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Percival P. Cassidy

On 11/14/08 02:49 pm wrote:

The UK did redesign its plug and socket )and wiring system) during the
war and postwar years to the now current 3-pin, fused 13A type. At
that time, of course, there were far fewer electrical appliances in
use, and a massive post-war housebuilding programme.

The postwar system uses unlimited numbers of 13A sockets (outlets) for
general use within a limited floor area, wired on a ring and protected
by a 30A fuse or 32A circuit breaker. This saved copper and allowed
more flexibility than having a small number of sockets per fuse. It
was considered unsafe to allow appliance flexes to be connected to
such a high rated circuit with no further protection, and the plug/
socket combination had to provide the fuse. It was decided to place
the fuse in the plug, and to use a new plug configuration so that
older unfused plugs could not be used.

One thing I really liked about the UK system was the availability of
plugs with integral switches, so that appliances without a built-in
switch could still be turned off without pulling the plug.

And, IIRC, separate circuits for lighting and sockets.

Perce