I've got the power

[bakedjake]

So, let's take a 100 per cent objective* look at the plugs and plug sockets of the world -- who will rise to be the global victor in this crucial battle between the power interconnects of the planet? We welcome you to a no-prongs barred fight that will eventually decide what sort of sockets they use on Mars.

Plug vs. Plug [crave.cnet.co.uk]

[sgietz]

I wanna move to Denmark :)

[mack]

That plug from Denmark is pretty cool. Not sure the article went about their findings in the right way, but it wasn't exactly desined to be factual.

Two downsides to our UK plug. If you stand on it prongs up, you know all about it. I think that could be cured by having the wire feed out of the face, as opposed to the base.

The voltage is high. I know its the ampage that hurts, but getting a zap from UK mains is not fun.

Mack.

[MatthewHSE]

Serious question - why *are* the UK outlets so high-powered? We use 220 where it's required, like for ovens, large air compressors, etc. But let's face it - it doesn't take 220 to recharge a cell phone! ;)

As far as zaps are concerned, the worst I ever had was from a bare spark-plug wire. The worst I almost had was while replacing the heating element in an electric oven. Temporary insanity caused me to believe that nothing could short out since the oven was (obviously) turned off - hence no reason to go find the breaker and turn it off, right? The explosions were impressive, but fortunately I wasn't in contact with any metal parts...

[mack]

I think the intention with the 240 voly supply was to have a universal supply that would run pretty much anything. I can charge the phone, run my compressor or wealding gear of the same power outlet.

In a lot of work places 240 is concidered to high, and it needs to be stepped down to 110.

Mack.

[bakedjake]

but getting a zap from UK mains is not fun

Getting a zap from the electrical mains of any country is not fun I would guess. ;-)

[Leosghost]

mono phase 240 isn't so bad ..tri phase usually 380 hurts much much much worse

[swa66]

mono phase 240 isn't so bad ..tri phase usually 380 hurts

3 phase 400 Volt (they upped it along with going to from 220 to 230/240) and single phase 240 volt is exactly the same jolt you get unless you are stupid enough to hook yourself up -being isolated from the ground- to 2 phases at the same time.

UK plugs: the most bulky ones? Right: that's useful. I don't need the plug to be larger than the transformer.
US plugs: I've been zapped by them disconnecting halfway and still being under tension twice already: I want a safe plug, not one that zaps me like what I had in my childhood out here. At least those of my childhood didn't slip out that easily.

EU plugs rule IMHO, ever since the national plugs moved to the EU plug (there hardly was a difference except in the safety form: there's not any problem whatsoever with them anymore: Not bulky, not unsafe in any way, and you get 2 sizes of them, fully compatible with all outlets.) There are some small differences still between e.g. Holland, France, Belgium, Germany, but they are fully interchangeable.

[Leosghost]

unless you are stupid enough to hook yourself up -being isolated from the ground- to 2 phases at the same time.

umm ..yes ( but only the once ..long time ago ) ..<insert embarrassed smiley >

thick rubber soled boots ..and careless fingers ( lucky for me it didnt pass via the heart or head ) ..lost me two "amalgam" fillings though ..

what UK plugs do have going for them over EU models is the fuse in them ..not all EU houses have up to date wiring and breakers ..

I've lived in some here that have no breakers at all ..not even a 500 under the meter ..( this one has wiring from the 30's which I'm replacing as I renovate ..even had electrical socket for shaver and light switches..that you can reach without stretching ..from in the shower ..It's within the regs ..no safety or insurance inspections are mandatory in your own house ..and only became necessary in 2007 if you rent ..many many rental properties are still not controlled ..

worse than standing on an upturned UK plug is standing on a stickle brick ..or pissing on an electric cow fence ( hidden in the hedge )..another thing you only do the once ..some lessons really teach you to be cautious ..

[graeme_p]

I live in a country where we use:

1) Modern square pin UK
2) Old style round pin UK
3) a bigger version of 2) because some appliances draw too much power for the smaller version.

A lot of things you buy come with a two round pin plug: I keep a chopstick next to the socket where I recharge by phone....

I have also bought things with a variety of plugs including the French/German hybrid and Australian. UPS socket can be fun: some imported ones come with obscure socks that only work with the the leads that come with them.

People here use adaptors a lot, but the most commonly available brand has a tendency to short and melt.

