UK electrical engineer here. Load balancing is rarely a problem. A property will have multiple rings (think lounge, bedroom, kitchen, lighting etc) and very power hungry appliances like an oven will have a single spur of its own. Also, finding out if an appliance has blown a fuse or is not switched on is simple; it's built in to us to first ask 'is it switched on at the socket?' :) Keep up the good work JT.
I feel you , thst guy explaining didn't have all the knowledge. It's like anyone who knew... try a different bulb , try the fuse ... its only a process of elimination ...not krypton factor..😂😂😂😂
@@wayne7521 he has no knowledge whatsoever it is just some pathetic propaganda again from unknown in uk maybe paying these loozers.. to keep promoting or god know what keep somehow uk relevant.. it is pathetic..
I think in the us space heaters are far more common. My house only had one ring until recently and never had an issue. It's quite hard to hit over 7kw in my experience.
I have never seen a lighting circuit on a ring and individual rooms barely have their own riongs, it's usually a ring on each floorSo one for the upstairs sockets and one for downstairs. Something I'd have thought an engineer would know.
One thing he missed out is, when the plug is plugged into the wall socket, the plug has a width of 2cm (3/4 inch) and that's all it sticks out from the wall. And as the cord comes out of the bottom, the outer face is flat. You can push furniture pretty close to that plug, without interfering with it in the slightest, which is useful if it's for something you want to leave plugged in like your TV, or side lamps or whatever. As the US plugs all have the cords coming straight out, there's a lot more sticking out of the wall, and not just the plug, but the cord for a bit before it bends down, so that option is out. That pretty much disproves his first disadvantage; UK plugs may look bigger, but they take up less space in practice. His second disadvantage, load balancing, really isn't an issue, I've certainly never come across it. His last two are just silly. If the lamp doesn't come on, the first thing to do is check the wall socket if you're in the habit of switching it off from there. And stepping on the plug? Don't leave them lying around on the ground in the first place.
I was going to say almost exactly the same thing. You can get furniture right up to the wall with a type G plugged in behind it. I dropped the contents of my bedside table down the back of it in a hotel in Chicago because the gap between it and the wall was massive due to the lamp being plugged in at the back and the wires needing space to poke out of the back of the plug. At home, the lip around the edge of my bedside table brings it into contact wit the wall even though I have a lam and a clock plugged in at the back. Load balancing is never an issue unless you live in a cupboard. Most, if not all, residential properties have multiple ring circuits - one for each room or lights vs sockets, etc. Yes to always checking the switch and as for stepping on a plug - you only do that once - after that you pick up and hope the people you live with do the same! My solution to that proble was to divorce the idiot that always left their hairdryer unplugged on the bedroom floor.
I guess one key difference in the USA is that the houses are generally a lot larger than we have in the UK, so an extra foot behind a TV cabinet doesn't really matter so much for example
Yeah, was coming to say the same - feel he was 'nitpicking' a bit here! Seen so many videos of US sockets needing to be replaced due to them being so loose that plugs do not stay in them securely, never had that happen with a UK one! Also for JT - yes, you can get travel adaptors for when you visit - BUT make sure that whatever you want to plug in is rated for our higher voltage! Most modern electronic equipment (e.g. phone/laptop chargers, computers, etc.) have auto-sensing power supplies that can work on anything from 100-250 volts, but don't bring a hairdryer over, it'll go bang! 😉
I'd also add that, due to us being able to switch things off at the socket, there just isn't the need to unplug things and leave a plug on the floor - it'll more than likely just be left plugged in anyway and switched off at the wall.
So. The original UK plug was designed by an apprentice working for a company called "Ashley's" based in Ulverston in the north west of England. The designer got only a bonus in his salary. And the plug was released on open patent. I know this because the designer was named Robert Mark Millican. My father.
@@Pegfoxx I'm British but spend about half my life in the US and I've got to say apart from a few miner annoyances your outlets etc are fine. Except... extension cords and power strips. You really should make fuses compulsory on them. More than once I've pissed off friends by noticing the cord on one was getting hot and just unceremoniously unplugging it. Luckily people understood why when I explained myself though.
I have worked construction and lived in the UK for 52 years and never encountered load balancing as a problem for our electrical outlets. Until the first time i saw this clip on another you-tube channel i never even knew there was such a thing. So it just is not an issue that i know of.
It was problem with older houses up until the late eighties and early nineties. The ring main system was implemented after WWII because of all the rebuilding needed and a shortage of raw materials particularly copper coupled with Britain's crippled economy and lack of money. As such many of these were built with cheap thin wiring which although adequate at the time rapidly became problematic with the rapid increase of household electrical devices. Only private properties which haven't changed hands or been rewired since the seventies would be likely to still have this issue.
Only time I’ve known of load balancing issues in the uk was if we ever went on caravan holidays when I was younger, where turning a few electric heaters on and a kettle would trip the electric 😅 not really comparable though. Been a while since I’ve been in one
@@ianjardine7324 The final ring was not implemented to save copper after WW2. It was to eliminate thee types of socket/plugs with different amperage ratings with just one, using a fuse in the plug .
One thing here in the uk we don’t generally unplug our plug and leave them on the floor to stand on. We just turn the outlet off. I’m 46 and have never stepped on a plug
@@lesallen1557 ha ha just maybe I have too many electrical appliances for my own good 🤣 I seem to remember it was my hairdryer that I had unplugged so that I could plug in my hair straighteners 🤣
You have to realise that the UK electricity supply to homes is at 230 volts, that is twice the power of that supplied in the US. That is why safety measures are important. But the extra power means faster & more powerful machines & devices can be used, i e heaters, washing machines etc. That is why we can have rapidly boiling kettles for our tea & coffee etc. Here in the UK there are items that have sealed plugs that cannot be opened but must be replaced complete with the cable. This is common for kettles & similar devices. Yes we do have surge protectors, but they may have a single switch for several outlets. What he says about overloading has never been a problem. You only step on one once, then you learn not to leave them lying around. Its easy to check an outlet, just plug in something you know is working, then you can see if it's the outlet that's out or a main circuit trip. It's not hard. You trip the local switch when you plug the device in or remove it, it becomes automatic.
No it's NOT twice the power, power is voltage times amps, eff me I wish you would get it right. Yes the higher voltage needs more security measures but NOT because it delivers more power but just because it has more ability to deliver amps through the skin.
Power is really watts not volts. Power/Watts = Volts x Current/Amps. Machine that consume more power require move current to over come the lower voltage. This is more a case of the system being able to handle that current and overcome physical constraints like resistance Ohms whcih generates heat. It not that such as system cannot exist it can and does in some cases. It more a question which physical constrains you want trade on that the expense involved. The most powerful machines generally run on three phase supply. Because it is more efficient to run motor that use three phase as the original supply from the turbine generator creates three phases, except where the supply in not generated by turning something and you need an inverter, etc. Some motor systems artificially create a phase gap, like certain light rail systems. The London underground is a DC not AC system but the on the trains the motors are typically 3 phase induction which mean the phases have to be generates first different constraints different decisions. On the old trains "shunting" often failed, you you could hear a noise prior to starting then a shunting noise to get the train moving. Sometime the motor would then stall possibly becuase the phases were misaligned or for other reasons, then the driver would break on the platform and start again. Different motor can generate more starting torque which is what you need to heavy stock. Would a kettle boil fast simply becuase it runs on 230v? well a kettle is just a giant resister, in the form of an element and steam and temperate sensitive switches. It doesn't necessarily follow a kettle will boil faster on 230v it also depend on the current it can support. You would likely need to double the current you supply however, and many US house don't do this, more likely is they will get a 220-240 supply as well as 110v for the appliances that need it, but will need the correct socket and plug. Practically this would liekly be a built in unit as it is often in modern homes.
