American Reacts to British Plugs and Outlets - The Best in The World!
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- 👉 Support the channel at ko-fi.com/reac...
In this video I react to why British plugs and outlets are truly the best in the world. This is the 2nd time I'm exploring British plugs and I'm glad I checked this video out as I learned so much more. The plugs and power outlets in the UK are so much better than what I’m used to. As a parent I wish we had the safety features of British plugs and outlets here at home.
Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this reaction please give this video a thumbs up, share your thoughts in the comments and click the subscribe button to follow my journey to learn about my British and Irish ancestry.
👉 Original Video:
• British Plugs and Outl...
👉 Subscribe to my channel:
/ @reactingtomyroots
![Cody Johnson - I'm Gonna Love You (with Carrie Underwood) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yy9PuYMU29g/mqdefault.jpg)
I have never stepped on any of these plugs in my life. The appliances don't need to be unplugged because you can switch it off at the socket. Also in the case of TV's , washing machines and many other appliances, the plug is usually behind it, so you are not going to struggle to pull the plug out.
I was going to say the same thing I don't see it as flaw to be honest coz even if you unplug who is going to stick it so out where you can stand on it? You wouldn't
@@Princesscat109nor can it be pulled out easliy because of the bottom cable outlet, so wouldn't be lying on the floor
This is why the sockets with USB's are so useful, the taking the plugs out was common many years ago when we didn't have so many sockets, but now not so as mentioned.
My house was so old when I got it, there were old fashioned bakerlite sockets, I didn't have the plugs so put 2 wires into the sockets . It worked well enough until I re wired the place !
@@petergordon4525 oh yes I know that of course but I was just saying coz the video look like it was applying you would leave it in the middle of the room ( ok not that far but you know what I mean) for you to stand on it if taken out, you wouldn't you would push it to side of the wall or with an extension lead you would pick it up if your not using it.
We were taught to wire plugs safely and correctly, in high school. It was part of the basic level physics class. I never forgot how - the wires are easy - bLue to the Left, bRown to the Right and when there is a green and yellow, it goes straight up like a daffodil. The English education system did work back then (I am OLD)!
I was also taught that, I'm not even 30 yet.
They only stopped teaching it in schools around the 2010s.
Maybe I am older because when I learnt it was red black and green,
Unfortunately now most if not all plugs on devices are moulded ones so the art of wiring a plug is going to be lost.
The original mantra that I heard was "George Brown is a live wire"; He was a Labour poilitican about whom it was once said "he wasn't drunk; he was tired and emotional".
Hope you aren't really, cause I was taught that too!😉
The size of a British plug has NEVER stopped me pushing any furniture up against a wall because British plugs are flat.
Yeah I'd say it's actually easier than American plugs due to the lead going straight down. With American plugs having it stick straight out it probably ends up taking up more room, and there's more chance of damaging it.
@@Relyx also more of a chance of tripping over something plugged in in America than in uk.
The size of a British plug has SOMETIMES stopped me pushing some furniture up against a wall because they are bulky.
@@X22GJP fine but think how much trouble you would have with an American plug with the plug and wire sticking strength out and not going down like with a uk plug.
Depends on the plug tbh. My laptop and game console plugs are bulkier.
But yeah, most plugs are no thicker than the skirting board so it's redundant in most cases.
Leave the plugs in when out or on holiday just turn switches off . Very clever design . 😊
Stayed in a large hotel in Philadelphia a number of years ago. The bathroom light was not working, however there was a table lamp on the side of the bath pluged into a loose socket in the bathroom wall. They could not really understand why I kicked up hell and demanded another room.
One great thing about the ring main system is the ease with which extra sockets can be put around a room, even if they will rarely by used. This way, you don't need extension leads trailing across the middle of the room - there are usually sockets near the sofa and the armchairs and the table and the television, and with the modern fashion for lots of low-power devices, lots of sockets are required.
It's amazing how good a plug can be if health and safety is thought of 😂
You dumbass it only to do with Safety not health
Thanks for the video and love the comparison. Living in the UK I grew up with this plug which has matured over the years.
Definitely agree the British plug is definitely the best! I lived in Spain for years where they have 2 pin very similar to the US and they aren't as good as all, often loose or wobbly in the outlet too as well as all the other drawbacks.
The disadvantages he mentioned I can't really agree with, the size is a fair one but who cares it's literally a plug, safety and things like that is more important, plus you need the size to have those safety features. Like for example you don't get 400hp out of a 1 litre engine, you need it to be larger. Plus the plugs are flatter so you can put furniture up against them so I think the size is an invalid argument. Also the loaf balancing thing is not an issue at all, I've never experienced that and neither has anyone I know. It was sometimes an issue years and years and years ago but definitely not in the last 50 years or more and even then it was a non issue. But there's one that I can't argue with.... Stepping on the plug, really really really hurts! My feet are curling up thinking about it. I'd love to say realistically it never happens, and while it may be rare, I don't know anyone that's never done it at least once! Oh well haha!
