Mysterious Plug Pin Holes, We're Being Lied To!

a reply to: Observer19

Many people can think about and discuss more than one subject without any problem.

originally posted by: surfer_soul
a reply to: DISRAELI

The real mystery is why in the U.K. we have 3 pins and an extra wire we call earth/ground when other countries just use the negative wire as ground?

It's quite simple in that we used to use an earth spike literally driven in the ground as part of the spec commonly called a TT connection. The 3 pin thing is a great device as modern ones don't allow you to grab the pins and give yourself a belting.

Most UK supplies are now bound to the neutral but there is no guarantee as it requires upgrading lots of people's supplies and even fuse boxes and we get the basic question of who is going to pay for it .

a reply to: surfer_soul

The additional ground pin in the UK serves as an extra safety measure.

It provides a path for the current to dissipate safely in the event of faults or short circuits.

Basically, our health and safety standards are the reason for the design.

originally posted by: beyondknowledge2

That what is this?
www.carltonbates.com...
I have never seen one like that except in a catalog but I have used many of the can ones. The can ones fit the bigger industrial plugs also.

Nothing personal, but, that is a piece of crap. I'd be real curious about that being certified for use. It may be a bad picture, because I'm pretty sure that the exposed Ground prong would make it not certified. I showed the picture to our Safety guy and will let you know what he says when he stops laughing.