# Which country has the best electrical plug/socket



## gromett (May 9, 2005)

Who did you think?

Karl


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

There is only one answer to that.

Britain


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

I can't read the link...just get garbage.

However the answer is unequivocably the UK (also used in HK and various other ex-colonies). Why? Because of the interlink between the earth pin that means the apertures to the live/neutral connections aren't opened until the device is earthed (look carefully, the earth pin is slightly longer than the other two).

As an aside, there's been some debate at the IET (owners of the wiring regulations) about the desirability of the plastic covers of the type parents buy to stop kiddies pushing things into electrical sockets. In absence of them, sockets are designed to be failsafe in that you can't push anything into the live/neutral holes (ie the dangerous ones) without first having pushed something into the earth. With them, theoretically if you bend the cover (or put it in upside down), the earth pin can still be in exposing the interlocking covers on live/neutral. As such covers that are intended to protect children could actually make the situation more dangerous. I mention this only to highlight the sort of thought that's gone into the UK design...others, particularly the US ones, don't look so safe to me.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

But then is the British system of plugs (which are very safe), matched by the safest wiring system? :? 

Is the ring main that we have safer or less safe than the spur system that exists elsewhere? :? 

As an aside I spent a lot of time last week removing British plugs on appliances we have taken to France and replacing them with French plugs and that is not easy! The system for connecting into the earth pin of French plugs is poor - it is small, difficult to see and recessed down a tube that needs a long screwdriver to get at the screw!   

So yes, I am convinced the British plugs are safer (due to fuses and orientation of live v neutral), easier to wire with reliable certainty, and much more robust than their continental cousins. :lol: 

But how often do you see extension leads plugged into extension leads in France ! Virtually everywhere seems to depend on having one double outlet per room and then running multi-way adpators and extension leads to every part of the room! I am not convinced that is safe either!  

How many of us have encountered problems due to the "interesting" wiring in some continental sites? How often has that "reverse polarity" connector been needed ? Why do so many sites only deliver 3a or a maximum of 10 in a limited number?  

More questions than answers I am afraid!  

But thanks for pointing the article out - it makes fun reading! :lol: 

Dave


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## maxautotrail (Aug 21, 2007)

JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> There is only one answer to that.
> 
> Britain


Agree, but how long before we get a directive from the EU to change them to the euro design :twisted: :twisted:


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Penguin is right. The UK 13a plug and socket ring main system is the safest and best.

But when in Rome, drive a Fiat. So we also changed all out UK 13a plugs to French to comply with rules and regs in the country we live in.

Granted the French are smartening up their act with all sorts of earth leakage and inbalance protection. But you can still end up with the whole house with reverse polarity and they haven't twigged this yet.

Also it very rare in France to find an outlet that has a switch on it. So you invariably have to push the plug in and pull it out almost daily. This always leads to the outlet and half the wall falling onto the floor. The only benefit of multi extenders (prolongers) is they are usually switched. 

I still retain the odd 13a multi block outside and in the shed to power old UK appliances. But I cringe when I see Brits adding UK type outlets behind kitchen cupboards and outhouses. They will all have to be rewired and changed as and when they come to sell.

Ray. Ex UK electrician.


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

UK . Like our police and education system and health system, our plugs are the envy of the world. :roll:


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