I know, you're on holiday, you plug in your phone to charge overnight, in the morning the plug has come out of the wall and you have to wait hours for 110v to charge the phone up. And those things spark and fizz. To say nothing of the odd bare electrical wire that hangs out of the wall for no good reason, that you avoid for two weeks in case your holiday ends in firey death. (You can tell I only go to cheap hotels!)
You definitely agree it's definitely the best eh? You say the size is a fair negative, which is an agreement, yet you say you can't really agree with them - bit of an oxymoronic statement there.
You can also buy sockets without on/off switches for things like freezers and fridges so you can't accidently turn off by mistake.
And sticky notes when the office didn't do that. 🙂
@@vickymc9695 Yes, but sticky notes fall off, especially when they are near a steaming kettle believe me I know from past experience 🤣
Trouble shooting a faulty lamp really isn't an issue, almost all switches at the socket have some kind of indicator to show they are on so you know if it is the lamp or not.
Oh yeah. But stepping on a plug isn't just painful. It's AGONY! & the size of the plug sends you more off balance than stepping on Lego.
Hope everyone has an amazing week & much love to all from here in the UK
bonus is you can use them as caltrops if you need.
I have never trod on a plug - maybe because I disconnect by switching the plug off instead of pulling it out of the socket?
@@jillosler9353 I hope you don't ever step on a plug. & I agree with you. Where possible leave the plug plugged in, & turn it off at the wall. But accidents do happen.
I've stepped on plenty of small toys so I can only imagine how stepping on a plug must feel. Ouch. LOL I hope you have an amazing week as well Andrew. :)
@@reactingtomyroots "Ouch!"?!? You're a Dad. You know as well as any of us that yelling out "Ouch" isn't an option. We tend to only stand on stuff like that in the middle of the night while heading to the bathroom
We don’t just have 1 ring though so balancing isn’t really an issue we have multiple rings. We know kitchens are heavy load so kitchens generally have there own and cookers have independent supply. Most houses then have a downstairs ring for all other downstairs plugs and an upstairs ring to isolate one from the other! My garage has its own ring also. Lightning is generally the same most houses have independent lighting rings for up and down.
Because we have switched sockets we don't have to unplug anything, so I never have plugs just lying on the floor, and if I turn on a lamp and it doesn't come on, I instinctively check that the socket is turned on first, and load balancing? That's the first time I've even heard of that as a problem, also we tend to have several rings e.g. I live in a two floor 3 bedroom house, each floor has it's own lighting circuit which is lower voltage just for lights, and each floor has it's own socket circuit for normal appliances, something more power hungry like a boiler or stove has it's very own circuit, each circuit has it's own grade of wire too, thinner ones for lighting, much thicker ones for a stove, plus other stuff like a cooker hood has to have a fused spur for added safety, which is basically a wall mounted plug/socket in one in a way, and each ring circuit has it's own circuit breaker in the main fuse box so can easily be isolated at the flick of a switch, I think he was really clutching at straws to find some negatives!
Not all UK sockets have switches
We have fuses in the plugs but also fuse boards which respond immediately if there's a fault.
Our electricity is 240 volts at 50 Hz Each ring main uses a 32 amp breaker at the fuse box The ring main balances the resistance at each socket
The UK voltage supplied by the generating network (as required by law) is actually 230v with tolerance +10%/-6%. This was introduced to bring us into line with most of the EU operating at 220v
ALL UK plugs MUST have an Earth pin !
Our plugs have to be that size to include all the safety features. So NOT a bad thing !
The on /off switches on the wall sockets are only a "problem" for Americans !
Our plugs are usually BEHIND furniture etc and NOT lying in the middle of the floor. We would just turn them off with the switch and leave the plug in the socket anyway !
You don't say " a LEGO". You say a "PEICE of LEGO".
Dude, no need to be confrontational. But you do have a point. Hehe
You could use them in the US since the power delivered to the door is 240v. It gets divided at the circuit breaker box. Utility rooms tend to be the only room in the house bridging both sides.
17:23 There are only two times in your life that you might stand on a plug. One of them is when you're a child who doesn't know any better. The other is if you're too drunk to remember that it's unnecessary to remove the plug, as the switch does the same job.
I've never had a problem trouble shooting a lamp that wasn't turned on at the socket. LOL!
The very best thing is that the cable lies flat against the wall, so furniture can be pushed right up against the socket.
The ground pin is on all fittings (else the shutters will not open) but for some systems may only be a plastic 'dummy' pin. My phone charger, for instance.
I lived in the UK and “mainland” Europe. There are two main types, one common in France and Belgium, one common in almost all other countries. Many appliances come with a plug that is compatible with outlets in all these countries by providing both grounding features. The advantage of the main European plug (type F) is that you can flip the plug, which is an advantage that I was surprised not to see featured. Neutral and Live pins really is a moot point when it comes to AC electricity.
