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  3. What is the best Power Outlet, and why?

What is the best Power Outlet, and why?

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  • F [email protected]

    Huh, I never knew Australia shared the same power point as china, thought we were on our own. Good to know not EVERY country is suffering through inferior plugs

    zozano@aussie.zoneZ This user is from outside of this forum
    zozano@aussie.zoneZ This user is from outside of this forum
    [email protected]
    wrote last edited by [email protected]
    #108

    Australia's plug isn't bad, in fact, it's one of the best.

    • The angled blade pins ensure polarity will always be the same.
    • The ground pin is longer than the live pins, meaning it'll always make contact first, and last when you pull it out.
    • The Earth pin is located on the bottom, meaning when you pull down on it, or if something drops on the plug, it'll pull away the live pins first.
    • also:

    lemjukes@sopuli.xyzL F 2 Replies Last reply
    8
    • E [email protected]

      A useful source:
      https://worldofsockets.com

      hossenfeffer@feddit.ukH This user is from outside of this forum
      hossenfeffer@feddit.ukH This user is from outside of this forum
      [email protected]
      wrote last edited by
      #109

      Easy. Type G. For safety. If you're worried about night-time attacks from ninja you can leave a few plugs by your bedroom door and windows with the pins upward. They will rue the day they entered that room in the dark!

      B 1 Reply Last reply
      28
      • venus_ziegenfalle@feddit.orgV [email protected]

        Type B is objectively inferior. This is not anti-americanism either, Technology Connections has my back here. But it's not bad enough to replace three big countries worth of plugs and outlets. The only way to have a global standard would be something like Italy's plug orgy system where you can fit multiple different types but that would kinda defy the purpose.

        S This user is from outside of this forum
        S This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote last edited by [email protected]
        #110

        The criticisms of type B are so minor, it reaches so hard.

        H J 2 Replies Last reply
        1
        • E [email protected]

          In my opinion it's Type-F

          Because:

          • It's bi-directional
          • It's grounded and ungrounded plugs use the same socket
          • It's already widespread (50+ countries) source
          • Your fingers can't touch the live wire as you're plugging in a wire
          • It's recessed
          • Low footprint
          • Accepts Type-C
          L This user is from outside of this forum
          L This user is from outside of this forum
          [email protected]
          wrote last edited by
          #111

          Accepts Type-C

          It took me a few seconds to realize you werent talking about shoving a USB Type C plug into there.

          1 Reply Last reply
          29
          • H [email protected]

            Why? It doesn't make any difference with AC

            M This user is from outside of this forum
            M This user is from outside of this forum
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            wrote last edited by
            #112

            It doesn't matter depending on whether both are live. In plenty of places, only one side is live. Switching live with neutral can be very bad depending on the appliance, as described already elsewhere.

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • L [email protected]

              Some people say it does with certain devices but I've never had anything I've run into. The American outlets have been used as bi-directional in most instances. (With 2 prong). If they had a ground then you can only go in one way. But that said... Obviously a cord without a ground can still plug into an outlet that has the ground set up. If the device wants the current to go in a certain direction they use one with a slightly larger prong on one side, but if you pick up any phone charger in America, you can plug it into any outlet any direction.

              M This user is from outside of this forum
              M This user is from outside of this forum
              [email protected]
              wrote last edited by
              #113

              Phone chargers are definitely not the appliance that's going to have an issue switching things out. That's going to be stuff that directly uses the AC power. Some older appliances or shittily designed ones can even become an electrocution hazard when switching live with neutral.

              1 Reply Last reply
              1
              • E [email protected]

                A useful source:
                https://worldofsockets.com

                K This user is from outside of this forum
                K This user is from outside of this forum
                [email protected]
                wrote last edited by [email protected]
                #114

                How does the type-A (Japan) ground?

                B 9 T 3 Replies Last reply
                8
                • zier@fedia.ioZ [email protected]

                  My toys are wireless...

                  blackn1ght@feddit.ukB This user is from outside of this forum
                  blackn1ght@feddit.ukB This user is from outside of this forum
                  [email protected]
                  wrote last edited by
                  #115

                  You'll need a broadcasting licence for that, mate.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  18
                  • zak@lemmy.worldZ [email protected]

                    I've been shocked with both. I can confirm 230V hurts more. Neither is likely to result in a medically significant injury with this kind of shock though - just momentary discomfort.

                    M This user is from outside of this forum
                    M This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote last edited by
                    #116

                    Ehhh that depends entirely on the manner of the shock. Both are more than capable of stopping your heart or going in to afib if the path gets too near your heart.

                    zak@lemmy.worldZ 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • H [email protected]

                      Its important you don't allow them access so you need to keep them on your person in a place thats very hard to access. So hard.

                      slvrdrgn@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
                      slvrdrgn@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
                      [email protected]
                      wrote last edited by
                      #117

                      Your last sentence is a double entendre?

