The fuse offers per device protection, as well as per room/area.
E.g. you have a lamp that draws 1A. It’s cable is rated for 3A. It has a malfunction and starts drawing 10A. This won’t pop a breaker, but will overload the cable. Eventually it could catch fire from overheating. If it has a 3A slow blow fuse, it will kill the fuse before it kills the cable.
It also helps to isolate problems rapidly to 1 device.
The ring main was the impetus for it. However it allows for safe down rating at the plug. My lamps don’t need 13A flex. If the only safety system is a 13A breaker, then you’re stuck with it, or risking a cable overload
As I understand it, just a portion. So where we tend to have breakers for something like, downstairs sockets, upstairs sockets, downstairs lights, upstairs lights, cooker etc. they would have it broken down far more granularly so maybe a single room or even multiple breakers for a single room and limited to much lower currents. Like our breakers are for 32 amps generally, theirs might be 16 or lower.
I still don’t see how that would be better than fused plugs where only the device will go off, even if it was more granular I wouldn’t want the whole room to cut off just because one thing failed. I’m not an electrician so obviously don’t know the intricacies of it all, just every time I’ve seen plugs discussed ours are top.
They are extremely sturdy and safe, but they are too large and unwieldy. Infinitely better than the schuko plug though. No idea what kind of insane people thought a circular plug that has to be plugged in one direction a good idea. Always fun to spin around your plug hoping your prongs are lined up.
a circular plug that has to be plugged in one direction
Two directions since it’s reversible, unlike Type G. Also the guides on the left and right help a lot with alignment. But none of these are perfect, really. If Type L was recessed and had shorter prongs then maybe…
Type G is UK and we have the best plugs in the world. Go watch any videos on YouTube discussing all the safety features. Work of art they are.
Eh, the fusing on the plug is a dealbreaker for me, especially with that load potential
Other features are present in AU (three pin safety, switched outlets, etc)
The fuse offers per device protection, as well as per room/area.
E.g. you have a lamp that draws 1A. It’s cable is rated for 3A. It has a malfunction and starts drawing 10A. This won’t pop a breaker, but will overload the cable. Eventually it could catch fire from overheating. If it has a 3A slow blow fuse, it will kill the fuse before it kills the cable.
It also helps to isolate problems rapidly to 1 device.
yeah but the only reason it happened was because you use ring mains.
aint’ nothing going to convince me that shit belongs in the 21st century.
The ring main was the impetus for it. However it allows for safe down rating at the plug. My lamps don’t need 13A flex. If the only safety system is a 13A breaker, then you’re stuck with it, or risking a cable overload
The fuse is part of why it’s the safest.
What? You’re against a fuse in the plug? So you’d rather the circuit breaker cuts off everything if one thing fails?
Edit: After searching online it’s not even a debate. The UK has the best plugs.
Germany and Australia also have highly regarded plugs but still ranked 2 and 3 respectively.
We have fuses are only a requirement for our ring main system though, most countries dont use that.
True.
What happens when a device fails in a non Type G plug country? Does the whole house go off, a portion of it, or just that device?
As I understand it, just a portion. So where we tend to have breakers for something like, downstairs sockets, upstairs sockets, downstairs lights, upstairs lights, cooker etc. they would have it broken down far more granularly so maybe a single room or even multiple breakers for a single room and limited to much lower currents. Like our breakers are for 32 amps generally, theirs might be 16 or lower.
Thank you for answering my curiosity.
I still don’t see how that would be better than fused plugs where only the device will go off, even if it was more granular I wouldn’t want the whole room to cut off just because one thing failed. I’m not an electrician so obviously don’t know the intricacies of it all, just every time I’ve seen plugs discussed ours are top.
Ok. What happens if you pull 15amp load on a 10a circuit?
It would blow the fuse and likely trip the circuit breaker as they’re rated for 10amps.
in my house? shuts the overloaded circuit down. Because every damned one has an RCD with an overcurrent detector
They are extremely sturdy and safe, but they are too large and unwieldy. Infinitely better than the schuko plug though. No idea what kind of insane people thought a circular plug that has to be plugged in one direction a good idea. Always fun to spin around your plug hoping your prongs are lined up.
Two directions since it’s reversible, unlike Type G. Also the guides on the left and right help a lot with alignment. But none of these are perfect, really. If Type L was recessed and had shorter prongs then maybe…
Or just standardize USB-AC.