Talk:Domestic AC power plugs & sockets/Safety features

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I'm not sure I agree with the changes made regarding safety measures.

Insulated pins are not just to stop people grabbing them, as this page shows. Also, children may indeed grab plugs clumsily and touch the pins without conscious effort.

Plastic socket covers may indeed open the shutters, but only when they are inserted into the socket. It is impossible for them to be a hazard. They also protect again drinks, etc. being splashed against the socket.

Despite the insulation, there is still a large piece of exposed metal in the UK design, so it think it unlikely a bad connection will be made. — Chameleon Main/Talk/Images 09:26, 29 Jul 2004 (UTC)

OK, so I shouldn't have put in the "requiring deliberate effort bit". There is often a problem, I have seen several instances of sockets with a burnt patch around one pin, or melted plastic insulation. Once I've been in a room with such a problem. Man, burning bakelite really stinks. I do admit that it's generally older sockets or whatnot, that don't make as good a contact - but they would were it not for the plastic sheath.
The safety cover thing is subjective, I admit. Zoney 10:40, 29 Jul 2004 (UTC)
If your sockets melt bits of your plugs, you have a problem with your sockets, not your plugs. They really shouldn't do that! The plugs should sit snugly in the socket and make contact. If they are loose because of a faulty socket, the contact will be intermittent when the flex is agitated even if there is no insulation. — Chameleon Main/Talk/Images 10:52, 29 Jul 2004 (UTC)

A passing comment - the British 3-point plug may be "probably the safest plug and socket system in the world" but it's extremely painful if one is lying on the floor prongs-upwards and you step on it with bare feet. I'm not seriously suggesing that needs to be in the article, btw. Harry R 16:55, 29 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Not all british plugs are earthed, all have an earth pin but moulded plugs for couble insulated appliances often have plastic earth pins and no earth wire in the lead attatched. colmd 10:49, 10 Sep 2004

The Schuko plug is, apart from the missing extra fuse, as safe as the british 3-point, because of the design of the wall socket, which removes the necessity of partly insulated prongs --Deelkar 03:08, 10 Sep 2004 (UTC)
That's true, except for the fact that types E and F (including Schuko) will enter about half of type C sockets (and similar sockets such as the Swiss and Danish ones), which means there is no earth connection made. British plugs and sockets always have an earth prong going into an earth hole. Chameleon 03:35, 10 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Another passing comment - Schuko and French plugs can be used in British sockets by pressing a long object down the earth hole to open the live and neutral shutters, then pushing the European plug down the socket. Stupid, dangerous, but useful when you can't find your adaptor and have almost run out of battery on your phone. Does this kind of hack have its place on the main page? Stereo 02:56, 10 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Interesting. I've put this to the test. By sticking a chopstick down the earth hole, I found that 4mm type-C plugs will go right into a UK socket. 4.8mm type-E/F plugs go in too, with a lot of forcing (the rectangular holes are only 4mm wide, and they only stretch to 4.8mm because the 8mm they measure in the other dimension allows a bit of give). Zero chance of getting a UK plug into a European socket though. This info is admissible as long as there is a disclaimer. Chameleon 03:35, 10 Sep 2004 (UTC)
Many British hotels and homes have a two hole shaver socket in the bathroom. At least some will accept European plugs. I do not know if it is an intentional feature, but it is convenient. Bobblewik  (talk) 08:35, 10 Sep 2004 (UTC)
Most hotels I have stayed in have shaver plugs in bathrooms which accept pretty much any size or shape of pin. - Mark 08:50, 10 Sep 2004 (UTC)
shaver sockets are only supposed to supply about 20W usually (they are transformer isolated) although practical expoerimentation has shown they will take more ;) . i would never advise putting a europlug in a 13A wall socket because they are usually protected only by a 32A breaker or worse a 30A cartridge fuse or worse still a 30A rewirable fuse. Use in an extention lead or *FUSED* adaptor is safer and is probablly something i would do in a pinch.
The following shaver socket specification sheet actually states that it will take British, European, Australian and American shaver plugs. You can see quite clearly in the picture how it achieves that. See: http://www.mkelectric.co.uk/PDF/technical/DecFinish_ShaverSupply.pdf Bobblewik  (talk) 11:20, 11 Sep 2004 (UTC)