In the UK one of the first things most people with any sort of interest in DIY or technology learn is how to 'wire a plug'.
Is this a UK specific thing, or is it common in other countries as well?
The Mu - Folding UK 3-pin → USB plug
21–30 of 53 posts
Re: The Mu - Folding UK 3-pin → USB plug
#22To quote: "Yes – the Mu® USB Adapter has been tested by recognised certification organisations and has the full pre-requisite approvals for CE certification." What approvals and organisations? Sounds like bullshit. That's the most evasive paragraph ever in the history of time. Proper UK mains plugs are incredibly over-engineered for a good reason. Excellent mechanical stability, no arcing likely, touch-safety, earth…
Class II appliances do not require a metal earth pin, it's there so that you can't electrocute yourself by touching the case.
You should also have an RCD or something on your circuits at home anyway which will cut the power very fast if anything bad happens.
Re: The Mu - Folding UK 3-pin → USB plug
#23To quote: "Yes – the Mu® USB Adapter has been tested by recognised certification organisations and has the full pre-requisite approvals for CE certification." What approvals and organisations? Sounds like bullshit. That's the most evasive paragraph ever in the history of time. Proper UK mains plugs are incredibly over-engineered for a good reason. Excellent mechanical stability, no arcing likely, touch-safety, earth…
Class II (double insulated) appliances don't require an conducting earth pin. It's only needed at all to open the shutters that cover the live/neutral holes in the socket.
>>> That thing is flimsy, requires manual twiddling
Have you tried the product yet?
>>> I very much doubt it's been tested or approved
They've stated that it's been independently tested, which is sufficient for self-certification for the CE mark. What makes you think they're lying?
>>> us engineers are crying
I doubt you are an electrical engineer. Edit: apologies.
Re: The Mu - Folding UK 3-pin → USB plug
#24Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've had a plug disintegrate inside the socket. (the metal prongs somehow detached from the plug). So, don't do this! I'd argue that the really good thing about the UK plug is 1) the switches in the sockets and 2) that the devices are all well-grounded. The EU one is usually just 2 contacts, with an optional 3rd one for ground. That's bad, anyway I look at it.
I'd argue that the really good thing about the UK plug is 1) the switches in the sockets and 2) that the devices are all well-grounded There are quite a lot of safety features built in to UK plugs. Other ones I'm aware of are the holes being shuttered until a plug is inserted, and the internal design meaning that if you pull hard enough on the external wire, pulling it out, the internal wires will disconnect in a saf…
Also the base of the pins is often insulated so that you can't even wrap a finger around the plug and touch a pin while shoving it clumsily into a socket.
Re: The Mu - Folding UK 3-pin → USB plug
#25It is a (design-wise) shame that the UK plug design forces adapters to be so big. Europlug USB adapters are much more slicker http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/339903558/_Euro_Plug_USB_T... .
I think that depends on the angle you approach the issue from. Having spent the last three years in Japan after growing up in the UK, I find the general lack of respect towards electricity as a deadly force that is encapsulated in the flimsy plug design quite startling. While the UK plug design is unwieldy in comparison, it also features a huge number of cleverly designed elements intended to provide the utmost prote…
Japan may be on the other side of the scale, I also find their plugs look flimsy (as an European).
But the UK plug is just an artefact of the dangerous series circuits in many houses built during copper shortages. Such circuits are dangerous anyway, the remaining such houses should be fixed instead.
Re: The Mu - Folding UK 3-pin → USB plug
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd argue that the really good thing about the UK plug is 1) the switches in the sockets and 2) that the devices are all well-grounded There are quite a lot of safety features built in to UK plugs. Other ones I'm aware of are the holes being shuttered until a plug is inserted, and the internal design meaning that if you pull hard enough on the external wire, pulling it out, the internal wires will disconnect in a saf…
At an old workplace, we had a piece of equipment with a European plug that we regularly had to shoehorn into a UK socket. It was a case of shoving a screwdriver or a pencil into the earth hole on the socket to simulate that pin being inserted and unlock the others, then fumble the EU plug into the live and neutral holes. (All while the socket was powered down, of course.) Not particularly safe, and the result of some…
Would a travel plug not be easier?
Re: The Mu - Folding UK 3-pin → USB plug
#27I couldn't find any information about whether or not this contains a fuse ... Isn't that mandatory for UK plugs? Seems quite "daring" to launch something like this for only the UK. Sure, it's a big market, but I hope they're looking at modularizing the plug part internally so they can instantiate the Mu for other markets, too.
The common UK plug is large and chunky, put them on the ground and someone'll stand on them barefoot. That hurts. This is the sort of thing that people know instantly what the advantages are. Tis great.
Re: The Mu - Folding UK 3-pin → USB plug
#28In the UK one of the first things most people with any sort of interest in DIY or technology learn is how to 'wire a plug'. Is this a UK specific thing, or is it common in other countries as well?
In the US it's almost impossible to get a re-wireable plug except for industrial extension leads.
Most Americans have no idea which pin is 'live'
Re: The Mu - Folding UK 3-pin → USB plug
#29To quote: "Yes – the Mu® USB Adapter has been tested by recognised certification organisations and has the full pre-requisite approvals for CE certification." What approvals and organisations? Sounds like bullshit. That's the most evasive paragraph ever in the history of time. Proper UK mains plugs are incredibly over-engineered for a good reason. Excellent mechanical stability, no arcing likely, touch-safety, earth…
I've just checked 2 phone chargers and a tablet charger. All of them have plastic earth pins. Earth != Ground...
you dont need to earth it when the power consumption is so low. The plastic pin is essentially to open the covers for the lower 2 pins.
Re: The Mu - Folding UK 3-pin → USB plug
#30It is a (design-wise) shame that the UK plug design forces adapters to be so big. Europlug USB adapters are much more slicker http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/339903558/_Euro_Plug_USB_T... .
I think that depends on the angle you approach the issue from. Having spent the last three years in Japan after growing up in the UK, I find the general lack of respect towards electricity as a deadly force that is encapsulated in the flimsy plug design quite startling. While the UK plug design is unwieldy in comparison, it also features a huge number of cleverly designed elements intended to provide the utmost prote…
How the heck did you get shocked 3 times in 3 years? I grew up in Turkey which has a no extra protections and quite shoddy electrical work all around, and neither me nor anyone I know has ever been shocked.
I really don't see how you could accidentally get shocked that many times unless you are repeatedly violating something that is common sense to everyone else.