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PaulRobinson 6 days ago

Our AC plugs are, however, the safest design on the planet.

I think if these guys are honest about their numbers - and the main number they're calling out is a 22-fold decline in road deaths per mile driven in the last 75 years, which is remarkable - and shows those other safer regions in their comparisons, what is the problem?

zik 6 days ago | parent [-]

> Our AC plugs are, however, the safest design on the planet.

Not if you step on them with bare feet - those things are worse than LEGO. They could punch through a horse's hoof.

gerdesj 5 days ago | parent | next [-]

In 55 years I've never managed to do that, nor has anyone else I know. Plugs normally stay in the wall socket because they have a switch - each wall socket for general use must have a switch. The switch is quite hefty and very obviously off or on, with a red stripe. You get a satisfying audible and tactile click feedback when it is switched.

Recently a person brought in a laptop that had apparently been accidentally brushed off a desk, whilst closed, and had apparently fallen on an upturned plug. The plug had managed to hit the back of the screen, left quite a dent and spider cracking on the screen. The centre of the cracking did not match the dent ...

I'll have to do some trials but even if a plug is left on the ground, will it actually lie prongs upwards? I'll have to investigate lead torsion and all sorts of effects. Its on the to do list but not very high.

PaulRobinson 6 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Don't leave them unplugged. The standard requires all modern sockets to have switches, so there is no reason to have the plugs lying around on the floor.

chrismustcode 6 days ago | parent [-]

I’ve never had an experience in any house or office where there’s been enough sockets to leave everything plugged.

PaulRobinson 6 days ago | parent [-]

I've never had an experience in any house or office where anything has ever been unplugged other than to put it away (a kitchen appliance that doesn't need to live on a counter, or a hair dryer, for example).

Buy a fused extension cord with more plugs, you have now turned one socket into 4, 6, or 8 sockets. You can even get some that have USB built-in, so you don't use a socket up for a phone or tablet charger. They're not even very expensive.

And in an office, I'm pretty sure all equipment (computers, lights, controls for adjustable desks if you have them), are meant to remain permanently plugged in anyway in a properly installed desk setup. What is going on in your office where you're choosing what is plugged in and what isn't, constantly? And why can't your office manager spring £20 for an extension cord with multiple sockets?

michaelt 5 days ago | parent [-]

I've never stepped on a plug myself, so I agree it's not a major problem.

However, some older houses in the UK have far fewer sockets than more modern properties - sometimes only one or two per room.

And sure, if you need to use a hairdryer and a hair straightener a person with an orderly lifestyle might return them both to a cupboard afterwards - but some people don't mind clutter and just leave them wherever.

When it comes to multiway extension leads - people in the UK are sometimes told it's bad to "overload" sockets but have only a vague understanding of what that means, so some people are reluctant to use them.

gerdesj 5 days ago | parent | next [-]

"When it comes to multiway extension leads - people in the UK are sometimes told it's bad to "overload" sockets but have only a vague understanding of what that means, so some people are reluctant to use them."

To be fair, most people work on the assumption that if the consumer unit doesn't complain, then it is fair game. They are relying on modern standards, which nowadays is quite reasonable. I suppose it is good that we can nowadays rely on standards.

However, I have lived in a couple of houses with fuse wire boards, one of which the previous occupants put in a nail for a circuit that kept burning out.

Good practice is to put a low rated fuse - eg 5A (red) into extension leads for most devices. A tuppence part is easy and cheap to replace but if a few devices not involved with room heating/cooling blow a 5A fuse, you need to investigate. A hair dryer, for example, should not blow a 5A fuse.

Dylan16807 5 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Hair dryer and straightener would both be on a counter, right? No stepping issue there. And the same for appliance switching.

The only thing I plug in at ground level that isn't semi-permanent is a vacuum. No plugs are left lying around all day.

goopypoop 6 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

they are also really tough to swallow

rusk 6 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

That’s a nice reminder that they should be respected. Not left lying around.

marliechiller 6 days ago | parent | prev [-]

why are you stepping on them?

robertlagrant 6 days ago | parent | next [-]

Sometimes you've just got to put your foot down.

throwaway290 6 days ago | parent | prev [-]

because sometimes you unplug it and leave it around. unless you live like a king sometimes there is 2 sockets and you have 5 devices to plug at different times. european and other ones will be on the side so stepping on it is no problem but uk ones will be the pointy end up

DaiPlusPlus 6 days ago | parent | next [-]

> european and other ones will be on the side

There's almost a dozen different plug/socket types used in Europe though: https://www.plugsocketmuseum.nl/Overview.html

I will say, you definitely can tread on a German "Schuhko" plug (if it has a flat face) just like a UK one.

masfuerte 6 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Live like a king!

Are these prices beyond your means?

https://www.argos.co.uk/search/extension-lead/

throwaway290 5 days ago | parent [-]

I have one too! 3 out of 6 plugs stopped working! I have 2 plugs outside of mini kitchen area and I have laptop, phone charger, camera charger, 2 ikea lamps, .......

there are no uk plugs here so I'm not complaining:)

if keeping everything plugged works for you, awesome!

devnullbrain 5 days ago | parent | prev [-]

You're leaving lengths of strong flexible wire lying around places where you walk and are worried you might get hurt? Uh, yeah!

throwaway290 5 days ago | parent [-]

I don't worry about it:) I'm not in UK