For those needing more power sockets, and a couple of 1A USB ports....

There's no fuse protecting the cable when a two pin European plug is plugged into a European socket either.

One of the reasons why the UK Plug & socket is considered to be safer.

Or over-engineered depending on who you ask.

Probably the most dangerous part of the British plug is its ability to be left on the floor Pins up, just ask any Brit who has trodden on one. from what I have seen of US & Eu plugs this at least should not be an issue with them

Except they don't have shutters, so clearly we're /not/ talking US domestic power. 120V is puny anyway.

It's in the premises wiring instead, but of course not directly linked to the flex or appliance where the fault may lay.

It is required to withstand this without damage to the plug. The pain is a design feature to dissuade you from doing it again ;-)

But still makes for toasty warm cabling on vacuum cleaners.

There is that - I found the higher currents and different installation practices (Wire nuts - what's that about then? And earthing as an option that nobody seemed to bother about) slightly worrying, especially with the tendency to build houses out of wood and cardboard, but they don't seem to cause too many problems.

They're not bothered because "everybody knows" that nobody can be electrocuted by 110v AC.

If that were so, wouldn't we in the UK have a balanced earth rather than a neutral?

John

Exactly so. There's sometimes a difference between what "everybody knows" and what happens in real life.

That of course depends on the person and the situation - some people are more conductive and more susceptible to electrical 'interference' than others.

OK, but when you discover how conductive you are, it may be too late.

My point exactly.

My own experience with 120V 60Hz is that I can handle live wires without twitching uncontrollably, but I wouldn't try it while taking a shower.

FWIW my first post to this thread initially had, as an example, the idea of somebody with a weak heart grabbing the live side of a faulty 110v AC line with his other hand on a metal sink on an old house with copper old lead piping. I removed it because I thought sure someone would say that was a ridiculous situation that could never happen. Not so much: my Mum, who was a fairly tough old bird, had a story about picking up a faulty table lamp while in contact with a metal window frame. That was 240v: she couldn't let go until rescued. I bet the effect would have been very similar with 110v.

On Fri, 6 Feb 2015 17:19:46 +0000, Rob Morley declaimed the following:

At least we now have polarized 2-prong plugs...

In the old days, many lamps could be plugged in with the hot side NOT going through the switch -- which also meant it was on the bulb socket rim. Changing the bulb could be deadly if you touched the threaded socket as the switch only opened the line to the button at the base.

And unpolarized wall-warts... Useful as one may be able to fit two of them onto one wall box by turning one upside down. Apparently the output is deemed safe.

I've been shocked like that while resting an elbow on a radiator (that was from a valve radio chassis on my desk) and also from a car ignition (one hand resting on top of engine, other wiggling ignition leads). I wouldn't do it for fun. Good advice says "Keep one hand in your pocket when poking around in medium or high voltage devices". :-)

I've always thought the US plugs and sockets were other than as safe as reasonable. I think in new installations they require the use of sockets with shutters although I don't recall how they work. It can't be by insertion of the ground pin as we have two pin plugs without ground pins. More, I think the lack of recessing the plug body allow the pins to be accessed if the plug is not fully inserted. I know more than one person who has been shocked by this, albeit when inserting the plug with damp hands.

Fusing is also an issue. Most wiring is protected with a 15 Amp breaker, but I'm not convinced many appliances will be safe if they internally have a partial short drawing 15 amp on the power cord. Not enough to trip the breaker, but a lot to ask of some of these light weight cords. It's a great idea to have an appropriately sized fuse in the plug.