On 13/05/2018 14:07, Steve Walker wrote:
On 13/05/2018 13:24, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
It happens that Robin formulated :
Yes, but the context of the text I quoted was a *different* point -
viz "I have never understood why *wholly* [emphasis added] plastic
earth pins are not allowed."

I would imagine that is because if a brass pin is actually needed, the
partially sleeved ones have more of a tendency to break. On something
which requires an earth, the last thing you want is an internally
broken earth pin, which might still allow you to plug the plug into a
socket.

Plastic earth pins are allowed on the likes of phone chargers, even
folding ones. There, just to push the shields out of the way.

You haven't read the webpage linked to have you? It clearly says "To
ensure that the earth connection is made as soon as the plug touches the
socket many sockets place the contact right at the faceplate, this means
that continuity is lost as soon as a plug with a sleeved earth is fully
inserted!" Hence why earth pins are only allowed to be all brass (or all
plastic if an earth is not required for the device).

I used to have some two way 13A adapters that didn't work with the
newfangled sleeved line and neutral pin plugs as the (cast brass)
contacts attempted to contact the insulated parts of the pins.

--
Max Demian