Author Topic: [YouTube]: American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design  (Read 14887 times)

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Offline etiTopic starter

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It always pleases and amuses me when people (usually Americans) are first introduced to the pinnacle of design in mains plug, our wonderful, venerable old British mains plugs and matching sockets.

You’d think it was almost as if American shores were SO used to poor plug design, their ghast is well and truly flabbered when a SENSIBLE one is revealed to them: 

« Last Edit: October 22, 2022, 10:04:56 pm by eti »
 

Offline Ed.Kloonk

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2022, 05:22:10 am »
Well, I can't be the only one who knows who really needs a plug.
iratus parum formica
 
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Offline Halcyon

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2022, 09:12:34 am »
You guys obviously haven't used the AS/NZS 3112 plug.

It's even better than the UK plug.

 :popcorn:
 
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Offline etiTopic starter

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2022, 09:15:52 am »
You guys obviously haven't used the AS/NZS 3112 plug.

It's even better than the UK plug.

 :popcorn:

Please expand on “even better”; in what aspects? By looking at it, I don’t see it. Thanks. :)
 

Offline pcprogrammer

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2022, 09:20:36 am »
Well, I can't be the only one who knows who really needs a plug.

 :-DD :-DD

It took a moment to sink in, but I think you mean a plug like this.


Offline etiTopic starter

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2022, 09:27:02 am »
Well, I can't be the only one who knows who really needs a plug.

 :-DD :-DD

It took a moment to sink in, but I think you mean a plug like this.

You seem to like humour. Here’s one:

 
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Offline pcprogrammer

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2022, 09:51:22 am »
Yes, that one is funny :-+

Offline tom66

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2022, 10:08:53 am »
Please expand on “even better”; in what aspects? By looking at it, I don’t see it. Thanks. :)

Versions of it support up to 32 amps.  But besides that, I don't see any major advantages.
 

Offline Halcyon

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2022, 10:11:31 am »
Please expand on “even better”; in what aspects? By looking at it, I don’t see it. Thanks. :)

They are typically a solid moulded plug, so less components to corrode or wear out like the fuse holder/fuse itself.

No need to worry about fuses (particularly of the wrong rating). Over-current protection here is typically built into the product itself AND at the switchboard (which also have RCDs).

No need to worry about loose or incorrect wiring inside the plug, or broken strain relief.

You can pull them directly out of the wall and break the circuit but pulling directly on the cable. Either through laziness or in an emergency.

They have a smaller profile, while still allowing for variants up to 32 amps.

Whilst right-angled plugs do exist, they aren't common. The risk of stepping on the pins of an up-turned plug is negligible.

They fit nicely through smaller round holes that have been drilled out in desks, panels, cabinets etc...
« Last Edit: October 20, 2022, 10:15:41 am by Halcyon »
 
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Offline Black Phoenix

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2022, 10:53:14 am »
Please expand on “even better”; in what aspects? By looking at it, I don’t see it. Thanks. :)

They are typically a solid moulded plug, so less components to corrode or wear out like the fuse holder/fuse itself.

No need to worry about fuses (particularly of the wrong rating). Over-current protection here is typically built into the product itself AND at the switchboard (which also have RCDs).

No need to worry about loose or incorrect wiring inside the plug, or broken strain relief.

You can pull them directly out of the wall and break the circuit but pulling directly on the cable. Either through laziness or in an emergency.

They have a smaller profile, while still allowing for variants up to 32 amps.

Whilst right-angled plugs do exist, they aren't common. The risk of stepping on the pins of an up-turned plug is negligible.

They fit nicely through smaller round holes that have been drilled out in desks, panels, cabinets etc...

Similar to the one use in China, based in the same spec but with neutral and live reversed.

But I would say that the Schuko does all of that plus is not Polarised. Unfortunately don't do 32A but normally those type of equipment are direct wired via other means.