@@vtbn53 True, but speaking as a UK qualified electrician, our houses are typically feed with a 60-100 amp supply, a ring main circuit is typically rated at 32Amps, and lastly the largest fuse a type G plug can be fitted with is 13 Amps, which means any given socket can draw just shy of 3KW of power. now I'm not qualified as an American electrician, but a quick google search reveals that the typical "outlet" is fused at 15Amps, it seams you can fit special purpose ones, but 15A seams to be the norm. Therefore the average American socket can draw a peek of 1.6KW, which is just over half the power of the UK sockets. Therefore, their statement is approximately correct. All be it by confusing the terms. 🙂
I am a 69 year old Brit and I can honestly say I have NEVER stood on a Type G plug as they can be switched off at the socket therefore they are invariably left plugged in the socket in the wall. Why anyone would leave them turned upright on the floor is frankly a mystery. Edit: also when you are brought up using Type G plus turning on at the plug or the device you are plugging in is not an issue, as you don’t turn it off at the socket as a matter of course, only maybe when you are going away on holiday!
I guess people in their 60s and 70s are much less clumsy than those in their 40s 😂 I stood on one a while back! It is truly worse than stepping on a Lego brick 😂
Yeah our surge protectors (or extension leads) are big 😂 a 5 or 6 plug one can be a couple of feet long 😂 and I've never been shocked from a UK plug ever! And I'm in my 30's 😊
I used to work aboard cruise ships that due to the markets they served ran both US and UK electrical systems. I heard the onboard electricians to say they loved the US system because it never had enough power to hurt them, but they loved the UK system because it had the power to actually run stuff.
The cord orientation and robust plug also means you can plug something in the push furniture right up against it without worrying bout damaging anything.
This is a good point, most of our houses are much smaller than American ones so we can't have the same number of outlets exposed and have to hide them behind furniture instead, but that isn't much of an issue when they are flat against the wall
As a kid in the UK, everyone was taught in school how to wire a plug, and replace the fuse.Back in the day many appliances came with a bare wire and you had to add your own plug. Having a fuse was huge advantage at the time these plugs were developed. Not so much nowadays but fuse boxes tended to be outside the house - on an external wall, inside the meter box where the electric company came to read to usage. With the fuse inside the plug, if you ever had something short out, that fuse would be the one to blow, rather than the one in the fuse box. You could then replace the fuse from the comfort of your arm chair, rather than venture outside in the dark, in the rain, with a flashlight held in your mouth while you used a screwdriver to undo the two screws which held the fuse wire in the ceramic fuse, cut a new length of the appropriate gauge fuse wire and place and screw that back into the fuse.
After years of research and experimentation, I finally solved the standing on a plug problem. It's a foolproof overall safety system I call "Don't leave the bloody plug on the floor"
I can't think of a single case where i've had a problem with the UK socket and plug system. Most learn from an early age about checking that the lamp, tv etc is turned on at the socket before switching on the appliance.
Another feature is that the fuses in our plugs have different ratings - generally 3A, 5A and 13A. Something like a table lamp will only have a 3A fuse, a hair drying will have a 13A fuse. This means if there is a surge, the 3A fuse will blow quite quickly, protecting the appliance it is feeding, which may be more sensitive to a surge. I believe our kitchen supply generally sits on it's own circuit and has extra capacity to account for heavy drain units like cookers, kettles, and washer/dryers (we tend to have the latter two in our kitchens and not a dedicated room). In addition, in the UK we do not have sockets in the bathroom - apart from a two pin shaver socket. Also, if the bathroom light is turned on within the bathroom, we use a pull chord and not a switch. Sometimes the light switch may be on the outside of the bathroom. As to the issue with plugs landing on their back, prongs upwards - if you think getting a shock from an outlet hurts, it is nothing like standing on a plug. Having said that, as we have isolation switches on all of our outlets, it is very rare that we would actually unplug an appliance, so the chances of them laying on the floor is minimal.
As a person who uses these plugs all the time I say the UK plug is one of the best not only for all its safety features this gentleman described but I like the factor that it is flush so you can plug it in and then push a sofa or a fridge or anything up against it. Testing the ring circuit is relatively easy. We have this new and simple way of doing it. You plug into your main fuse board with a simple clip and then you have the testing machine plugged into that cable and then you walk around the house with an extension cable touching the plug sockets and it takes about six minutes , to do a two bedroom apartment!
Had mine tested last week, they had a testing meter about the size of a nintendo switch that plugged into the plug socket and a similar size one that was hooked up to the mains box. No cables. One guy stayed at the mains, the other went round with the handheld device. I have 3 ring circuits and 17 double plug sockets in a 2 bed flat and they also installed a carbon monoxide detector for me, only took about 20 minutes. I was really surprised at how quick and easy a job it was.
We have the same plug set up with plugs and outlets here in South Africa (The British influence). They just look a little different. The British health and safety regulations are very strict so i can see why their plugs are so well designed. Our plug outlets also have on and off switches.
Plug might be bulky, but it sticks out from the wall by a lot less. With the wire coming out of the bottom you can put furniture right up close to it. So it's mostly less obtrusive than the US type plugs when in use. In normal use load balancing isn't that much of an issue. In my small two bedroom bungalow the sockets are actually on two different rings. Main bedroom and lounge, and second bedroom and kitchen. Cooker get's it's own circuit, as it's IIRC 60A, the electric fan heaters in the kitchen and bathroom, power shower, and hot water immersion tank are all on separate circuits too. Oh and of course it's even go two lighting circuits. Finally it's very unusual to have to pull the plug from the socket, unless you need to temporarily plug something else in. Just turn it off at the switch on the socket to isolate it. Never come close to stepping on an upturned plug in my 60 years of life.
My brother taught me how to wire a plug when I was about 10 and have never forgotten the way he showed me. When you have the plug open (pins facing away) you have 3 wires, brown (live), first 2 letters of brown are BR so bottom right, blue (neutral), first 2 letters of blue are BL so bottom left, then 3rd goes to the top.
MK were the first to introduce the plastic insulation on their plugs other companies followed, MK make the best plugs with screw cps rather then screws to clamp the bare wire, and also a anti pull clamp rather then a band clamp held by two screws. We have the two or three wire system Brown, Blue, Green/yellow my Mum taught me about wiring a plug and it goes like this look at the capital letters BLue Bottom Left BRown Bottom Right One wire and terminal left if three core. We do actually have Moulded plugs here, many devices like Tassimo Coffee machines, Laptops PCS etc have a moulded plug that cant be taken apart, the fuse is accessable from the Pin side of the plug so you cant remove the fuse when live. We actually used to have Round Pin but they were only rated to 240vac 50hz and 5 amps The Type G can handle 13 amps 240vac 50hz you select the bet fuse from 3Amp -13 Amp depending on the device you are using for a kettle needs 13amp fuse where a desk light only requires 3amp
Actually the old round plugs were rated at 5A, (lighting) and usually 15A anything else, Mind you I was very young when we upgraded to the new wiring system for the house and went to the new "square" plugs. We have had 240V as standard since introduced.
