(edit title) electricity plugs Options

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

The OP of the post in question is/was a well known...(dare I say troll???) of the old days and made a habit of posting "controversy" with tongue in cheek!!!

This place was fun then...

[skogsbo]

In some respects the uk is ahead, but other ways it's needless change with it's umpteenth new edition. At least here lights have their own plugs now and you don't get so many lights here that are bulb live instead of switch. Future eu changes might bugger that though.

On the earthing, there is a logic here that if you have old and new wiring in a room, it should all be earthed, or not. So it's the same. I'd suggest it's better just to aim for gold standard, rather than lower the average.

I was just curious which bits mister duck disagreed with.

[MisterDuck]

Uncle Fred has it covered. The statements about the alleged dangers of earthed sockets being extended into non-earthed rooms are scaremongering nonsense. It's touching a live connection which is the danger, not the earth. If you're going to grab a live electrical connection while holding onto an earth point you're going to experience some minor inconvenience to your day, regardless of which room you're in! Extend with an extension lead or don't - makes no difference- the problem comes from you deciding to electrocute yourself!

And plugging a low energy monitor into an earthed outlet and it becoming no longer low energy... ok!

[Uncle Fred]

bulb live instead of switch.

I don't understand what you are trying to say here.

[skogsbo]

I don't understand what you are trying to say here.

Any new lamps and light connections in sweden should have a different plug to a normal socket. It has 3 pins and can only go in one way. So the live is guaranteed to go to the switch, then onto the bulb.

If you have a lamp on a plug that can rotate 180 degrees, live can be either, so when you change the bulb the bit inner most could be live. You won't know though, unless you touch it, as the circuit hasn't been completed by the switch on the neutral returning to the plug.

Plenty house in many countries also have incorrectly wired permanent lights, where the live runs to the bulb holder, then the switch. Never presume it's safe. Test.

[Uncle Fred]

Any new lamps and light connections in sweden should have a different plug to a normal socket. It has 3 pins and can only go in one way. So the live is guaranteed to go to the ... (show full quote)

Any new lamps and light connections in sweden should have a different plug to a normal socket. It has 3 pins and can only go in one way. So the live is guaranteed to go to the switch, then onto the bulb.

If you have a lamp on a plug that can rotate 180 degrees, live can be either, so when you change the bulb the bit inner most could be live. You won't know though, unless you touch it, as the circuit hasn't been completed by the switch on the neutral returning to the plug.

Plenty house in many countries also have incorrectly wired permanent lights, where the live runs to the bulb holder, then the switch. Never presume it's safe. Test. ... (hide full quote)

Polarity is irrelevant with AC. Many ceiling lamps come with 2 pins, meaning you can put the plug in either way. It's only metal lamp fitting that have 3 pins.

[skogsbo]

Polarity is irrelevant with AC. Many ceiling lamps come with 2 pins, meaning you can put the plug in either way. It's only metal lamp fitting that have 3 pins.

. From an electrical functionality viewpoint of a standard incandescent bulb, it doesn't matter which way the current flows -- but it might matter for led or cfl bulbs (cfl = compact fluorescent). However, from a SAFETY perspective, the polarity does matter.

Yes you can plug in either way. But what you don't want is it to be permanently live, the switch should control the live, not neutral. That's why new light fittings only go in one way.

Each to their own of course.

[Uncle Fred]

. From an electrical functionality viewpoint of a standard incandescent bulb, it doesn't matter which way the current flows -- but it might matter for led or cfl bulbs (cf ... (show full quote)

. From an electrical functionality viewpoint of a standard incandescent bulb, it doesn't matter which way the current flows -- but it might matter for led or cfl bulbs (cfl = compact fluorescent). However, from a SAFETY perspective, the polarity does matter.

Yes you can plug in either way. But what you don't want is it to be permanently live, the switch should control the live, not neutral. That's why new light fittings only go in one way.

Each to their own of course. ... (hide full quote)

220v LEDs are DC and need a rectifier to convert from AC, this is built into the lamp. For example a GU10 or a MR 16 can be fitted in 2 ways. To add to that UK bulbs can go in anyway. So polarity is irrelevant. You are however right that the live should be switched.