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| Grumpy rant #783 |
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| AVGresponding:
--- Quote from: mansaxel on October 05, 2023, 07:31:16 pm --- --- Quote from: tom66 on October 05, 2023, 02:49:22 pm --- A decent plug is Schuko, but it has other issues like lack of polarisation in most cases. --- End quote --- The reader is reminded of the fact that we usually are conveying alternating current over these plugs, which means that polarisation is wrong 50 or 60 times per second. Hence, "polarisation" is for people who still think in DC. The only wise move is to regard the two pins as equally dangerous and untouchable. All other moves are loser moves. (Three-phase is another game, of course. But since the english-speaking world is afraid of it, because Edison, most people never get to have it. ) --- End quote --- Not quite; neutral in the UK is at earth potential (or should be...), the phase alternates between positive and negative wrt this. Still a bad idea to touch it of course, for numerous reasons. |
| janoc:
--- Quote from: mansaxel on October 05, 2023, 07:31:16 pm --- --- Quote from: tom66 on October 05, 2023, 02:49:22 pm --- A decent plug is Schuko, but it has other issues like lack of polarisation in most cases. --- End quote --- The reader is reminded of the fact that we usually are conveying alternating current over these plugs, which means that polarisation is wrong 50 or 60 times per second. Hence, "polarisation" is for people who still think in DC. The only wise move is to regard the two pins as equally dangerous and untouchable. All other moves are loser moves. (Three-phase is another game, of course. But since the english-speaking world is afraid of it, because Edison, most people never get to have it. ) --- End quote --- And they are equally dangerous and untouchable because even if you touch neutral you could still get a lethal zap, depending on the local installation standard (neutral isn't tied to earth everywhere!), the condition of the wiring/earthing, etc. There are also the popular and very commonplace (except in Germany, AFAIK, where they are illegal because of the extra mechanical load they put on outlets) T-shape splitters that often swap live and neutral on one side. Same as many outlets that are installed incorrectly, with the live and neutral swapped around. So anything designed in a way that relies on/requires polarization of the plug would be unsafe, making its absence pretty much a non-issue in practice. The two pin Europlug (CEE 7/16) is explicitly designed only for doubly insulated equipment where this is not an issue. |
| themadhippy:
--- Quote ---So anything designed in a way that relies on/requires polarization of the plug would be unsafe --- End quote --- edison screw lamp bases |
| AndyBeez:
--- Quote from: Connecteur on October 05, 2023, 02:11:39 pm ---Brits love to think their electrical plugs are the best in the world. No, they are not. Most plugs are not unsafe whatsoever. They are simply less stupidly overdesigned. --- End quote --- What really annoys the British is when the freaking Chinese try to copy our beloved 13 Amp plugs designed to an ancient British Standard and still manage to get it dangerously wrong. See this picture. So can you spot was is not correct? And which describes your reaction? Not British reaction :D ;D :-\ British reaction :wtf: :rant: :blah: I mean, it's like the British just stepped on a British plug >:( |
| mansaxel:
--- Quote from: themadhippy on October 05, 2023, 07:44:50 pm --- --- Quote ---The reader is reminded of the fact that we usually are conveying alternating current over these plugs, which means that polarisation is wrong 50 or 60 times per second. --- End quote --- so what if its changing 50 or 60 times a second,in most parts of the world one of those pins is carrying a nasty surprise to earth if you grab it,the other maybe a faint tickle so only being able to plug it in one way around becomes rather important in certain cases. --- End quote --- "The only wise move is to regard the two pins as equally dangerous and untouchable. All other moves are loser moves. " |
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