On 01/02/2012 13:06, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In ,
wrote:
The UK '13amp' plug top accepts fuses rated to suit the appliance. 13
amps is the maximum.

Strictly speaking the fuse is only to protect the flex. If the appliance
itself needs to be protected it will have its own fuse or thermal circuit
breaker, etc. Ie the same as if fed from an unfused plug as in most
countries.

You may have noticed that flex sizes have become more uniform recently -
all are now capable of blowing a 13 amps fuse in the plug regardless in
event of a short. As it seems using the correct fuse in a plug is beyond
most.

I suspect that's because the average person goes into a shop and buys
a mains plug for his (say) desk lamp. He gets it home to find it's
fitted with 13 amp fuse, either through not knowing any better or just
not having any 1 amp, 2 amp or 5amp fuses in the house, fits the plug
anyway.

It's still not really a problem because the lamps mains cable is almost
certainly heavy enough to blow a 13 amp fuse if there's a dead short.
It's pretty academic anyway as these days all domestic appliances in the
UK are supposed to be supplied with a fitted plugtop with the
(hopefully)correct fuse.

Comparing the US and the UK domestic mains electricity installations is
pointless - as is arguing about them. (IMHO)

Ron