"John Larkin" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 14:11:02 -0500, jakdedert
wrote:

John Larkin wrote:
On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:35:18 -0500, Wolfi
wrote:


The lack of appropriate machanical stress handling is my biggest
rejection of
the American type 130V power plug system, in addition to extremely poor
design
of those flat contact receptacles, which wear out very easily, giving
poor
contact with all bad things to follow..

Not in my experience. I've owned houses that were first wired in the
early 1900's, and I don't recall ever having a bad wall outlet. Most
of the really old ones have been replaced, not because they failed but
rather because they had to be upgraded to accept a 3-prong plug.

A decent 3-prong molded plug, plugged into even a cheap (79 cent) dual
wall outlet, seems to be perfectly reliable. Our biggest problem is
cats chewing on the cords, some of which seem to be tastier than
others.

John



I've replaced a number of two prong outlets in my house (vintage 1928)
because the outlets failed in just the manner described. I don't know
the actual vintage of the particular sockets involved--although it's
pertinent that no two were the same, leading me to believe that they
themselves were later replacements for the originals.

In some cases it was possible to easily rewired with grounded 12/2 romex
from the breaker box. In others, where that was not practical, the
two-prongers were replaced with new outlets--also two prong.

These are still available and should be used if upgrading to a properly
grounded outlet is not done.

In any case, IME the OP's statement is entirely accurate. The
edison-style outlets are either inherently--or at least 'as
implemented'--prone to losing secure contact.


They are about the same as the IEC connector on the other end of most
power cords. No big deal.

I think that the number of deaths from US-style outlets is minute.
Electrocution and electrical fires result mostly from bad/old house
wiring and faulty appliances.

Germany runs about 1 PPM annual risk of death from electrocution, with
the USA closer to 2 PPM. That's not a lot of risk. I recall reading
that the majority of electrocutions in the US are on construction
sites, things like machines and ladders hitting high-voltage lines.

I really can't recall reading about anybody being electrocuted inside a
house. I do recall a case involving a swimming pool. Typically, someone
manages to get across a 2.4 KV line; there one of three things that will
happens: 1 - you get bad burns and live, 2 - you fall off the ladder and die
of the fall, 3 - you die of the electrocution. Probably the worst case is
somebody holding on to an aluminum ladder with both hands that comes in
contact with an electric wire. Your chances of being electrocuted due to
casual contact with a 120 line are pretty much nil.

Tam

Really, cars are hundreds of times more dangerous than electricity,
and cigarettes 10x again. If Europeans want to save lives, they should
discourage smoking.

John