There's also something else, too, where if water gets splashed inside the plug socket, it will trip your electric and switch everything off automatically
They may be bigger plugs than yours, but yours stick out way further, so we can push furniture up against them with no problem. The standing on the plug thing as a negative was ridiculous. I'm in my 50s and haven't ever trodden on an upturned plug - they're always in the socket cos you can switch the appliance off with the switch instead of having to take it out of the socket. I didn't even realise you had a problem with loading and using multiple appliances on the same system. It's never occurred to me as it just isn't an issue here. You can keep your rubbish plugs 😉
i am in my 50's and stood on it once or twice.. it was late at night
I've stepped on them a couple of times especially years ago, maybe not as many outlets back then? Or maybe I eventually learned my lesson 😂
I believe there are 90 degree adaptors available to alleviate the issue with sticking out plugs, no idea how commonly they're used though.
After using the UK system for over 60 years I have to say I have never had or heard of a problem with load balancing :). On the plug size, on the surface the plugs are bigger, however when you look at something plugged into the wall it becomes a different story. The US system requires the plug to go in straight,so it sticks out from the wall, then you have the distance that the wire protrudes from the plug before it can safely bend downwards. Of course you have to add to that the distance required to remove and push the plug into the wall including allowing for the wire. So while the plug itself may be bigger the room it takes to function is less as the wire goes downwards..
It doesn't happen often because I rarely unplug things and leave them on the floor but I can say for certainty if you stand on an upturned plug you will know about it and will not want to do it again. Great video
One difference regarding hazards, due to the voltage difference... A 240V system is going to make electric shocks more deadly, but a 120V system is more likely to start a house fire. Up to you which is worse.
US is 120Vac 60Hz, UK is 230Vac +/-10% (mine is 252Vac) 50Hz. So a shock is more dangerous. Alot of modern UK devices have a moulded UK plug but you can cut that off and use a replaceable. We have a trip in the consumer unit, the fuse in the plug, then quite often an IEC inlet on the device (yet another fuse and/or switch).
The 9mm was result of unforseen consequences. In 1971, schoolboys discovered that the new "New Penny" bronze coin was a perfect fit between the three pins and they could booby-trap the circuit for the next user. The 9mm insulation was rushed out as a result. The coin still fits to this day.
Someone did that in the computer room back when I was in college in the 80s. I got accused of it, but it certainly wasn't me - I'd never do anything so stupidly dangerous.
3 or 5 amp fuse in TV
13 amp in kettle or heater
A large surge and the fuse will protect the TV or lower ampage item
Pins are isolated by plastic wall to prevent arcing
Unlikely to be on floor as can't pull out accidentally
Leave plug in and switch at socket
Internal wall wiring is coded to take ampage
Units can close to wall around 1" 1/4"
One of the main reasons for the improved safety is that the power in the UK is 230v where the US is 115V. You are more likely to get a severe shock in the UK, more so than in the US - so increased safety, especially for children, is key.
I woke up the other night in need of a pee. I stood on a plug in the dark and WOW did it hurt. Our plugs here in the UK are robust and well up to being safe and capable of handling loads up to 13A.
Do they all have a ground/earth pin? Yes, only bathroom sockets, maybe, are different.
one of my mates was running and he stood on a plug and it went full depth of all 3 pins into his heel he went to the hospital obviously and we were saw him a couple days later he showed us a perfect inprint of a plug socket in his heel
You missed the fact in the US you need to have dedicated sockets in your garage or workshop for mig welders and other high voltage appliances. In the UK you don't as a standard socket will run them.
I worked in Poland for a few years and a guy there told me they used to use Aluminium for electrical cables.....imagine those overheating ! Hence they changed
As an electrician ... We use both Ring circuits & Radial circuits, depending on what the circuits intended purpose or reason to be one or the other.
For example, it might be better to use a Radial circuit for outdoor lighting while a ring circuit would be great for multiple spot lights in the same room.
There are many factors and really comes down to the electricians preference & cost of the job.
I feel like load balancing was definitely a negative when I was younger but safer appliances has allowed me to put a crazy amount of load out of a single plug without issue or fear. like some people said no one leaves plugs out we have a switch on the wall to turn off is we need to do that. that said I have seen people step on a plug before so it's not like it's an impossible thing to accidentally do. just so incredibly rare
the only times my fuse box has tripped was when I had a dodgy washing machine that was shorting out when on the spin cycle due to an exposed wire inside hitting the metal case of the machine and making it live (i.e a death trap), it just took out half the sockets in the kitchen everytime as my home has multiple zones each one has its own switch at the box, thankfully the fridge freezer is on a separate one. if I had my fuse box tripping all the time I'd be worried and get an electrician in to check it all. as for the switched sockets I have never had one fail that wasn't obvious, there isn't much to go wrong in a switched socket normally when it does the switch no longer works as in it physically is ceased up and does not move so its obvious when a switched socket is broken.