[weeks]

Excellent example of good writing on what would seem to be a boring subject.

...given the brilliant Italian attitude to pastimes such as smoking, drinking delicious coffee and driving, we fully expected the Italians to just have some stripped wires hanging out of the wall and for equipment to be connected with a spot of twisting and maybe a touch of sticky tape.

[g1smd]

The higher the voltage, the further distance you can transport electricity with less losses. With a higher voltage, the necessary current diminishes for the same amount of power.

That's why the 'grid' uses 100 000 to 300 000 Volts. Even around the house, long extensions have less losses at 240 V than at 110 V; losses mean more heat dissipated in the cable.

'ampage' => 'current'

[ronin]

What I have always liked about UK power sockets is the switch. Very sensible. I wonder why so few other systems have one?

[engine]

UK plugs are big, but they are safe. I'd certianly miss the socket power switch, it's so convenient.

[bwnbwn]

Actually 220 is safer that 110. 220 will knock ya back and make ya think twice again before doing something you shouldn't be doing. 110 will sometimes grab ya and you can't let go and will cook ya from the inside out. Far more people have been killed with 110 than 220. That said.

About 20 years ago I needed to change out our dryer plug so I went to the breaker box and flipped the 220 marked dryer. Figuring all was safe I began taking the plug out not worring about a thing in the world. When I began pulling out the wires from the old dryer connection they touched and sparks flew well so did I not from the shock I wasn't hit but from the sound. I have no clue why I wasn't zapped as I was all over the wires.
They had the lable wrong dryer went to the oven oven went to the dryer.

Now I don't trust any breaker box and always test before or cut the main...

[mack]

A few people mentioned the UK socket and assumed the switch was there to replace the power controls of the appliance. not so, its just a way of stopping the power flow from the socket. it also has the advantage of allowing you turn things off if they don't have a power on/off switch. phone chargers fir example. when ever there plugged in they are using power. if you cut the power supply at the socket you can leave it plugged in, but it can't draw any power.

Mack.

[Old_Honky]

From a small appliance manufacturer's viewpoint the big advantage that I see for our European 220-240 volt system as opposed to the 110-120 volt system used in the states is that we don't have to have huge thick power cords attached to every appliance. The difference is quite marked, and makes the US versions of some products look quite ugly with a big thick wire hanging out of a small product.

It is because of the point made by g1smd above the thicker cable is required as a safety feature.

[graeme_p]

Just to clarify: the US products need a thinker cable because the higher current means a thinner cable will overheat, correct?

[Old_Honky]

Yes that is correct.

[inbound]

UK plugs rule!

US plugs are awful, how do you manage to put up with them?

European plugs are also a bit iffy.

The only problem is that any appliance fitted with a UK plug tends to cost more than it does in the US or mainland Europe... you can't have it all ways.

[sem4u]

UK plugs are very safe...especially as they can be switched off....Euro plugs seem a nightmare with only two prongs and the ability to fall out of the socket sometimes!

[kaled]

UK plugs and sockets are a design classic...

1. Thick square pins almost guarantee good contact (by providing a large surface and allowing for large contact movement so that sprung contacts are under load).
   
2. Fused (on the live pin).
   
3. Earthed. The earth pin is longer so that it connects first and disconnects last.
   
4. The live and neutral connections in sockets are guarded.
   
5. Sockets are usually switched.
   

However, UK plugs are more than the sum of their parts - they inspire confidence. A little force is required to plug them in and pull them out. This design has been embraced by engineers - the molded plugs (required by law on new appliances) are extremely high quality - in some cases they are almost works of art.

The whole world should adopt UK-style plugs and sockets as the standard. A variation would be required for 110V but that's all. (This could be as simple as turning the live and neutral pins through 45 degrees.)

Kaled.

[rj87uk]

It most likely has been said in these forums at one point or another but on teh subject of plugs:

[dailymail.co.uk...]

Very small & flat plugs - They look cool? :)

[kaled]

That flat plug looks very cool and seems well designed. However...

I'm not sure I fully accept the argument about the standard UK plug being too bulky. If you're carrying a UK plug with your laptop, that means you are carrying a power supply and two coiled-up cables - even with a flat plug, that bundle is going to be bulky. As for scratches, I keep cables and power-supplies in a different section of my laptop case. I'm typing this using a four-year old Thinkpad that has zero scratches!

Kaled.