2 or 3 prongs on power cords?

**  Dangerous groper alert !





 **  Wot -   no single prong ?





**  No.





**  All the ones that need to be earthed for safety are.

 The rest can have two pin plugs or 3 pin with no connection to the earth
pin.




......  Phil

Try http://www.accesscomms.com.au/catalogcurrent/powercord.pdf

For various power cords etc. You do realise we use 240 Volt at 50 Hz
here? Not trying to be clever, but many Americans do not know this.

Kevin - Thanks for the catalog page.

Yes, I do know about 240V/50Hz difference, but I appreciate your "just
in case" reminder.

I was further thrown by finding an "Austrailian version" knock-off from
a competitor that has a 3-prong plug. (The original USA version they
copied is not grounded.) When I opened it up, the ground wire was cut
off and went nowhere.

// Ralph

Kevin Martin wrote:
<snip> You do realise we use 240 Volt at 50 Hz

**  Here is another reminder -    DO  NOT  TOP  POST  !!!





**  It is common to see 3 pin plugs on items that have only two core AC
leads here in Australia.

Firstly and unlike in the US, an Aussie AC supply plug has to be finger
touch safe when partially installed in the outlet.

Secondly, AC supply plugs are more stable when all 3 pins are inserted  -
this is particularly true with plug packs ( or wall warts  as you Yanks like
to call them).




......    Phil

like

Which is true, but funny considering how many plug packs have only 2 pins.
(lots of mine are)
With a large amount of mains equipment using IEC leads though, you don't see
many with 2 pin plugs, even if the ground is not connected.
There are exceptions in both cases of course.

MrT.

The danger is when non-double-insulated appliances get used with a
2-conductor power lead on the strength of there being 3 pins.

Not that 'double-insulated' means much any more anyway ....

geoff

 **  How can this happen  ?

 The leads are made to be physically incompatible.





**  As you have the slightest clue about the topic.



......   Phil

Are we not talking about the power PLUG end here. And a 3-pin moulded plug
with a 2 conductor cable, and a standard IEC 3-hole  female socket on the
equipment end .  You've never seem one ?




I do , actually.  I have the misfortune to ork on such gear every day.   You
find unearthed equipment with bare conductive components at mains potential
centimetres away from a relatively flimsy metal chassis satisfactory ?
That's what most consumer gear is like these days.

geoff

** Such leads are NOT on sale anywhere.

All  IEC leads are " prescribed items " and must be type approved.

You are an ASS.






** If you have a point to make about Class 2 safety,  then make it.

    Cleary you  DON'T .




.......    Phil

So you've seen everywhere.



Should be.


And you are an ARSE.





Dont call me cleary.

If you don't find the above to be a point, then that's your problem.  My
understanding of Class 2 safety of devices is that there should be two
insulating layers on all parts of the circuit at mains potential and
external metalic parts, and between HV and LV sides of a cct.  The devices I
describe fail that miserably, and  probably only exist through creative
interpretation of the wording of whatever legislation.

Go sit on a DVD player....

geoff
.

posslbly the manufacturer got a good deal on grounded power leads, or was
over stocked.

I've also seen three pin-plugs on two-counductor leads (Makita does this)

It helps keep the plug and the extension lead together.