I can understand lego being left in a walking space, but a plug? 😃
If you don’t have an earth in the appliance in the uk the earth pin is still present but it’s plastic. This is for double insulated appliances only.
Just as an aside, you can purchase sockets with or without switches, with or without lights, with or without USB ports and in many different colours...we're so spoilt! 😆
Just a little think about changing the plug unfortunately on some it’s now sealed with plastic so it’s harder to change the plug, but it does have a hatch to change the fuse. This is mostly on high voltage items like microwaves and the like.
The load balancing thing is a non-issue. Large appliances that use a lot of energy like fridges/ovens etc are normally on their own ring circuit and have their own dedicated on/off switch separate from the regular outlets. Each of these circuits then connects to the main switch board. So there's normally several ring circuits, one for outlets, one for lights, one for the oven/fridge etc if that makes sense.
Been sent an US plug before with an adapter for a new phone. Yer that thing was so shaking, and wobbly, I worried about leaving it unattended to charge the phone. Really freaked me out that it could still draw power while being half tipped out of the socket. Got a UK version within a week.
Actually in the UK it is is rated at 240v with a variance often up to 270v.
I fit main transient suppressors in my plugs to clamp them to the rated value
Stepping on a plug in the UK absolutely kills. I have done it a few times unfortunately 😂
Addressing the cons.
1. The dimensions are not problematic. You don't put a toaster in cupboard then realise there isn't room for the plug.
2. I've never experienced "load balancing", in any home or work environment. He made it up.
3. Electrical installation follows a strict standardised set of rules. It means the circuits are incredibly safe and easily managed.
4. Living in a country that has switches on the sockets, means you are aware that there are switches on the sockets.
5. Not sure why someone would do this but they deserve the consequences and will no doubt learn from the experience.
@17:00
This isn't an issue as flicking the switch down is always "on" and flicking up is always "off"
The "load balancing" thing isn't really an issue people in the UK know about either, so it's not so much of an issue to be a common occurrence.
The only downside is stepping on them...
Because we have switches we dont tend to take the plugs out so avoid standing on them.
The electricity supply in the USA is entirely different to ours. There is, generally, an individual transformer serving each property, so every property is provided with a supply with is fully isolated. This system is used here on all construction sites and anywhere which requires a higher level of safety, by means of individual 110 volt isolating transformers. The equipment used on construction sites is almost always 110 volts for this reason. Doubling the voltages increases the danger by a factor of four. So, our supply is not only four times more dangerous than that used in the USA, because one side is neutral with respect to earth, if you are standing with bare feet on a wet surface and come into contact with the phase side of the supply, you will almost certainly be killed. While our system is much more dangerous, it is also much more efficient. To carry the same amount of power, our fixed wiring and flexible leads need to be only half the size of those used in the USA. So, for example, to power a small portable electric heater drawing one kilowatt, only a five amp lead is required with our system, while in the USA a ten amp lead would be required. Not only that, since we do not have a separate transformer serving each property, there is no loss from using a transformer (these are never very efficient and always run hot). Increased efforts have been made with our system. The plugs of prongs are metal only at the tips, and the live part of the socket is closed by a flap until forced open by pushing the longer, earth, pin into the socket. By the time the flap is open, only the insulated part of the pin is outside the socket, so that even the smallest finger cannot make contact with the live metal.
Yes faulty gear or poorly done rings, can flip it. Using an Oven, Washing Machine, kettle. And a few rooms connected to the kitchen circuit. The kitchen circuit can trip, I've encountered it in many houses. That a ring will flip off, maybe moisture in the loop, or something overloading it. You will encounter it from time to time. In a perfectly done electrics it won't be a problem. But even where I am right now, the rings they created are unconventional to say the least. Maybe due to an influx of electricians from out of town so to speak or home grown corner cutters. But that is also due in part to houses being Old here, and codes changing over time.
And yes if you live here, you will step on a plug a few times in your life. It's painful, but probably no where near as painful as a trip to A+E because you became part of the live circuit for a few moments.
I’ve stood on a plug and the pain was insane!!! 😂
I guess a downside to many many things is that they might be unpleasant to step on in the night. Perhaps Americans are more likely to leave random plugs lying in the middle of the floor at night?! Also, a downisde to having a lamp with a plug is that you might actually forget to plug it in, and that point you don't know whether you need start troubleshooting the lamp itself, or if it's the lightbulb, or if it's the socket. That's the moron test if you suspect a fault before having first a) checked it's plugged in, b) checked it's switched on. We've all forgotten to do a) or b), but it's no fault of the system!! :)
even though the plug is bigger because the cable hangs straight down it sticks out from the wall less than the US plug
Steve, you can disregard all of those 'cons' - for instance, nobody has ever trodden on a plug because we never leave them lying around, we don't have to unplug them. Load balancing really isn't a problem either.
I've stepped on these plugs a few times. Yes it bloody hurts but I never been shocked by them
You wouldn’t think anything of the size of the plug if that’s always what you’ve been used to, and I’ve never stood on a plug either, as they’re not in places where you would walk.
