What is the best Power Outlet, and why?
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Growing up in the U.S. Ive never been able to shock myself plugging in a type A or B connection. 35 years in and never met someone in person who had ever complained about doing so. Now dryer plugs annoy me. They are the 220/240v, and I know there are at least 3 different types. So I've had to swap the power cords on the dryer in every place I've lived in. (I just keep the old ones). But if you rent a place built in 1970, 1985, and 2010 (random dates). They will all likely have different outlets.
Usually it's from a lack of maintenence causing the receptacle to loosen leaving part of the plug exposed.
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The criticisms of type B are so minor, it reaches so hard.
If there's an American plug to be criticized, it's the Edison plug.
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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
wrote last edited by [email protected]Virtually all systems protect again shortcircuit at the breaker lever. Japan mostly has no ground but a RCD/GFCI for the whole house.
Basically how this works is that it checks if all the current leaving on the live wire is also returning on the neutral wire. If the current returning on the neutral is less than the one leaving then a part of the current must have found another way to get to ground (through your body for example) and it breaks the circuit hopefully before any danger could happen.
Now this doesn't make ground useless, there are 2 different protection systems that work in different ways, and sometimes protect in different scenarios too, the RCD is also an active protection that can and fail, compared to ground wich is passive.
Having both is ALWAYS safer
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I have literally never felt that British plugs were bulky
Fair point, thing is there just exists a better way of doing small ungrounded plugs like phone chargers, I honestly haven't used a British phone charger but from what I saw they seem pretty bulky compared to what I have
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A useful source:
https://worldofsockets.comI like type F for the symmetry. However, type K is smiling.
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A useful source:
https://worldofsockets.com -
Obviously you take a page out of gaming laptops books and just plug in more USB C cables for more power! You now need 4 USB C cables to power that toaster. And your stove? 12 of them should do!
That’s when big boi power comes into play.
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That’s when big boi power comes into play.
Hmmm like a 5 pin lemo or a XLR type plug.
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I live with type I (I'm Australian) so it's just a normal socket for me. Though looking at it more critically it reminds me of a female toilet/bathroom sign. Not that it's an exact replica, but it just gives the impression.
Australian, are you familiar with Do Go On?
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I see a lot of your comments about F being objectively same or better compared to G. The only thing I'd throw into the mix is the socket switch feels so logical, I'm really surprised it's not more standard.
High frequency use case: I don't need my microwave on all the time showing me the time, so I switch it off at the socket unless I'm using it
Low frequency use case: before going on holiday I switch all the electrics off at the sockets
I never understood why every appliance in the kitchen needs to display the time. lol
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A useful source:
https://worldofsockets.comI like Type K because it looks like a smile
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A useful source:
https://worldofsockets.comThey're all functional, but the UK's Type G plug is the best of all plugs out there IMHO. I'm a Yankee and our plugs are fine, but the shutter design and built in fused plugs of the Type G are just.......chef's kiss.
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Australian, are you familiar with Do Go On?
Do Go On
I am not familiar with them, but I just looked them up and they seem cool, so will see what they've got.
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A useful source:
https://worldofsockets.comI'm quite the Type F fan:
- The plug is recessed, so half-plugged plugs have their pins inaccessible.
- Most modern Type F plugs are Type E compatible, as well as Europlug compatible, which means that if the plug doesn't need to be bulky, it won't be.
- Most modern installations have shutters in the pin holes, which both need to be pushed aside, making it impossible to plug in a foreign object. This unlike the Type G, where you only need to plug in the ground pin to reveal the live & neutral.
- The plug is symmetrical, making it easier to plug in a device in a way that makes the cable work for the user. Besides, having live & neutral plugged into specific sides of a device is not that important for daily use by the average Joe, and if it is, you can just flip the plug.
- The plug is inclined to land on its side, so if you drop one and then step on it, while it still won't be comfortable, it at least won't be as painful as stepping onto a Type G.
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A useful source:
https://worldofsockets.comGlancing over the images... Hmm, okay... Israel being a bit weird... Recessed is definitely better... what the type L is that?
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I declare RJ45 and USB C everything! But for big boi power….. no clue.
Just three phase everything.
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A useful source:
https://worldofsockets.comType C has such a satisfying click when plugging something in.
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any of the ones with a ground, i'd say
Ground is a bit overrated, which is why the Japanese don't use it. They use GFCI instead.
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B or N. They’re simple and effective, grounded but optionally, but most importantly you can fit two in a small space.
I can’t tell if N is polarized though, so B is the boss
wrote last edited by [email protected]B is upside-down in this picture.
Technology Connections has a whole youtube about how ground should be up so if you drop something and it hits the wire its not dangerous.
Because yes the connections do become live before you push them in the whole way.
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It's type N, the one that was invented by the EU to standardize Europe into one outlet. It was literally designed to be the best. Unfortunately killed off by lazy bureaucrats but not before Brazil and South Africa adopted it anticipating Europe would join in.
Type N is extremely common here in Sweden, without the ground part. Homes only have the F sockets, but extension cables usually combine both and tons of devices use the N plug
