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Old 25th Oct 2014, 1:33 pm   #1
dave walsh
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex.
Posts: 5,814
Default Wiring The Mains Plug-A Forgotten Art?

The Radio 4 program named [in this case ironically] Saturday "Live" was discussing the decline of DIY into a Vintage activity this morning. This is being put forward in the media generally as a possible reason for shrinkage in the DIY Store Chains. it could also just be a lack of money generally-have a look at the price of a tin of paint these days. Another factor put forward, was a lack of the basic practical skills [which are often the focus of this Forum] being passed on ie fathers not teaching sons/daughters etc. It morphed into an actor declaring he had been assured by his handyman that you had to get the green earth lead in the correct terminal but it didn't really matter which way round the other two went. The handyman was apparently not a British national so he might [perhaps] have had some excuse. Whether a local might have known any better is probaly open to question in itself.

Of course people rang in to correct this advice. I don't think anyone mentioned though, that E N and L are actually inscribed on the plug itself!
To my ears there was a lot of nervous laughter going on in that slightly embarrassed middle class mannerism that translates (for me at least] as preferring to be being proud of one's ignorance rather than having to acknowledge it-even though it might leave one helpless and at the mercy of others. Downton Syndrome!
Dave W

Sorry about the "Forgotten" spelling in the title-perhaps a Mod can correct it for me?

Last edited by dave walsh; 25th Oct 2014 at 1:40 pm. Reason: non lethal mistake
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