Living in the uk i always laughed when watching tv with somebody throwing a tv across the room taking the lead as well .that'll never happen i thought until i visited America and saw your plugs that actually wobbled in the socket. All became clear.
One thing not mentioned is the advantages of having a much higher voltage. The main benefit is shown by studies that have shown that it is much safer, which might seem contrary to most people's beliefs; but it is safer because there is a lot less current flowing through the supply circuits, and so there is a greatly reduced risk of fire.
@@dopiaza2006 FIRE is statistically a far higher risk compared to electrocution. Scientific & practical fact that led the UK to lead the world in terms of electrical safety.
The physical size of UK plugs is most definitely NOT a drawback. The design of the plug means that the power lead exits the plug downwards close to the wall, the plug itself when plugged in fully is probably less than an inch proud of the wall. Contrast that with an American plug: when compared side by side, the British plug would appear to be noticeably larger, however when an American plug is fully inserted into an outlet, the body of the plug protrudes further from the wall. Add to that the fact that the cable exits straight out of the back of the plug only adds further to the whole assembly. But he's right about stepping on one in the dark, but that's why carpet slippers were invented.
seen this vid a few times. The guy said about load balancing. Its very rare to have an issue with this. For example the ovens over here are on a different circuit. so its not a real issue.
Load balancing has not been an issue for about 50 years. I've seen this video a few times, being reviewed by US Americans and the comments all agree that this guy is really stretching to find 'faults' with Type G plugs and sockets.
In school back in the 80's ( yes I'm old ) we got taught how to wire a plug. And no the lego treading on a plug is a myth because we keep plugs plugged in and switch them off at the socket.
Retired electrician here. Remember our voltage is twice yours! and thats why load balancing is not a problem.(30a at 110v= 15a at 230v approx.) Most UK home installations are wired via a ring circuit to the outlets(receptacles) and the ring circuits are usually just one for a kitchen, one for downstairs and another upstairs. High load appliances(Ovens, hobs) are wired via single radial and fused as such at the board. AC would also be wired separately. The only time load balancing is important is in commercial premises where there is a three phase installation- each phase, as near as possible has to be the same load as the other phases. In homes-never ever a problem. As to surge protection, There is now the availability on new installation, in the UK to fit surge protection with in the electric board (consumer unit-uk)- That protects against electrical power surges known as transient overvoltages. They also protect sensitive electronic equipment, such as computers, televisions,w/machines and safety circuits such as fire detection systems. Love the video JT!
We've got two domestic wall-mounted split AC units in our house in SW England. Both have standard plugs and go into standard 13 Amp sockets. Obviously, it would be a different story trying to cool (or heat) commercial premises.
He's 100% correct with his upturned plug criticism; but criticising UK plugs for having a switch on the socket as it could confuse you if it's switched off and your appliance won't turn on is possibly the worst reach for a downside I've ever heard, LOL. It might confuse an American not used to having them (and I get it he's speaking to an American audience) but no Brit is going to call out an electrician or start trying to fix an appliance that won't turn on without immediately checking it's turned on at the mains within 2 seconds of the device seemingly not working. In fact "Is it switched on at the mains" is an in-joke here used as sarcastically towards someone complaining something's not turning on for power issues as "have you tried turning it off and on again" is now used jokingly when someone is complaining about a computer issues (thanks IT Crowd)
At 230V (ish), UK kettles are typically 3 kilowatts, which can boil a cups worth in under a minute. Most modern chargers/laptop adaptors etc. will quite happily run off 110 or 230 volts, and just need a basic adaptor to plug into UK sockets.
not every UK socket has a switch, you CAN get unswitched ones, but theyre quite rarely used, mostly in cases where you have washing machines or similar under a worktop, you have the socket there near it, but a separate switch above the worktop
Load balancing isn't really an issue in the UK because we don't run off a single circuit. We have separate circuits that feed different areas depending on the size of the house. In our case we have 7circuits with their own breakers. 3 for the lights, 3 for the sockets, and 1 misc. Basically upstairs, downstairs, and the utility/garage. The misc one was our old water tank boiler and electrical shower which runs a heavy duty cable, these days we no longer have the tank so it is just for the showers. TBF our wiring is a bit messy due to people taking short cuts over the years with two extensions on the building and could do with a full rewire as some things are not on the appropriate circuit. But it all works so...
Something I was surprised he didn't mention is how all the UK pins are solid metal, whereas the "ground" pin on an american 3 prong is entirely hollow. I've seen on multiple occasions where after a fire has occurred, a short across the ground pin got it hot enough to arc or melt a ring around the entire pin- separating it from the ground plane completely, & then starting the fire as it became impossible for the appliance to ground out afterwards.
Those are the ONLY mains plugs in the UK! Modern appliances come with a moulded-on plug, it's not repairable unless you cut it off and replace it (which is pretty easy and we all learn to wire a plug from our families, you can do it with a butter knife if you haven't a screwdriver). For the moulded plugs, the fuse is in a little pop-out plastic holder with tabs holding it in. Safety safety safety... until you step on one! They tend to lie with the pins sticking up. And you could probably kill an intruder if you gave it a good swing at his head.
Just a note regarding ring circuits: They have NOTHING to do with the features and functionality of the plugs and outlets. They will perform exactly the same on radial circuits. Maybe worth a mention, but including ring circuit issues in the pros and cons is completely inappropriate. IMHO, the only downside of the British plugs is their size (and maybe applying the LEGO detection process)
Load-bearing issues are never an issue in the UK. We very rarely remove a plug from its socket and move it around unless it's a phone charger. If you are stupid enough to leave a plug facing upwards, you deserve to step on it😂. The plug is flat to the wall, so you can push furniture up against it and forget it. This way, your furniture always sits flush to the wall.
Another major benefit of having the fuse in the plug itself is you can use different cables appropriate to the power draw of the appliance being plugged in. A table lamp pulling only a few AMPs isn't going to melt the cable and potentially start a fire if it starts to pull more than it actually should before tripping the whole circuit.
most of us here in the UK have USB power built into every socket, watch the video again and notetice the usb power poinits built into the sockets, as standard.
The little slots on the wall socket he didn't talk about are USB sockets so you can use these to charge your phone. We have three pin (G) plugs on everything but small items often come with USB cables that can either go into a plug adapter (for any country) or into a direct USB socket. Travelling think about it the other way around - it seems to take AGES to charge your phone compared to what we are used to in the UK.
Hi JT, with regards to when you travel to the UK, all you will need is an adaptor. They are inexpensive and very handy. As for standing on our plugs, it never happens as we rarely have to unplug things. We simply switch them off at the wall socket.
Yes, these plugs are on everything. we do have extension cables that have a surge protector in them. Also you can get travel adapters so you dont have to change your plugs to your devices for when you visit the UK
@@Swansea32 I believe some devices also rely on the cycle time of the AC and that is different to US, I think UK is 60Htz and US is 50Htz, can alter how clocks work. Many sockets in UK now have USB outlets which are universal, I'm not sure there is much I would bring US to use in UK that's electrical (as a tourist).