The only thing I would pick up from the UK standard would be the switch to turn off the plug or row of plugs in every outlet.
 

Online themadhippy

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2022, 11:16:37 am »
Quote
No need to worry about fuses
no need to worry about a fuse in the uk  plug,as long as the flex is   4mm2 or larger. Must admit  the aussy piggy back plug is an interesting idea
 

Offline Jackster

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2022, 11:22:09 am »
His reasons for not liking the plug are pretty dumb...

"it's big", "you can stand on it", "if the light does not turn on, you have an extra place to check to see where the fault is".  :palm:

I'll take those "flaws" over the US socket and plug design any day. Quite happy with my 3kW space heater, gaming PC and toaster oven all plugged into the same circuit running at the same time.

Offline pcprogrammer

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #12 on: October 20, 2022, 11:39:10 am »
His reasons for not liking the plug are pretty dumb...
....

But it is also funny that he discards history somewhat. Early sockets did not have the child protection. What I can find about it is 1928 for the first to arrive. Which is early compared to the Netherlands. I know, because I did like what he described in the video. Stick things into the socket out of curiosity :o (https://www.plugsocketmuseum.nl/British-plugSocket_history.html)

Nowadays that kind of protection is somewhat standard at least in the Netherlands and France, and I hate it, because it is harder to plug it in. But with what he showed about the English one it looks easier and better thought through then the ones used here.

Offline redkitedesign

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #13 on: October 20, 2022, 11:58:03 am »
You can pull them directly out of the wall and break the circuit but pulling directly on the cable. Either through laziness or in an emergency.

Funny you'd list that as an advantage of the Aussie plug. Because the prongs on the usual (10A) plug are so flimsy, they will bend (and break) if you do that more often than on a blue moon.

Also, the 32A growth path of the Aussie plug is a bit moot, as pretty much all sockets are 10A anyhow.
 

Offline Brumby

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #14 on: October 20, 2022, 01:29:05 pm »
Also, the 32A growth path of the Aussie plug is a bit moot, as pretty much all sockets are 10A anyhow.
You don't use 32A plugs in 10A sockets - basically because you can't.


You will note that a lower rated plug will always be able to be plugged into a higher rated socket, but not the other way around.  (There are a couple of other variants for special circuits.)

As for the number of installations with 32A sockets - there won't be many and you certainly won't see many in a residential setting.  Even 15A sockets (commonly used to supply caravans and higher power equipment, such as welders and bigger air compressors) are not overly common.

The point to take away from this - is that there IS a standard for those who need it.
« Last Edit: October 20, 2022, 01:30:43 pm by Brumby »
 

Offline pcprogrammer

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #15 on: October 20, 2022, 01:45:11 pm »
For higher currents and voltages the norm I know of is CEEFORM.



Bigclive likes them too :)

Online Monkeh

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #16 on: October 20, 2022, 02:15:48 pm »
They are typically a solid moulded plug, so less components to corrode or wear out like the fuse holder/fuse itself.

So are ours - excepting the fuse, which I've seen wear out or corrode, uh.. not yet!

Quote
No need to worry about fuses (particularly of the wrong rating). Over-current protection here is typically built into the product itself AND at the switchboard (which also have RCDs).

Somewhat valid concern.

Quote
No need to worry about loose or incorrect wiring inside the plug, or broken strain relief.

Strain reliefs fail on moulded products too. So do crimps, solder, and ultrasonic welds inside them.

Quote
You can pull them directly out of the wall and break the circuit but pulling directly on the cable. Either through laziness or in an emergency.

This is precisely why strain reliefs fail, and is a practice which encourages unnecessary wear and tear and increases the chance of a fault in the plug or socket.

Quote
Whilst right-angled plugs do exist, they aren't common. The risk of stepping on the pins of an up-turned plug is negligible.

And the profile of the plug sticking out the wall is higher. Downside. Don't leave cables on the floor.

