


3. screw terminals in plugs -no wrapping wires.

The Leviton plugs have them too. I'm not sure they are an advantage,
the gripping area is the area of the screw shaft,not the circumfrence
times the area of the wire surface, a lot smaller.

What happens is the copper flex deforms to fit the connector and
screw. Having used both modern connectors and old wraparounds, the
modern one is much more reliable. The greater contact area of
wraparounds is of no benefit in practice, screws provide more than
enough contact area.


4. ALL receptacles and plugs have earth pin.

Cut me a break. Since around 1960 all of the outlets in the U.S. have
grounds.

I'd agree with you there, and hope 2 pin UK plugs become permitted one
day, probably only premoulded ones on appliances to stop their misuse.

However when 2 pin rewirable plugs are sold it is inevitable some will
be misused on 3 core leads.


In the U.K. you can buy appliances with 2 condoctor cords
with two plug pins

not legal here.


that can usually be forced into U.K. outlets.
They are supposed to be for export to the E.U. but they are sold.

The only time EU 2 pin plugs are sold on appliances is when a UK
adaptor is permanently attached to the 2 pin plug, bringing it up to
UK standards. These are seen now and then on imported goods that were
orignally intended for the (non-UK) european market.

Also there are 2 very similar types of 2 pin plug which sometimes
causes confusion. The modern EU ones cant fit a UK socket, the pins
are too fat and too closely spaced. Forcing doesnt work. There are
also historic French plugs that look similar and do fit our sockets
with a bit of fiddling, but very rarely does one see one of those used
over here. They have 4mm pins. I dont think I've seen one in over 20
years.


5. 3 prong design means a better fit (they don't waggle about at all)

See above.

waggly sockets are unheard of here, but common in US.


7. switched sockets

Maybe. only good if they are not at floor level.

Means goods are switched safely rather than by pulling the lead out,
which damages socket contacts by arcing, leading to overheating and
fire.
Also means many appliances and cords arent left live when not in use.
Most UK sockets are switched, though not all.

We have a bit of an issue with socket positions here. The great
majority of sockets are low down, and this doesn't stop the switches
being used. However new builds now require them high up for dubious PC
reasons, transforming trailing leads into trip hazards, which I think
will only cause more injuries and electrical faults.


As someone said earlier, it depends upon how much you pay. If you
buy cheap junk, you get cheap junk. :-)

....which naturally dominates a price-led market. A political issue
AIUI.

Here our cheapest stuff has 3 solid pins, half insulated pins,
cordgrips, shutters, screw connections on plugs and all sockets, and
is normally solid reliable equipment.

It seems to be political why the US doesn't want to stop the sale of
unsafe accessories and the deaths that result.


NT