When I went to Florida on holiday, I thought the American plugs were inferior to ours and flimsy with no earth pin.
I now live in New Zealand, and the plugs are similar to the American ones but have an earth pin (no fuse either) but they do have power switches on the sockets and also are 220-240v
They also have the insulated live and neutral pins too, and maybe less flimsy than the American plugs.
Those negatives were really grasping at straws.
1) The size isn't really a disadvantage, when you consider that when plugged in they only stick out half an inch, and the cable runs straight down the wall - whereas with American plugs, there's an inch of plug sticking out, then the cable too. You can put furniture much closer with the British plugs.
2) New ring mains haven't really been installed for years now - and in 40 years of dealing with electrical installation and fault finding I've never once encountered load balancing problems in a household.
3) I feel like 'not checking it's switched on' when fault finding is more a problem that people who aren't accustomed to switched-sockets would have. ;)
4) The pain is real.
Unfortunately, more and more plugs, especially with appliances, are supplied as moulded so maintenance is not possible (although the good moulded plugs do have the easy change fuse)
I don't think anyone has ever had a problem with spending time trying to work out if a device has a problem or the socket is off. It's pretty obvious if the socket is off because the switch is the wrong way!
I've semi stepped on a plug before when someone removed it to plug something else in. It hurt. Thankfully I didn't put my foot down hard so pulled it away in time. I have seen a picture of someone who managed to impale their foot. Yikes. For the most part though, we just leave things plugged in because we can just turn the switch off so no need to keep pulling things out.
Standing on a plug is painful 😂 done it way too many times.
The deadly flaw of our British plug is treading on one in your bare feet. They always end up teeth upwards on the floor.
We use both terms, grounding pin or earth pin
a while back appliances didn't come with plugs and you had to put your own on
Like you said it would cost more to switch over to the same system as ours, but isn't safety more important than cost.
If I build my own house one day I seriously may look into it.
As a member of the UK the absolute worst thing about the UK plug is standing on it when all the prongs are facing up 😐
Have never ever had a load balance problem
Hmmm the lamp is off that I switched off at the wall yesterday. I wonder if I need a new bulb 🤔
Virtually all of the down sides he mentions are about ring mains, there is no reason you cannot use a G plug and socket on a radial system. And the other problem he mentions is standing on a plug, not really an issue because you will naturally drop it near the socket which are at the edge of the room, not where you walk, unlike where your child has been playing with lego
House insurance could be lowered if they switched or at least suggested
Yes all our plugs have the earth pin
Some considerations. Load balancing is not a thing ive ever had to think about. Let alone actualy mannage. Its Very hard to overload a socket. You would have to run 2x 3kw heaters off the same socket to cause issue. Everyday apliances and plugs though just a non issue. We dont tend to have plugs laying around on the floor to stand on. And most that you might E.G phone chargers. Dont tend to land pins up because they are longer. No one has ever not checked the switch first if something does not have power lol 99.9% of the time its just the switch lol. His negatives are realy clutching at straws to actualy present some XD
I think the American easy and convenient factors into your design as our plugs can be by design hard to pull out of sockets and put in depending on the plug and sockets condition, say an old weak arm would have a job doing that so maybee that’s why
I don't agree with his negative comments because nobody what I recall in the UK ever had issues with what he highlighted and we have more than one plug sockets we have at least 3 or more in one room and can get extendable ones to test if say a lamp doesn't work 😅
I feel like the negatives were not negatives and you never feel more alive if you stand on a plug
each plug / socket is capable of a 3KW load too
Hi mate the negatives are not true ... i do not remove my plugs the socket has a switch ... never stood on one cause if you do pull one out it drops near the wall .... cant touch the pins if its half way out cause its got plastic coating on the two pins .... children can not put things in the socket because when the plug is out the socket the live and neutral sockets are covered ... apart from that i love them 😂😂😂
I don't think I've ever had to worry about plugging a hair dryer or kettle among other devices 🤔🤷♀️ everything just works in the UK without having to worry about it 😅 BUT I totally agree! Standing on a plug by accident is sooooo painful! 😅 doesn't happen too often though 👍
I'm not sure that load balancing is really a problem. I have ancient wiring in my house and yet I've got a music studio's worth of plugs all going into 3 sockets. In fact I've just counted and I have 18 plugs going into 3 extension leads, going into 3 sockets in total, 1 double and 1 single. I've been here for 15 years and have never had a short, and I've had power tools using the same sockets occasionally.
I live in the UK I don't recall ever standing on one in the last 40 years and I am not that Tidy. if it won't power on you Check the switch and check it's plugged in. Load balancing I don't know what that shit is all about.
Only happened once but I did step on a type G. It wasn't great, so a fair criticism.
