Mains power strips

Trevor Wilson wrote

I know it is.

I know it did. The segment was showing flash houses, does that every week, and this particular house had it installed.

I have since found one, but its not a local product, tho it does have a local agent and our power points are there in the video.

Yeah, so do I now that you mention it.

I need something buyable.

"Rod Speed" wrote in news:8mnleuFqjlU1 @mid.individual.net:

Could have sworn I've seen these at Bunnings. But I could be mistaken...

Dave.

David L. Jones wrote

Thanks, I'll have a look.

F Murtz wrote

Thats the one I found myself.

Couldnt find that on the clipsal site. Thanks for that.

Thanks for those, I'll chase them up.

Think laboratory or industrial power supplies. I know the exact sort of one you mean, but can not remember the name. Was very expensive.

Has been around for a couple of decades.

That's one problem with plugpacks, another one is powerpoints on skirting boards, particularly the low profile boards that are common in modern houses. Is there anything such as regs precluding installing GPOs upside down, with the earth pin on top?

David L. Jones wrote

Yeah, the local Bunnings doesnt know anything about them.

I do remember some discussion in E.A. or S.C. magazine about mains sockets being upside down. From memory it is not allowed for safety reasons. I think it was because the earth pin may disconnect before the other two pins.

Russell Griffiths.

That sounds logical Russell.

The link below suggests the reason is that the earth is at the top is: " Presumably the reasoning of having the earth pin at the top is that any objects falling in between a partially withdrawn plug will touch the earth and not the live pin." Other interesting stuff on the page anyway.

"Griff"

However, the centre of mass of a plug pak is usually below the earth pin when fitted into a socket that has the earth pin down.

.... Phil

Sounds like a lighting track.

Jasen Betts wrote

Nar, its used anywhere you need power points.

Any reason you couldn't just go to a company that sells datacentre equipment, and pick up a serious duty 9/18 outlet breaker-equipped power strip instead? Nice big mounting tabs too.

(Is the 'rotating them' thing to save space for plugging in annoying things like oversized power supplies?)

Andy wrote

Yep, 18 isnt enough when you allow for the fact that the bigger plug packs stop each outlet being used.

That doesnt concern me. I built my own house and can fix that trivially.

Nar, its how they attach to the track. They still end up all oriented the same way.

being upside down. From memory it is not allowed for safety reasons. I think it was because the earth pin may disconnect before the other two pins.

Apparently, some mains outlets in China use a similar pin arrangement as Australian sockets, but they are mounted upside down (ie the earth pin is at the top). Presumably, the Chinese authorities had a reason for doing so that they thought outweighed the reasons that Australian authorities had for not allowing it.

Peter

And a fairly typical case where there are pro's and cons either way, and no real good reason to ban either AFAIK. Anybody can mount a wall outlet upside down if they really wanted to anyway.

MrT.