Surge protection for a house, is fitted at the distribution board and is the same size as a circuit breaker or two,. One device covers the full installation. Also, the socket he was using had USB ports, plug your phone lead direct to the USB, doing away with the charger adapter altogether.
Im an electrician from the uk , NEVER had load balance issue ever, if you pick a point in a ring it is always in the middle , rings are kept to a manageable size if wired by a Qualified spark and there are usually multiple rinds per house with the likes of the kitchen having its own due to it being a larger load area , plus every item is fused down so cant exceed 3kw. whereas the cable size needs increasing the more outlets you have on radial circuits unless you want volt drop hence the overload issues he mentioned earlier, and i dont know how the size of something plugged into the wall would ever be a problem?
Load balancing is not an issue. Also our plugs may be big but they don't stick out as much as the US ones when plugged in. That means you can push furniture almost flush against the wall.
I LOVE watching you american's learn about our plugs and sockets! hahahah .. Ohh and JT .. that load thing ...bullsh*it ... we dont even think of it. Having said that most houses have the Kitchen on a seperate 'ring' to the rest of the house and same with lights and sockets etc even upstairs and downstairs rings: all that meaning that balancing is not needed.
The best thing about the ring system is if a breaker trips you know which room to look in for the cause. With lighting, the kitchen, the shower all having different breakers it makes it easier to fault find.
7:50 Yes. That's the generic 'average' every day plug. You have to remember, we typically have 220-240v for domestic appliances, and they do 13AMP. That's 3KW from a single outlet. For the USA, that typically has to come in on two phases as your power is split to 110v. This is also why, when you do have an electric kettle it's still only 110v and takes a lot longer to boil water. Larger USA appliances will use the bigger plug, for things like washing machines/dryers/cookers and even some microwave ovens. In the UK, it just uses the same plug.
you can buy and install the uk style 230 outlets but they ca cost over $200 upwards, not to mention the electricians installing. its just all the appliances are built off edisons 110 is best idea, thats a whole different thing,
I have stood on an upturned UK plug in bare feet. I can honestly say that it is excruciating. Having said that the UK plugs and sockets are the best in the world. Especially with young children around.
The problem with the fuse is that it is only as safe as the person who fits the fuse. I've found all sorts of "creative" replacements when inspecting 13A plugs such as nails, silver paper from cigarette packets, wire strands and various other conducting materials. The usual problem though is the blanket use of a 13A fuse, regardless of the rating of the cable (power cord) supplying the appliance. Standard fuses rated at 3A, 5A, 10A and 13A are readily available at many retail outlets and 1A fuses are available from electrical retailers. The Ring Main will be protected by either a 32A circuit breaker or in the case of some older properties a 32A cartridge Fuse, I retired as an Electrical inspector three years ago, and there were still the odd (mostly industrial) installations where the ring was protected by a rewireable 32A fuse. As with plugs, cartridge fuses at distribution boards were sometimes found to have been bypassed by wire and the like. Over the last thirty five years or so the trend has been to protect 13A sockets by use of a residual current device rated at 30mA which will automatically disconnect the supply if a current of this value or greater is detected between the circuit live and earth. This protection has now been extended to all domestic circuits, though as the wiring regulations in Britain are not retrospective it will probably be many years before all installations are so protected. These devices can be installed separately but these days are usually combined with the overcurrent circuit breakers for the individual circuits. As I neared retirement, I believe that arc fault detection devices were also becoming available to automatically disconnect the supply, though I never had any experience of them. I can confirm that stepping on a 13A plug with upward pointing pins is excruciatingly painful, as someone else has said, you will only do it once.
It's not often we see plugs that can be opened anymore sadly. Most appliances have self-contained plugs on them now. Best thing to do in that case is cut them off and add anew plug... like in the video. Also different fuse sizes are used for different appliances.
The fuse sizes are nothing to do with the appliances. The fuses are there to protect the cable to the appliance, nothing more. if the cable is say 1.5 mm with a 6Amp peak load it'll be fitted with a 3A or 5A fuse. Fitting a 13Amp fuse to such a cable will make a 20mm cable and a 1.5M fuse. If an appliance needs it's own surge protection it will have it's own internal fuse. Obviously the size of the cable will be determined by the power requirements of the appliance. 🙂
The " type G" plug is more usually called a " 13amp plug" in the UK and the other places where 3-pin plugs are used as this is the normal fuse size used. The 13amp is the standard plug used and pre-installed on power cables supplied with all normal domestic appliances like kettles, coffee makers, fridges, ACs, hairdryers, computers, etc.For outdoor use there are also rubber ones that are weather-sealed, and these are used with weatherproof lidded socket boxes. As for balancing ring mains, this is easily done with a small plug-like adaptor that tests each of the three circuits for overload or earth leakage.
Although the 13A plug is ubiquitous throughout the UK, there is one place where the older 15A round-pin plugs and sockets are still used-stage lighting. In addition, we also use the CeeForm connectors (known as pin & sleeve in the US) in industry, particularly for outdoor applications or where heavy-duty power is required like for amplifier racks used in large sound systems, or for the dimmer racks used for stage lighting.
To answer your question, yes they are universal, doesnt matter if its your fridge, your phone charger, your blender or your computer cable, they all look the same. There is 1 residential exception though. Some bathrooms have shaver ports which are two pronged and are only for use in electric shavers. Yes if you travelled to the uk from any country that doesnt use this system you would need an adapter. I believe they sell them in airports but you can also buy them from many other places. Finally, Stepping on one should grand you a temporary blue disabled parking badge because those buggers hurt!
@@davidwallin7518 yeah the bathroom sockets are 110v so we dont think that little power needs protection lol ... america is running on a shaving sockets basically !
If you come to the UK, you would need to purchase an adaptor to plug your phone charger into a socket. Most chargers these days are rated for 100V to 240V so it would work fine here in the UK. Another win for us here in the UK is that I can theoretically boil my kettle about 4 times quicker than you can in the USA.
When you have a switch on the socket you don't tend to unplug your devices, just turn them off, so we don't typically have plugs left lying around to be stood on, just the end that connects to the device for things like phone chargers. I've never stepped on a plug and don't know anyone who has though I imagine it would indeed hurt an awful lot, it's just not a problem that ever really manifests. Same with his examples of load balancing (you would need to have some pretty power hungry devices all in one room for that to be an issue) or not knowing if the device is switched off or broken which just seems like looking for a potential issue even if it doesn't impact anyone. The only real issue with the type G is the size, which when travelling with multiple electronic devices is cumbersome, but once plugged in you forget they exist and they actually take up less room than the type A or B as the cable doesn't stick out from the socket but instead hugs the wall
The British plug is an engineering marvel. There is only one con against it -is if you stand on it you will know! But if you have any sense you learn and don't leave it where it can be stepped on as the prongs are painful on bare feet.