The stepping on a plug is the only real world downside of this plug. It does hurt to step on one and it happens. The load balancing is a non issues 99% of the time (unless you have really old wiring and in that situation you should be renewing your wiring at that point anyway) and the switch being turned off and not knowing what's going on isn't an issue. It just becomes normal to 1st check the plug is on and then check the fuse if it still doesn't work.
All our Uk plugs have the earth pin
Yes, all UK plugs have a ground pin, and the EU laws we inherited means that any new electrical products must have a ground wire, too! There are some older flex cables that only have two wires, no ground. But the plug is still capable of working properly if you only have a 2 wire flex.
Incorrect, very few modern appliances must have a 3rd wire for earth, no double insulated appliances require an earth wire and will have none.
Some earth pins are plastic on the plug which doesn't make any sense so it isn't earthed
Every UK kid knows at a very early age, the pain of a plug on the floor....that sneaky landmine that has crippled many on the way to the bathroom for a midnight wee! It's often the first time that parents hear their golden child swearing😂
Really? I have literally never heard of anyone stepping on a plug. Why would anyone be leaving a plug in the centre of a room?
@@carolineskipper6976 🤣 well now you literally have heard of someone. We English ALWAYS walk to the centre of the room before we exit. We're are NOTORIOUS for it. That's why we leave a plug in the CENTRE of the room...somehow missing the lamp that it's attached to...its always the plug that makes contact 🤣🤣🤣
He was struggling to find negatives. Load balancing isn't really a problem and we rarely unplug from the socket and leave them lying around. Always left in the outlet whether on or off.
he had to try to find something to say america is better ;)
@@Greenwood4727yes he dosent know what he’s talking about, he dosent live here. Just being picky for the sake of it, and we don’t often have to pull a plug out,, he’s just jealous cos there plugs are rubbish!!
Also our appliances like kettles, toasters etc have cord storage and even if they don't, we generally wrap up the cord and put it out of the way anyway.
I have been an idiot on a few occasions and left a cord with the plug up and stepped on it, yes hurt and one time drew blood, though last time I did that was 15 years ago... I don't intend for a repeat feck-up! 😅
@@beverleyringe7014 yeah i lived in america for a time and it was scary, not just the general stuff, where i was was kids and they were attracted to the plugs gave me fear everytie they went near.
The only real negative I can think of that he didn't mention is some poorly made plugs might be hard to remove from the socket.
And the grips aren't great at getting your fingers on if they're not indented enough.
There is no problem with load balancing it's a very dated idea.
Yeah until this bloke mentioned it in his video I've never even heard of load balancing being an issue on power sockets.
Was going to say the same thing. It's just not something anyone ever thinks about in the UK. A single ring circuit can carry 32 amps at ~230v, the max you can pull through a single plug is 13amps, but there are very few items that pull that sort of current around the home and you'd need at least three of these high watt devices in use at the same time and on the same ring circuit to have any issues.
Load balancing is not a problem. Not sure where he gets this from. Yes standing on a plug is the worst. X
I remember my parents telling me (we're talking the 60s now) that you shouldn't plug hungry things like a kettle and a toaster into plugs next to each other - I guess that's what he's talking about. So ingrained was this advice (I was such an attentive child!) that even today I find myself letting the kettle turn off before I put the toaster on. Completely unnecessary, I suppose! 🙂
Spot on
What he didn't mention was our electrical safety standards are constantly being improved, a lot of things have their own circuit, like cookers and showers which run on 30 amps , smoke alarms and burglar alarms also have their own circuit, and the kitchen sockets are not on the same circuit as the rest of the house, lighting circuits are usually separate for each floor too, meaning it doesn't plunge the whole house into darkness if there is a problem, we have a fusebox with switches for each circuit, so its quite easy to tell if its an appliance or the wiring thats at fault, we don't have sockets in our bathrooms either, apart from a shaver socket which is useful for electric toothbrushes, there's only one improvement I would make to our fusebox and that's a built in battery light so you can find the tripped switch in the dark, and as for standing on a plug , it does really hurt but you only do it once 😅
Use the torch on your mobile phone, which is constantly in the hands of younger folk.🤣
are rcds standard in most your fuseboxes aswell? in new zealand most houses have them so even if a kid did stick something in the socket the power would immediately trip preventing a shock
@@mikekilkelly2138 RCD'S are standard these days, however, there are a lot of older properties that are lacking this safety feature.
Sadly I'm a 40.year old.dummy who never learned the first.time 😢
The breaker levers are large enough to be operated by feel. I don't know if it's intentional.
Worth mentioning, fuses are interchangeable, so 13 amp would be great for washing machines while 3 amp for smaller stuff.
That's not always a positive, if you have a faulty device that uses a 5 amp fuse that keeps blowing, there's nothing to stop you putting a 13 amp fuse in and continuing to use it. Good way to start a house fire.
I think the already good design could be improved if the plug only accepted a fuse of the correct amperage for the device it is fitted to.
