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Old 18th May 2019, 12:26 pm   #53
Lucien Nunes
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 2,508
Default Re: Any other plug collectors out there?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lancs Lad View Post
What if you needed to plug something into it that required an earth connection?
Use a 3-pin extension lead! In the UK with all BS1363 plugs being fitted with an earth pin or ISOD, we don't have an established habit of selecting 2-pin or 3-pin accessories according to application. But in much of the world there are 2-pin variants that fit 3-pin sockets, e.g. NEMA types in the US and derivative systems and Europlug in most of mainland Europe, for which there are also 2-pin sockets that won't take a 3-pin plug. Sometimes you get a mix, e.g. in a trailing socket that has both earthed Schuko sockets and non-earthed sockets for 2-pin Europlugs only to save space. The UK didn't even have an equivalent situation with BS 372 round pin plugs, as a 2-pin (BS372-1) plug such as the ubiquitous 5A 2-pin would not fit a 3-pin (BS372-2) socket of the same rating due to the different pin centres.

USA installations sometimes provided 2-prong receptacles on installations where the ground was inherently available due to the wiring system (equivalent to UK 2-pin sockets in BESA boxes on a metal conduit system). However, due to the almost universally compatible NEMA dimensions, it is possible to use a grounding adaptor with two prongs to fit the socket, a screw tab that fits under the adjacent cover screw to pick up the ground, and a 3-prong 5-15 receptacle. People with audio ground loop problems have been known to use them as handy ground-lift adaptors by not connecting the tab. It is also often possible to snap the ground prong off a 5-15 U-ground plug to make it fit a 2-prong outlet. And other dodges that are unfamiliar to us in BS1363 land.

Quote:
how on earth are these things allowed to be sold in this country?
They aren't!
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