reverse polarity (1 Viewer)

[vwalan]

can anybody explain how the continentals manage. as you can push their schuko plugs in either way. have i missed something. all over europe they laugh at our wiring system. cheers alan.

 

[johnsandywhite]

can anybody explain how the continentals manage. as you can push their schuko plugs in either way. have i missed something. all over europe they laugh at our wiring system. cheers alan.

:Cool: So have I since 1966 and never had any shocks. But the European Schuko plugs have fused Live and Neutral. So thats why reverse polarity makes no difference. The UK supplu is usually only fused on the Live feed.

BTW. I must just make the point that I have spent MANY years around Spain. You would NOT believe some of the wiring. No earth, reversed polarity and non fused curcuits. An extension on a friends house was being fed by a TWIN cable with NO fusing at all. I STILL didn't get any shocks.

 

[vwalan]

i probably have spent a third of my 54yrs abroad and still am amazed at what goes on. dont think i have actually seen too many fuses either over there. thats why i asked the question .best get solar then you dont need hook up much better.lol.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[stagman]

:Cool: So have I since 1966 and never had any shocks. But the European Schuko plugs have fused Live and Neutral. So thats why reverse polarity makes no difference. The UK supplu is usually only fused on the Live feed.

BTW. I must just make the point that I have spent MANY years around Spain. You would NOT believe some of the wiring. No earth, reversed polarity and non fused curcuits. An extension on a friends house was being fed by a TWIN cable with NO fusing at all. I STILL didn't get any shocks.

You are clearly unshockable

 

[hilldweller]

. But the European Schuko plugs have fused Live and Neutral.

Do they ?

I can't see it. Bit of an overload, neutral fuse blows and you have a "live" "dead" appliance.

I think you mean continental appliances SWITCH both wires.

But I stand to be corrected with a link to some continental wiring schematics.

 

[johnsandywhite]

Do they ?

I can't see it. Bit of an overload, neutral fuse blows and you have a "live" "dead" appliance.

I think you mean continental appliances SWITCH both wires.

But I stand to be corrected with a link to some continental wiring schematics.

oh: You are quite correct. I've just been sorting out fuses on our daughters car for the MOT and the mind is still thinking about the wires that got trashed when she went over a speed bump. :Blush:

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[johnsandywhite]

i probably have spent a third of my 54yrs abroad and still am amazed at what goes on. dont think i have actually seen too many fuses either over there. thats why i asked the question .best get solar then you dont need hook up much better.lol.

:Cool: Same here, Solar power rules. :thumb:

You are clearly unshockable

oh: When I was a little lad, I used to stick my fingers in the light socket to see what it would do. There was always a tingling sensation and the smell of ozone. oh:

 

[hilldweller]

I've just been sorting out fuses on our daughters car for the MOT

Daughters and cars, now that IS a valid excuse. Did you find any oil in it ? Yes and she's a good 'un.

 

[vwalan]

hi john ,i used to do the same thing even ht leads on cars .when i was 50 i got diagnosed with a nerve disorder it explained my childish pranks . still childish today though.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pappajohn]

can anybody explain how the continentals manage. as you can push their schuko plugs in either way. have i missed something. all over europe they laugh at our wiring system. cheers alan.

i can answer that for you Alan,

the europeans dont bother too much about polarity because they use DOUBLE POLE switches/sockets in domestic situations.
we dont, with the exception of (commonly) a cooker control, 20amp heating switches and possibly a shower control switch.

turn off a switch/socket on a double pole and BOTH phase AND neutral are disconnected simultaniously.

i dont think domestic euro plugs are fused either for the same reason.....it wouls need two fuses, one on each conductor.

as it needs to maintain an earth the socket has two earth connections spo the plug can be inserted either way round.

but of course you knew this already.....didnt you!

 

[johnsandywhite]

Daughters and cars, now that IS a valid excuse. Did you find any oil in it ? Yes and she's a good 'un.

Yes. But ONLY because our son Simon does ALL her servicing and repairs (quite a few).

hi john ,i used to do the same thing even ht leads on cars .when i was 50 i got diagnosed with a nerve disorder it explained my childish pranks . still childish today though.

It looks like we had a similar background. Still trying new things even today.

 

[vwalan]

nice one john .that was not too tecnical and explains schuo plugs a treat. i always think their system is a better one. i may be wrong. cheers alan.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pappajohn]

:Cool: the European Schuko plugs have fused Live and Neutral. So thats why reverse polarity makes no difference. The UK supplu is usually only fused on the Live feed.
.

got to disagree john,

the plugs have no fusing. as brian said you will have a 'live' 'dead' situation. one fuse may blow but the other will still be intact

all the protection is at the comsumer unit via RCD Main switch's for earth leakage and double pole MCB's for overload situations.
a fault accures and BOTH conductors are disconnected.

A far better system than the UK's archaic 'tried and trusted' (aint that always the case in the uk) system

 

[johnsandywhite]

got to disagree john,

the plugs have no fusing. as brian said you will have a 'live' 'dead' situation. one fuse may blow but the other will still be intact

all the protection is at the comsumer unit via RCD Main switch's for earth leakage and double pole MCB's for overload situations.
a fault accures and BOTH conductors are disconnected.

A far better system than the UK's archaic 'tried and trusted' (aint that always the case in the uk) system

I've already answered that previously. Read previous post please.


Quote:
Originally Posted by hilldweller View Post
Do they ?

I can't see it. Bit of an overload, neutral fuse blows and you have a "live" "dead" appliance.

I think you mean continental appliances SWITCH both wires.

But I stand to be corrected with a link to some continental wiring schematics. [/quote]

Answered with:-

oh: You are quite correct. I've just been sorting out fuses on our daughters car for the MOT and the mind is still thinking about the wires that got trashed when she went over a speed bump. :Blush:

 

[Snowbird]

Have you ever looked at a Europeans face when he first sets eyes on an English plug?? Even better when you tell him we threw away two pin plugs years ago cos they were dangerous.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pappajohn]

sorry John,

didnt read that post as it seemed irrelevant and going off at a tangent talking about cars.oh:

 

[pappajohn]

Have you ever looked at a Europeans face when he first sets eyes on an English plug?? Even better when you tell him we threw away two pin plugs years ago cos they were dangerous.

ask him to wire one to a 3 core flex and he'll be on the first ferry back to euroland.

 

[hilldweller]

Have you ever looked at a Europeans face when he first sets eyes on an English plug??

And Americans. I was working in Montana, pulled my computer out to organise power the guy there nearly dropped "Jesus, that would be a 60A plug over here".

But it's not because we don't plate ours so they have to allow for tarnish increasing the contact resistance. Mind you it is a good sturdy plug with good cable grip.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Snowbird]

And Americans. I was working in Montana, pulled my computer out to organise power the guy there nearly dropped "Jesus, that would be a 60A plug over here".

But it's not because we don't plate ours so they have to allow for tarnish increasing the contact resistance. Mind you it is a good sturdy plug with good cable grip.

And of coarse ya dont have the worry of wrong polarity,cos it will only go in the socket one way.Good old UK engineering.:thumb:

 

[hilldweller]

Good old UK engineering.:thumb:

UK Engineering played a huge part in how the world is today.

Is this good or bad ????

Frinstance, just go round the world with a tape measure and measure the pitch of railway tracks.

For a few glorious years we were The Man, and then some.