YESSSS!! I've been waiting for this reaction 😂😂😂 Edit after watching the full vid: we have fuse boxes in the house so that if the electric trips, we can look at the fuse box and it will tell us which part of the house it's in because only that switch will be off. Also, I feel like compared to all the pros, his cons are a bit irrelevant because when you are used to these plugs you don't pay attention to their size and they are either plugged in or set to one side out the way (otherwise you quickly learn😂). In regards to charging your phone, our phones now just come with a USB-C to USB lead, enabling us to plug it into any plug, including plugs like I have with 4 USB outlets on it so I can plug 4 small devices into one plug and a larger or more power hungry item into the second plug of the socket. Due to the circuit system we use and the double amount of electricity they can sustain, power outages are quite rare when houses have up to date electrics, it's more common to have the fuse box trip a switch in older houses with older electrics in them. If you came to the UK, as long as your phone has a USB-C or iPhone charging input you will be able to get a charger here to charge your phone and yes, they do charge quicker 😅 especially if your phone is the only item connected to one plug and socket 👍🏼🇬🇧
@@JillHughes-n1h this is still something that is recommended. I do micro repairs and have seen a damaged console as a result of a lightning strike hitting an aerial. It travelled down the aerial, through the TV to the HDMI socket, through the HDMI cable and into the console, it blew the HDMI encoder. Although it might have survived if the console and TV had been plugged into the wall, allowing the current to go to ground, they had unplugged the TV and console meaning the end point for the current was the encoder.
One point omitted is the different fuse sizes that are used. There are three. 3A,5A and 13 A. The appliance being plugged in should be supplied with the necessary information with regards to the correct fuse rating. So for example, a washing machine should be fitted with a 13A fuse, (Which can draw up to 3.1Kw) but a table lamp should only be 3A.
Hi JT. Yes, you do need an adaptor to allow a plug from one system to be put into a socket from another system. The main thing visitors from the US will have to be mega careful of is the voltage difference. As the geezer said in the demo, the US only runs on 110V. If you plug your device straight into a UK socket, it will get barbequed! You also need to buy a step-down converted to bring the voltage back down to 110. IEC and USB devices have drastically reduced the need to convert every single appliance, so things aren't as cumbersome as they used to be. As in that demonstration, some of our wall sockets have USB ports on them, so you can just plug your USB charging cable straight into that, and bypass all this faff.
An important point was missed here. The 'default' fuse in a UK plug is rated at 13A so that it can be used for the highest demand appliances but they are also available in 10A, 5A and 2A ratings. You wouldn't want a 13A fuse on, say, a table lamp that's normally using perhaps 50W and has a power cord suitable for that demand. A short-circuit fault in the lamp could overheat the power cord and maybe start a fire. So, it is recommended to always fit an appropriately rated fuse in the plug, in this case, 2A. This would blow long before the circuit breaker on that ring main circuit, which is likely to be trip rated for at least 30A.
Something my grandparents drilled into us when we where kids, "if you ain't using it, turn it off at the wall". Once you step on a British plug, you ain't gonna do it again.
I think a lot of people think we work on 230 rather than 240 because of the deal with the EU, but that's more of a compromise. The EU wanted 220±5 to be the standard. The UK didn't want to change from 240 because it'd be expensive to update everything. The compromise is that the standard became 230±15, which covers both ranges making them technically standard while not actually solving the problem of two differing voltages. Luckily it does mean most devices claiming 230v will work in the EU and UK.
Us Brits are slightly untrusting of other plug sockets when travelling abroad. Flimsy low voltage things that poke out rather than lie flush and trusty.
Okay, this is a question to those above a certain age in the UK - Who remembers when the time when you'd buy appliances and they'd come without a plug, and you had to wire the plug yourself? Probably explains why they taught us to wire a plug in school. Oh, those were the days!
I remember that being the case as a kid in the 1970's, but there was an excuse - back then, a lot of pre-war houses still had the old round-pin (BS-546) sockets, so it kind of made sense to sell appliances without a plug and let the customer buy and fit the appropriate plug for their house. Many electrical retailers would offer to fit a plug for you, for an extra cost, but you could save a bit by doing it yourself, reusing a plug taken off another old appliance.
I'm an electrician and load balancing is not really a thing. The wiring in the walls is more than adequate to cope with pretty much anything you plug in. If there's a serious problem it trips out, but that's rare. I was born in 1962 and I remember the old round pin plugs which had none of these safety features. People would regularly get a jolt by touching the pins whilst pulling the plug out and our TV caught fire. Electrical fires caused more problems back then but not these days. It's a really robust system. Lighting ring is 5amps = a bit of a tingle. Outlets ring is 15amps = a "shit, that was unpleasant". Cooker is 30amps = "how did I end up on the other side of room"? Or "shit, how did I end up dead"? 😂😂😂 ✌❤🇬🇧
@@FenrisianAle oh yes. I was in rock bands for 45 years and remember seeing them on the par cans before the rig was hoisted up. I suppose they don't want the possibility of the fuse blowing and as they run through a desk it's pretty safe. Damn those lights gave off a lot of heat. Thank God for LEDs.
@@coot1925 well the lights themselves draw their power from the massive dimmer racks, the lighting desk just sends low voltage DMX control signals to the dimmer racks. Yes, given what an arse it is to get to those lights, the last thing you want is having to do so for a blown fuse, it is bad enough for a blow lamp 🙂
@@paulmerchant9015 yes, there's no reason why one can't adapt to the needs of certain jobs. Personally I would put a label on the socket so that people don't overload it. I worked as a security officer at a conference centre here in the UK which had 234 bedrooms. The fire alarm went off at 2 am and we had to evacuate the building. When I went to investigate the room it was an American student who plugged her hairdryer into an adapter which was not a transformer. The hairdryer was rated for 120 volts and she put 240 volts through it. I found a piece of the motor armature on the floor and her dryer was a blob of plastic. Oh dear. 😂
Your final point about needing converters or a new phone charger if you visit the UK - you'll definitely need an adapter, however they don't change the voltage so you have to make sure your phone charger (for example) can handle 240V - most chargers can. Check the small print somewhere on your charger and if it says (typically) 100-240V then you're good to go. Back in the old days devices had a voltage selector switch so running a 240V device at 120V would just not work, and running a 120V device at 240V would result in your own personal lightning storm and a dead device. Modern switch-mode power supplies tend to be good at auto-sensing the input voltage so can operate over a wide range. But - check the numbers first before plugging in, if you don't want an impromptu fireworks display. My house, according to a kill-a-watt type device, indicates that I get about 245V, and my multimeter concurs. This is within the allowable tolerances in our electrical system, and I've not had any issues - aside from my ex-wife's Chinese-bought hair dryer designed for 220V, eventually overheated and stopped working from being over-volted by 10%.
As an update. Most appliances sold in the UK today have a fully moulded Plug fitted. Same as the one shown but you cannot access the internal wires. Fuse is accessed via the pop out clip which you did show. Of course if you did have a broken wire near the plug you can cut the plug off and replace with the wired type you show.
