Re: Use of Extension Cord

On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 06:16:36 -0000, <stratus46@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

May I ask a question here? The British fused plugs, are these the 2
cylindrical prongs about 1 inch apart with a ground tab? I've never
been to England to see what is really used but is the point of that tab
to be a safety ground? The plugs I've seen on equipment from the UK
don't connect the ground first but last. Or is it NOT for safety
purposes? American 3 wire connectors have a safety ground that connects
before the power and neutral get connected.


I think you're referring to the German ones.  From what I can remember the plugs have two round pins, and the socket has an earth pin (which I believe is a little longer so contacts first).

You can put a German plug in a UK socket by inserting a screwdriver in the earth first!  (The screwdriver is referred to as the "adapter")

UK plugs have square pins - all plugs have three pins, and the earth is longer to connect first (and also to open the safety shutters in the socket covering live and neutral).

So far I have seen nothing about GFI outlets. Are those used in the UK
like in the US? Even old houses require retrofit to GFIs in the
kitchens and bathrooms when the house gets sold ( at least in
California ).


I presume GFI is similar to RCD?  RCD shuts off power if there is greater than 30mA difference between live and neutral currents (i.e. 30mA is flowing through you to ground.  They're in all new houses (probably by law), but there is no law to say old houses must have them, even when sold.  It's up to the owner if they want to make the house safer.  The outlets look the same, all that's done is to swap the fusebox for a breaker box.

Supposedly you can toss a lamp on a GFI circuit into the
bathtub and not kill the bather though I must cofess to being chicken
to give it an actual test. Anyway, carry on the debate.


Not a nice way to be discovered after death either!

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