Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Rod writes:
Sorry, is that the BC lampholder which allows two live connections to be
touched? (I accept that ES also suffers this possibility.)

I had been rather hoping that one positive aspect of CFLs (and other
efficient lamp technologies) might have been widespread use of, say, SES
which is much more difficult to stick my fingers into.

Whilst ES lampholders do seem to account for a number of
electrocutions, BC lampholders don't seem to have caused
a single one (in both cases, excluding faults).
In practice, I suspect its too difficult to get a good
enough connection between a finger and the pins, combined
with less opportunity to do so in normal use.
With ES lampholders, the main risk is gripping a bulb
to insert/remove it, and being electrocuted by exposed
metal of the lamp base. In most countries where it's
used, it's not possible to guarantee the live connection
is the tip, as live/neutral polarity isn't preserved into
appliances. (In the UK, it is required that the tip is
the live connection of an ES lampholder.)


Thanks - I must admit surprise.

I think the nearest to bad outcomes I have had occurred when the glass
bulb separated from the metal base or when the bulb actually broke
leaving spikes of filament support. I doubt there is much difference
between ES and BC in this specific regard - though one may be more
likely than the other to separate like that.

In fact, thinking about it, the best improvement might be to ensure
double-pole switches are used. But I am probably missing something
important... (Yes - I know that would play havoc with multi-way
switching. :-) But would be feasible for table and standard lamps.)

--
Rod

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