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • E [email protected]

                        A useful source:
                        https://worldofsockets.com

                        C This user is from outside of this forum
                        C This user is from outside of this forum
                        [email protected]
                        wrote last edited by
                        #118

                        For safety, the BS1363 (UK, type G) is by far the best.

                        • It's fused. (Seriously why the hell aren't all plugs fused!)

                        • Live and neutral can't be reversed.

                        • Holes are gated (so no kids sticking spoons in).

                        • High capacity, 240V at 13A gives 3kW of power.

                        It's only real downside is its size.

                        fullsquare@awful.systemsF U S U T 5 Replies Last reply
                        20
                        • E [email protected]

                          A useful source:
                          https://worldofsockets.com

                          9 This user is from outside of this forum
                          9 This user is from outside of this forum
                          [email protected]
                          wrote last edited by
                          #119

                          G, you have to try really quite hard to electrocute yourself

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          3
                          • S [email protected]

                            The criticisms of type B are so minor, it reaches so hard.

                            H This user is from outside of this forum
                            H This user is from outside of this forum
                            [email protected]
                            wrote last edited by
                            #120

                            All of them work as they should, or they would have been replaced a long time ago.

                            But there definitely are differences, and one is better than the rest.

                            S 1 Reply Last reply
                            1
                            • fullsquare@awful.systemsF [email protected]

                              Type E and F plugs are not really a thing anymore, today it's more common to find combined Type E/F plugs.

                              Fuses in british plugs are a mistake and only a requirement because of sketchy practices allowed in british electrical code immediately after WW2. Nobody else does that because nowhere else electric code is built in such a way that it is necessary. Switch seems to be mildly useful tho

                              C This user is from outside of this forum
                              C This user is from outside of this forum
                              [email protected]
                              wrote last edited by
                              #121

                              Fuses mean protection is localised. If the socket is good for 13A, but the cable is only safe to 5A, you can fuse at 3A or 5A, and know it's safe.

                              This is partially useful for extension leads. We don't have to worry about overloading a multiway extension. If we do, it will pop a 10p fuse, rather than cause a house fire.

                              fullsquare@awful.systemsF H 2 Replies Last reply
                              1
                              • K [email protected]

                                How does the type-A (Japan) ground?

                                B This user is from outside of this forum
                                B This user is from outside of this forum
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                                wrote last edited by
                                #122

                                It doesn't, Japanese homes don't have that by default. Sometimes there are special options for grounding specific items.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                3
                                • K [email protected]

                                  How does the type-A (Japan) ground?

                                  9 This user is from outside of this forum
                                  9 This user is from outside of this forum
                                  [email protected]
                                  wrote last edited by [email protected]
                                  #123

                                  IIRC most of the world relies on ground fault protection to protect against failure which is why we use ground pins, in Japan they detect short circuits which is roughly equivalent in safety.

                                  I'm not sure why or how, but I remember from when I looked it up when I was out there last year that was the explanation I found

                                  Edit: I'd love to be corrected by whoever downvoted

                                  S 1 Reply Last reply
                                  3
                                  • K [email protected]

                                    How does the type-A (Japan) ground?

                                    T This user is from outside of this forum
                                    T This user is from outside of this forum
                                    [email protected]
                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #124

                                    Japan uses weaker voltage and many things don't require a ground or can rely on an alternative method. That said, they'll have a good ol' three prong for appliances and newer buildings will have a few three prongs in select locations.

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    4
                                    • T [email protected]

                                      Why would you step on them?

                                      You can just turn them off at the socket. And if you need extra sockets, just buy an extension.

                                      Literally zero reason to leave a plug lying on the ground.

                                      B This user is from outside of this forum
                                      B This user is from outside of this forum
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                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #125

                                      Do you not live in a world where sometimes non-zero time elapses between realizing you need a thing and procuring that thing?

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      1
                                      • C [email protected]

                                        Fuses mean protection is localised. If the socket is good for 13A, but the cable is only safe to 5A, you can fuse at 3A or 5A, and know it's safe.

                                        This is partially useful for extension leads. We don't have to worry about overloading a multiway extension. If we do, it will pop a 10p fuse, rather than cause a house fire.

                                        fullsquare@awful.systemsF This user is from outside of this forum
                                        fullsquare@awful.systemsF This user is from outside of this forum
                                        [email protected]
                                        wrote last edited by [email protected]
                                        #126

                                        Or you could just use thicker wires like everyone else, or drop the use of ring mains, which is the actual reason why fuses in plugs were introduced. The reason why this was done was post-WW2 copper shortage. In other countries you'll see more likely star type circuit

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        5
                                        • M [email protected]

                                          Ehhh that depends entirely on the manner of the shock. Both are more than capable of stopping your heart or going in to afib if the path gets too near your heart.

                                          zak@lemmy.worldZ This user is from outside of this forum
                                          zak@lemmy.worldZ This user is from outside of this forum
                                          [email protected]
                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #127

                                          These shocks are almost always to a single finger.

                                          M 1 Reply Last reply
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