There's a lot I don't like about living in Britain. But our plugs are something I really like, and I always feel when I go to a place that doesn't have our plugs, that their plugs and sockets seem so rudimentary. Ours are so robust, and even though they're so chunky, they're fairly flush to the wall, so if you only have one appliance to plug into a switch and you don't regularly need to access a switch, you can push furniture up against it and forget about it. We have surge protectors on things like laptop chargers since laptops are typically designed to work on a lower voltage. I've never had any problems with load balancing, though I do remember back when I was little that the TV would go snowy if I was drying my hair or we were vacuuming! You can buy an adaptor, for our plugs and you can buy a type G charger which is basically just a plug that a USB cable can plug straight into! I'm glad you never played with British sockets as a teenager, cos you probably wouldn't have made it to adulthood!! The difference in voltage means probably death if you get shocked by one.
One advantage of the higher voltage in the UK is that our electric kettles boil about twice as fast as one would in the US. Another reason why kettles are more popular here.
17:30 but when plugged into a socket the type G may not stick out as far as an US plug, especially with the cable coming straight out. So takes up less space if your socket is at worktop height and you can route the cable down easier.
Anyone who lives in the UK is so used to the switch on the socket that it's pretty much the first thing they check if an electrical device doesn't work. Most phone chargers are dual voltage (110v and 230v). However, you may need to buy a special converter plug so that your charger will fit in our sockets. Or simply pop into a Tesco supermarket and buy a new one for £10 when you get here. Yes, we do have extension strips with surge protection. A four way strip is about 10" or 11" long. They usually have a red LED or neon light that glows when the it's plugged in, so you know if there's power going to the strip.
First we have the Safety features of the plugs and the plug sockets and light switches, (the cooker, boiler & shower may have an isolation switch with a red light on it, where the installations would be wired in to), then the wiring from these sockets or switches go to a fuse box, where you will find a board with larger fuses, each fuse will be designated to different outlets or switches around the house, If there is a surge of power the fuse box will trip a switch to off, this will be either the main trip switch that cuts the power to your home, or a separate switch to one of the switches or outlets listed below, Like for instance:- Downstairs outlets Upstairs outlets Downstairs lights Upstairs lights Cooker Boiler Electric Heaters Shower Washer/Dryer (Or separate Washing Machine And Tumble Dryer, If You can’t afford one that does both) If you are on a Day/Night tariff You will then have two other large boxes with switches on them, these are basically timers, so you’re power supply from your electric meter switches from on peak prices during the day to off peak prices at night, (or if you are unlucky enough, these boxes will be missing, which means you will be on a flat tariff where you pay whatever Ofcom sets the caped price at for you electricity 24/7 until they put the price up again next year), Then from the electric meter you will find the mains wire, where you’re energy source comes into your home from your energy supplier, You can also buy the 8/12 extension plugs, (like the one he had on his table), with built in serge protection, for expensive items, such as:- The 64”, 4K, HD, LED, TV, Next Generation Games Consoles, Broadband Box & Internet Hub, Dolby Surround Sound Speaker System, PC, Laptop, Tablet, Next Generation Smartphone, 🇬🇧🥵👍🏼
I hear from Americans about how supposedly "more advanced" they are than the UK and Europe... When you consider that the british plug design seen in this video is a design from the 1940's......
The plugs are big, but because the chord comes out of the bottom they stay flush to the wall. Compared to a US Plug (with the chord coming out the front) they take up relatively less space, especially if you want to push a piece of furniture or something back.
Way back in the olden days there weren't as many plug sockets. Most rooms had one. So if I wasn't playing with my Scalextric and was instead using my radio the plug would be left on the floor.
Unlike some others in the comment session I have trodden on these plugs a few times in the dark with bare feet, it hurts. Very few appliances will use the full capacity of 13A, they are a bit ridiculous for many low power devices (like phone chargers). The ring main was introduced in order to save copper, it does have some shortcomings, particularly as if a single wire anywhere gets disconnected the ring will appear to still be working correctly despite having reduced current capability. Of course it is very handy to be able to operate a 3000W kettle from any standard outlet. To be pedantic AC systems do not have a positive and negative....
Treading on these plugs is an emotional experience. I personally think the only negatives relate to the person. They force you to be mindful. Because the plug won’t pop out easily, if you don’t watch where you’re going and trip over the cable, the appliance will fall over, or you will, before the plug comes out. Same with unplugging. If you place the plug face down on the floor it’s fine, but if you drop it it will punish you next time you walk in the room. Like one of the other comments said, back in the day we were taught wiring a plug in school. I don’t know if they still do
The standard for the British BS1363 13A square 3-pin sockets and plugs were laid down during WW2. Contrary to myth, it had a fuse in-the-plug to: *a)* eliminate the three types of circuits and sockets/plugs; *b)* to protect the flexible cord and appliance; There was the pre-war round-pin standards with dedicated plugs and circuits for: 3A, 5A and 15A, with circuit fusing at the consumer unit and sockets/plugs rated to match. So one room may have three different types of sockets depending on what they are being used for. This led to misuse and confusion. The 13A G Type plug just needed the right size of fuse slotted in. The 2.5mm cable, maximum 13A socket/plug current draw with a fuse in the plug to match the appliance and its flex was a brilliant cover all, covering all bases. It was to be a size the human ha can hold properly. My mother's house was built in 1953 with 13A G type plugs and radial circuits. The fuse-in-plug became the enabler for rings in the late 50s/early 60s in the building boom. It was seen that using final ring circuits saved about 30% of the copper compared to the previous multitude of radials and a smaller cheaper main panel could be used. The final ring circuit effectively became a busbar with the fuses distributed around the house rather than at one point, the main panel.The final ring circuit is brilliant in its ingenuity and simplicity. It delivers the power. I have one out of choice. It saves installing two or three radial circuits. It is protected by the highest protection, an AFDD breaker at the main panel. AFDD protection: *1)* arc fault (protect against fires), *2)* faults, *3)* overload (protects cable being too hot bursting into flame), *4)* earth leakage (protects people). AFDDs are mandatory in some UK installations, and recommended for all.
It's only 30yrs since the selling of all electrical appliances in the UK had to have a mandatory plug attached. I can still remember our dad testing me and my sisters on how to change a plug as kids. Even our UK universal travel adaptors still ooze more confidence in use than a standard C & F type plug being used in most countries.
One aspect he failed to mention is that with the cable arcing straight down and not protruding forward into the room as in the US it is possible to move furniture item much closer to the wall and not dislodge or damage the cable .
It’s by far the most common plug used in the UK. Although it’s more and more common that the plug casing is moulded so you can’t get inside to the wiring.
I have a 4 bedroom, 2 receptions, Dining room, Kitchen, Downstsirs Wet Room, a Conservatory, Workshop and Double Garage on the Ground Floor and Four Bedrooms, a Bathroom with seperate Shower and seperate a Toilet, up on the first floor. When the 3 kids were still here, they'd leave all the lights on, TV's in every room on, computers on, the seperate Hot Water boiler could be on, the Washing Machine, Microwave, 4 TV's, Iron, Coffee Percolator, and a welder in the workshop could all be on at the same time and nothing in 30 years has ever blown! In our Villa in Spain, it is a bit embarrassing when family come to stay and you have to warn them against putting the kettle and the iron and the microwave on because everything will blow!!