But it is also funny that he discards history somewhat. Early sockets did not have the child protection. What I can find about it is 1928 for the first to arrive.

That's quite interesting and also quite irrelevant, because BS1363 was first introduced in 1947, with shutters.

You will note that a lower rated plug will always be able to be plugged into a higher rated socket, but not the other way around.

So much for that overcurrent protection, eh?

Wow, that turned out to be a big wall o' text, SMF quote function is not friendly.
 

Offline TimFox

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #17 on: October 20, 2022, 02:17:21 pm »
I was very impressed with a UK-style socket in a hotel bathroom in a small town in Saudi Arabia.
Immediately above the toilet, the exhaust fan had been powered by stripping the ends of the zip cord and inserting them in the line and neutral female connections.
The spring-loaded gate, activated by the PE terminal (in the form of a screwdriver insertion during wiring), held them in place.
Only recently has the US caught up with this safety feature of power sockets.
 
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Offline pcprogrammer

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #18 on: October 20, 2022, 02:29:03 pm »
But it is also funny that he discards history somewhat. Early sockets did not have the child protection. What I can find about it is 1928 for the first to arrive.

That's quite interesting and also quite irrelevant, because BS1363 was first introduced in 1947, with shutters.

As if this whole thread is relevant.  :-DD

A while back it was in the pet peeve thread that someone complained about the child protection in extension cords. If I recall correctly it was still possible to get them without in the US, and I would like it if I could buy it here in France too. But then without the earth pin setup they have here. Just the more standard type used in the Netherlands.

Online Monkeh

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #19 on: October 20, 2022, 02:31:30 pm »
But it is also funny that he discards history somewhat. Early sockets did not have the child protection. What I can find about it is 1928 for the first to arrive.

That's quite interesting and also quite irrelevant, because BS1363 was first introduced in 1947, with shutters.

As if this whole thread is relevant.  :-DD

Well, it's eti, so very true.
 

Online themadhippy

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #20 on: October 20, 2022, 02:38:23 pm »
Quote
For higher currents and voltages the norm I know of is CEEFORM.
the ceeform is a great connector,and thankfully become almost a  standard for industrial power connectors upto 125A ,yea theirs versions upto 800A ,but there like rocking horse manure, gone are the days of trying to find a plug to fit the obscure walsall / telemecanique/lewden sockets that had been fitted sevral aeons ago
 

Offline tom66

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #21 on: October 20, 2022, 02:42:01 pm »
Quote
No need to worry about fuses
no need to worry about a fuse in the uk  plug,as long as the flex is   4mm2 or larger. Must admit  the aussy piggy back plug is an interesting idea

Pretty sure that's nonsense, even if cable is 4mm^2 the BS1363 plug is definitely not rated for more than 13A and socket ring mains are typically installed with 32A MCBs.
 

Online themadhippy

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #22 on: October 20, 2022, 02:47:56 pm »
Quote
Pretty sure that's nonsense, even if cable is 4mm^2 the BS1363 plug is definitely not rated for more than 13A and socket ring mains are typically installed with 32A MCBs.
What is the maximum current available at the pins of a 13A plug? Why is there a fuse in the plug? and what is the rating of 4mm flex?
 

Online Monkeh

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #23 on: October 20, 2022, 02:54:28 pm »
Quote
Pretty sure that's nonsense, even if cable is 4mm^2 the BS1363 plug is definitely not rated for more than 13A and socket ring mains are typically installed with 32A MCBs.
What is the maximum current available at the pins of a 13A plug?

Err, somewhere between 200A and.. hard to say, 3-4kA? >:D
 

Online themadhippy

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Re: [YouTube]; American is impressed by sensible British mains plug design
« Reply #24 on: October 20, 2022, 03:02:16 pm »
Quote
Err, somewhere between 200A and.. hard to say, 3-4kA? >:D
:-DD even more if you can see the Hv tranny out your window
 


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