@@TestTestGo valid point (Grenfell is testament to that), which is why many kitchen appliances have started fusing the plugs to the appliance so it can’t be changed. My father was an electrician and taught his kids the different amp types, how to maintain plugs and sockets, toilets, sinks. He gave us everything we needed to be self sufficient. I was a 15 yr old girl with skills many people never have. Now I’m a grandmother whose never needed to call an electrician or plumber til health reasons threw me off my pedestal.
@@Burglar-King A fused plug does not stop me from cutting the plug off and putting my own on.
I grew up having to wire plugs so I actually get a bit annoyed with molded plugs as the plug itself can be annoying as hell when trying to run a cable discretely. There are many times I have had to hack off a molded plug, feed the wire through a gap and then attach a new plug to the end afterwards.
The fuse is supposed to be rated for the size of cable on the plug, to protect the cable from overload. That it can be further derated for the appliance is secondary.
and as i say, 1 down for UK plugs is that the fuse can by self fixed with tin foil
Another American pointed out that you can push a sofa up against a British plug as it's flat to the wall, but the American one sticks out.
ino who ur on abt
Good point
@ElonTusk. it was Just two American girls! I can't see how to do a laughing emoji on here.
@@ElonTusk. ...Well, let's not be shy about naming names, shall we, Elon? The reference relates to the Natalie and Debbie Show, which clearly you know about in order to apply your illiterate, wink-wink comment. Take note: trash should always be binned.
@@2eleven48 ayyoo what, i was saying.. didnt mean anything by it.. i just forgot there channel name..
What the video failed to mention also was that all houses in the UK have at least 4 different ring circuits, so that the chances of overloading are minimised, as someone previously mentioned that a ring circuit is rated at 32 amps, and all UK appliances have their own fuse rating linked to their power consumption, hence why washing machines, dryers, and fridge/freezers have a 13 amp fuse and other appliances have 1/3/5 amp fuses accordingly.
No they don’t, an average 3 bedroom house has 2-3 rings max.
Thats not why homes have rings......rings are actually bad and cause overload in the cable....they were introduced during the 40s to combat the copper shortage and gave been used ever since
Why do people worry so much about standing on the plug ...... because there's a switch on the socket you can leave it permanently plugged in ..... no need to have it lying around on the floor
Possibly the age old US style of pointing to other country's things and saying they are dangerous
Exactly right. I have never in all my life stepped on a plug. But Lost count of the times I’ve stepped on a Lego brick
Exactly no need to pull out the plugs, so you won’t stand on them will you..
You leave your....
Iron
Hairdryer
Curling tongs
Hot glue gun
Jigsaw
Drill
Sandwich toaster
Grilling machine
Food blender
Cold fans
Fan heaters
Inflatable pumps
Phone chargers
Sewing machine
Clothes steamer
Overlocking machine
Deep fat fryer
Air fryer
Electric whisk
Heat gun
Nail gun
Extension leads
Hoover
Hair clippers
Battery chargers
Lawnmower
Strimmer
Nail lamp
Massager
Circular saw
Hedge trimmer
Jet washer
Fairy lights
Laptop
Tablet
Kids toys
Kids bikes
Bread maker
Air hockey
Foot spa
Toothbrush charger
And anything else you can think of plugged in 24-7????
Really?
I mean as well as usual plugged in items such as
TVs
Games consoles
Cooker
Toaster
Kettle,
Lamps
Fridge
Freezer
Washing machine
Tumble dryer
Dvd player
Sound bar
Speakers
Monitors
Computer
Dishwasher
Stereos
Microwave etc
Seriously? How many sockets do you have?
............
Yes I was being sarcastic. On account of your inability to think of other people's lives, homes, lifestyles, locations, equipment, family members, medical issues or anything else you seem incapable of imagining outside of your own four walls! Not everyone lives within four walls first off, they may live in a caravan or spend most of year in a tent. Many people live in hostels, bedsits, hospital wards, hospices, care homes, tiny flats or only rent a room...which may not have anywhere close to enough sockets for their daily lives.
You're not a woman, so did it not occur to you to think of hairdryers, nail lamps, curling irons?
If you don't do DIY or make clothes for example, then you wouldn't need power tools and craft machines, but many people do.
If you're fit and healthy it may surprise you to be reminded of disabled people, who have electric profiling beds, rechargeable scooters, medication pumps, automatic feeding pumps, hoists, electric wheelchairs, monitoring devices, sleep apnoea or epilepsy alarm pads on their beds, sensory toys, stimulatory devices and any other million and one gadgets to improve their quality of life.
And if you're not a parent it wouldn't occur to you to think of the rechargeable toys, batteries, bikes, electric cars, consoles, and games that require plugging in. Not to mention newborns often require equipment such as food blenders, steam sterilisers, breast pumps, nursery cams etc.
............