As others have said, load balancing really isn't a thing. Forgetting to switch on is rarely a problem, but standing on the upturned pins is! However, as you can switch off at the socket, unplugging and leaving the plug on the ground isn't often necessary. And yes, that plug is used for everything, and you fit a fuse relevant to the device - say 3A for a light, 13A for a kettle, washing machine, microwave, etc, so you can plug anything in anywhere. 13A is the rating of the socket, and at 230V that comes out to about 3kW, so our electric kettles boil much faster that US ones, which I've found are often 1.2 or 1.5kW - important when you want a cup of tea! 🙂 The ring circuit is usually rated at 32A so tripping a breaker because you are running too much pretty-much never happens (as happened in my then-fiancee's house in New York - you couldn't run the coffee maker and the microwave together!). Of course 230V is much more dangerous than 110V, and people are killed by it, so safety in the plug/socket system is very much designed-in.
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UK electrical engineer here. Load balancing is rarely a problem. A property will have multiple rings (think lounge, bedroom, kitchen, lighting etc) and very power hungry appliances like an oven will have a single spur of its own. Also, finding out if an appliance has blown a fuse or is not switched on is simple; it's built in to us to first ask 'is it switched on at the socket?' :) Keep up the good work JT.
I feel you , thst guy explaining didn't have all the knowledge.
It's like anyone who knew... try a different bulb , try the fuse ... its only a process of elimination ...not krypton factor..😂😂😂😂
Saved me posting that 🙂👍🏻
@@wayne7521 he has no knowledge whatsoever it is just some pathetic propaganda again from unknown in uk maybe paying these loozers.. to keep promoting or god know what keep somehow uk relevant.. it is pathetic..
I think in the us space heaters are far more common. My house only had one ring until recently and never had an issue. It's quite hard to hit over 7kw in my experience.
I have never seen a lighting circuit on a ring and individual rooms barely have their own riongs, it's usually a ring on each floorSo one for the upstairs sockets and one for downstairs. Something I'd have thought an engineer would know.
One thing he missed out is, when the plug is plugged into the wall socket, the plug has a width of 2cm (3/4 inch) and that's all it sticks out from the wall. And as the cord comes out of the bottom, the outer face is flat. You can push furniture pretty close to that plug, without interfering with it in the slightest, which is useful if it's for something you want to leave plugged in like your TV, or side lamps or whatever. As the US plugs all have the cords coming straight out, there's a lot more sticking out of the wall, and not just the plug, but the cord for a bit before it bends down, so that option is out. That pretty much disproves his first disadvantage; UK plugs may look bigger, but they take up less space in practice.
His second disadvantage, load balancing, really isn't an issue, I've certainly never come across it. His last two are just silly. If the lamp doesn't come on, the first thing to do is check the wall socket if you're in the habit of switching it off from there. And stepping on the plug? Don't leave them lying around on the ground in the first place.
I was going to say almost exactly the same thing. You can get furniture right up to the wall with a type G plugged in behind it. I dropped the contents of my bedside table down the back of it in a hotel in Chicago because the gap between it and the wall was massive due to the lamp being plugged in at the back and the wires needing space to poke out of the back of the plug. At home, the lip around the edge of my bedside table brings it into contact wit the wall even though I have a lam and a clock plugged in at the back.
Load balancing is never an issue unless you live in a cupboard. Most, if not all, residential properties have multiple ring circuits - one for each room or lights vs sockets, etc.
Yes to always checking the switch and as for stepping on a plug - you only do that once - after that you pick up and hope the people you live with do the same! My solution to that proble was to divorce the idiot that always left their hairdryer unplugged on the bedroom floor.
I guess one key difference in the USA is that the houses are generally a lot larger than we have in the UK, so an extra foot behind a TV cabinet doesn't really matter so much for example
Yeah, was coming to say the same - feel he was 'nitpicking' a bit here! Seen so many videos of US sockets needing to be replaced due to them being so loose that plugs do not stay in them securely, never had that happen with a UK one! Also for JT - yes, you can get travel adaptors for when you visit - BUT make sure that whatever you want to plug in is rated for our higher voltage! Most modern electronic equipment (e.g. phone/laptop chargers, computers, etc.) have auto-sensing power supplies that can work on anything from 100-250 volts, but don't bring a hairdryer over, it'll go bang! 😉
Depth - not 'width'.
I'd also add that, due to us being able to switch things off at the socket, there just isn't the need to unplug things and leave a plug on the floor - it'll more than likely just be left plugged in anyway and switched off at the wall.
So.
The original UK plug was designed by an apprentice working for a company called "Ashley's" based in Ulverston in the north west of England.
The designer got only a bonus in his salary. And the plug was released on open patent.
I know this because the designer was named Robert Mark Millican.
My father.
As an American I have got to say your father was a genius. The plugs we got can be quite dangerous sometimes.
When did he invent it? It's certainly stood the test of time.
Do you have an internet link for this. If not you should make a Wikipedia entry.
So you're 70-odd?
@@Pegfoxx I'm British but spend about half my life in the US and I've got to say apart from a few miner annoyances your outlets etc are fine. Except... extension cords and power strips. You really should make fuses compulsory on them. More than once I've pissed off friends by noticing the cord on one was getting hot and just unceremoniously unplugging it. Luckily people understood why when I explained myself though.
I have worked construction and lived in the UK for 52 years and never encountered load balancing as a problem for our electrical outlets. Until the first time i saw this clip on another you-tube channel i never even knew there was such a thing. So it just is not an issue that i know of.
It was problem with older houses up until the late eighties and early nineties. The ring main system was implemented after WWII because of all the rebuilding needed and a shortage of raw materials particularly copper coupled with Britain's crippled economy and lack of money. As such many of these were built with cheap thin wiring which although adequate at the time rapidly became problematic with the rapid increase of household electrical devices. Only private properties which haven't changed hands or been rewired since the seventies would be likely to still have this issue.
Only time I’ve known of load balancing issues in the uk was if we ever went on caravan holidays when I was younger, where turning a few electric heaters on and a kettle would trip the electric 😅 not really comparable though. Been a while since I’ve been in one
@@Chuck_87 Yeah caravan parks used 6 amp breakers back in the day to limit costs. I guess they only expected lights and a portable tv.
@@ianjardine7324
The final ring was not implemented to save copper after WW2. It was to eliminate thee types of socket/plugs with different amperage ratings with just one, using a fuse in the plug .
I'm an electrician, load balancing on a ring circuit is never ever an issue.
in which country?
In the UK they are only ever called sockets. An outlet is a shop selling goods direct from the manufacturer and cutting out the retailer.
In engineering in England, we call it a socket outlet. Surprisingly, the plural is "sockets outlet" rather than "socket outlets."
Or if you're on benefits you call it a plug socket
@@dopiaza2006 HAHAHAHAHAHAHA you funny cunt, fucking killed me.
One thing here in the uk we don’t generally unplug our plug and leave them on the floor to stand on. We just turn the outlet off. I’m 46 and have never stepped on a plug
I'm nearly 60, i have .. id unpluged to plug in something else.... so you got time to experience the joy yet lol
@@Psylaine64 wow you learn something every day. I can’t wait to experience this. Hope you were ok?
I'm 46, stepped on one last year! Truly a lot worse than Lego!!!