When you ponder a question, I often think it's best to ponder it alone for a while before blurting it out in public and making a fool of yourself. You've shown yourself to be primarily fixated on yourself and your situation, and incapable of trying to look at life through anybody else's eyes or experience. You seem to take an awful lot for granted in life too, and in case you weren't aware, shit happens. At any point your own finances or health could rapidly deteriorate and you may need to downsize. You could find your health requires far more electronic devices, yet your smaller home has far fewer sockets.
You did ask a question, and rather judgementally answered it in a smug self satisfied way, whilst proving you didn't really even ponder for a second on the answer. If it makes no sense to you, then it makes no sense full stop? How simple and smooth sailing your life must be....for now. How proud you are to have this ridiculous problem sussed out in life, when, what...everyone else is an idiot compared to you then? Just because they occasionally step on a spare plug they have insufficient sockets for?
Is the answer to your question so profound and mind boggling that it needed someone else to point it out to you? Well, no, it's not profound at all! It's actually very obviously easy to answer....the real question should be, why are YOU so unable to think beyond YOURSELF, to be able to answer it on your own?
@@tamielizabethallaway2413 All those things you mention are not every day use items. Do you keep all those things inside your home or do they live in the garage/shed or cupboard?
That was a long essay over nothing.
Only a Bozo would think of those "cons" 🤣
Except the last one it hurts like a bastard
@@tarkett8529 Can confirm, leaving one of these laying on the floor should be considered a war crime
@@upsidedownairline9388 usually my own fault, unplug my guitar amp or pedalboard and have to sort out the kids for 5 minutes, come back in and completely forget I’ve left them out
Only a Bozo would go out of their way to disagree with them
I can say our plugs are easy, as even I can change a fuse and change a plug! It's very rare to stand on a plug as we can just flip the switch on the socket to cut the power so we rarely unplug many items.
Load balancing really isnt a problem unless you are in a massive building like a factory or office block.
Isn't really a problem does not mean it is not a problem.
@@X22GJP isnt really a problem means its not a problem at all for 99% of buildings in the UK which are domestic dwellings or small businesses
Load balancing is only applicable between the phases of a 3 phase system. He is muttering about load distribution, a totally different thing
Yes, and there are ways to get around that, wiring a ring you skip every alternate socket (on commercial) ... the 2.5mm cable can take 75% of the load easily, even if the ring is open circuit it's unlikely to actually be a problem
The British plugs are bigger visually but once plugged in, they don’t protrude from the wall as far as the American plug does.
I recently bought a Mini Waffle Maker that makes one waffle at a time, perfect for one person. However I find it scary to use because it has no switch and the cord is too short to plug into the wall directly, at least in my house, so I have to use an extension lead. When I’m done using it, I have to disconnect it while it’s still hot. So far, I’ve been careful, but I wish it had a switch. Thankfully, I can switch it off at the wall first, if I get up and walk across the room.
He mentions at the end of the video that the British plug is a hazard at night because you can step on it in the dark, however that’s purely American thinking, because we can switch it off at the wall as well as at the appliance, so there’s no need to unplug it and drop the plug on the floor! If we are done with the appliance for the next few days, we can just put it away once it’s cold. No one leaves plugs lying on the floor! There’s never a need to do so.
I grew up in the UK, in Scotland and have now lived in the US, California, for thirty years. The UK Type G plug is hands down totally superior in every way to the US Type A or B. The negatives the presenter provided were a "stretch" at best for something to put on the Con side of the argument. To me personally, there is NOTHING on the con side at all. The plug housing is larger, but this actually help anyone with arthritis or weakness and the plug housings normally have a flange towards the outside that makes them easier to grip. They are flat when plugged into the wall and the cord runs down the wall, so they take up much less space than the US plugs. The pins NEVER get bent or broken, lol. In twenty years of living with the Type G in the UK I never personally stepped on the pins, and I've never known anyone to. In truth, because we have the outlet switch on the socket, we rarely unplug any appliance and leave the plug on the floor. Vacuum cleaners and mobile devices like that would be the only possible time that may occur, but I've really never heard of it.
Vacuum cleaners tend to have somewhere to coil or hang the plug from so a plug being on the floor is highly unlikely.
one CON is that if you are using one of the UK plugs you are probably in the UK paying UK energy prices, Ive read about how much they pay for electricity in Britain and it's quite high compared to other nations, i pay the equivalent of about 9p per kwh in New Zealand, In britain they pay over 4 times that amount if google is to be believed
@@mikekilkelly2138it's not normally much more than 9p, it has been excessively high over the past 18 months or so, following Russia invading Ukraine. Prices are coming down again though so hopefully won't be long before we're back in 15p/kWh again!
I have stood on a UK plug. It's like standing on Lego, but worse - this is the reason I've never done it again because on the odd occasion I leave a plug on the floor, it is next to the wall and tipped toward it!
@@willb4643 when I was a kid, I think my auntie had just finished vacuuming and hadn't wrapped the wire back up yet. My cousin decided to show a tekken move 😖 jumped off the settee and the earth pin went straight in the bottom of his foot. only time I've ever seen this happen though 😂