@@Jenny.C1978 wow it appears that I’m really lucky. Never really needed to unplug a plug. Maybe I’m lazy
@@lesallen1557 ha ha just maybe I have too many electrical appliances for my own good 🤣 I seem to remember it was my hairdryer that I had unplugged so that I could plug in my hair straighteners 🤣
You have to realise that the UK electricity supply to homes is at 230 volts, that is twice the power of that supplied in the US. That is why safety measures are important. But the extra power means faster & more powerful machines & devices can be used, i e heaters, washing machines etc. That is why we can have rapidly boiling kettles for our tea & coffee etc. Here in the UK there are items that have sealed plugs that cannot be opened but must be replaced complete with the cable. This is common for kettles & similar devices. Yes we do have surge protectors, but they may have a single switch for several outlets. What he says about overloading has never been a problem. You only step on one once, then you learn not to leave
them lying around. Its easy to check an outlet, just plug in something you know is working, then you can see if it's the outlet that's out or a main circuit trip. It's not hard. You trip the local switch when you plug the device in or remove it, it becomes automatic.
Same here in Australia too
It said that in the video.
No it's NOT twice the power, power is voltage times amps, eff me I wish you would get it right. Yes the higher voltage needs more security measures but NOT because it delivers more power but just because it has more ability to deliver amps through the skin.
Power is really watts not volts. Power/Watts = Volts x Current/Amps. Machine that consume more power require move current to over come the lower voltage. This is more a case of the system being able to handle that current and overcome physical constraints like resistance Ohms whcih generates heat. It not that such as system cannot exist it can and does in some cases. It more a question which physical constrains you want trade on that the expense involved.
The most powerful machines generally run on three phase supply. Because it is more efficient to run motor that use three phase as the original supply from the turbine generator creates three phases, except where the supply in not generated by turning something and you need an inverter, etc. Some motor systems artificially create a phase gap, like certain light rail systems.
The London underground is a DC not AC system but the on the trains the motors are typically 3 phase induction which mean the phases have to be generates first different constraints different decisions. On the old trains "shunting" often failed, you you could hear a noise prior to starting then a shunting noise to get the train moving. Sometime the motor would then stall possibly becuase the phases were misaligned or for other reasons, then the driver would break on the platform and start again. Different motor can generate more starting torque which is what you need to heavy stock.
Would a kettle boil fast simply becuase it runs on 230v? well a kettle is just a giant resister, in the form of an element and steam and temperate sensitive switches. It doesn't necessarily follow a kettle will boil faster on 230v it also depend on the current it can support. You would likely need to double the current you supply however, and many US house don't do this, more likely is they will get a 220-240 supply as well as 110v for the appliances that need it, but will need the correct socket and plug. Practically this would liekly be a built in unit as it is often in modern homes.
@@vtbn53 True, but speaking as a UK qualified electrician, our houses are typically feed with a 60-100 amp supply, a ring main circuit is typically rated at 32Amps, and lastly the largest fuse a type G plug can be fitted with is 13 Amps, which means any given socket can draw just shy of 3KW of power. now I'm not qualified as an American electrician, but a quick google search reveals that the typical "outlet" is fused at 15Amps, it seams you can fit special purpose ones, but 15A seams to be the norm. Therefore the average American socket can draw a peek of 1.6KW, which is just over half the power of the UK sockets. Therefore, their statement is approximately correct. All be it by confusing the terms. 🙂
I am a 69 year old Brit and I can honestly say I have NEVER stood on a Type G plug as they can be switched off at the socket therefore they are invariably left plugged in the socket in the wall. Why anyone would leave them turned upright on the floor is frankly a mystery.
Edit: also when you are brought up using Type G plus turning on at the plug or the device you are plugging in is not an issue, as you don’t turn it off at the socket as a matter of course, only maybe when you are going away on holiday!
I have, usually the vacuum cleaner plug 🔌, my own fault for not winding it in I suppose 😂
and at 74 I have never trod on a plug either. most times it will fall on it's side.
71 year old here I've never either come to think of it I don't often find myself walking on the kitchen work surfaces after unplugging something.
I guess people in their 60s and 70s are much less clumsy than those in their 40s 😂 I stood on one a while back! It is truly worse than stepping on a Lego brick 😂
@@Jenny.C1978 Yup, 40-something here and can confirm it is definitely worse than Lego 🤬😂
Yeah our surge protectors (or extension leads) are big 😂 a 5 or 6 plug one can be a couple of feet long 😂 and I've never been shocked from a UK plug ever! And I'm in my 30's 😊
I used to work aboard cruise ships that due to the markets they served ran both US and UK electrical systems.
I heard the onboard electricians to say they loved the US system because it never had enough power to hurt them, but they loved the UK system because it had the power to actually run stuff.
The cord orientation and robust plug also means you can plug something in the push furniture right up against it without worrying bout damaging anything.
This is a good point, most of our houses are much smaller than American ones so we can't have the same number of outlets exposed and have to hide them behind furniture instead, but that isn't much of an issue when they are flat against the wall
Accidently standing on a UK plug is so so much worse than Lego! 🤣🤣
But never done more than once.
In order to find fault with the UK plugs he said about stepping on them , Well we don't unplug them, we don't need to.
yep it makes it near impossible to walk for a good while
As a kid in the UK, everyone was taught in school how to wire a plug, and replace the fuse.Back in the day many appliances came with a bare wire and you had to add your own plug.
Having a fuse was huge advantage at the time these plugs were developed. Not so much nowadays but fuse boxes tended to be outside the house - on an external wall, inside the meter box where the electric company came to read to usage. With the fuse inside the plug, if you ever had something short out, that fuse would be the one to blow, rather than the one in the fuse box. You could then replace the fuse from the comfort of your arm chair, rather than venture outside in the dark, in the rain, with a flashlight held in your mouth while you used a screwdriver to undo the two screws which held the fuse wire in the ceramic fuse, cut a new length of the appropriate gauge fuse wire and place and screw that back into the fuse.
Boys were taught. Not girls. I learnt from my dad
@@fayesouthall6604 I didn’t realise/remember that only boys were taught. But in my defence, I was very young and it was many (many, many) years ago.
@@just_passing_through fair enough.
I don’t remember ever being taught how to actually do it in school. I was shown what’s going on inside the plug though. Everyone was
@@siloPIRATE I am 59, so it’s very possibly it has not been thought for decades.
Watching American's discovering something we've had for decades is like watching the first Neanderthals discover fire. 🤣😉
😂😂😂
After years of research and experimentation, I finally solved the standing on a plug problem. It's a foolproof overall safety system I call "Don't leave the bloody plug on the floor"
GREAT SHIRT. Fellow Leeds fan here 👍⚽
I never noticed the " shocked face" before ! 😮
That is the standard plug of the UK. Everything has one on it.
MOT
ALAW!
MOT
MOT ALAW we are going to Wembley!! 💛💙💛💙
I can't think of a single case where i've had a problem with the UK socket and plug system. Most learn from an early age about checking that the lamp, tv etc is turned on at the socket before switching on the appliance.
Another feature is that the fuses in our plugs have different ratings - generally 3A, 5A and 13A. Something like a table lamp will only have a 3A fuse, a hair drying will have a 13A fuse. This means if there is a surge, the 3A fuse will blow quite quickly, protecting the appliance it is feeding, which may be more sensitive to a surge. I believe our kitchen supply generally sits on it's own circuit and has extra capacity to account for heavy drain units like cookers, kettles, and washer/dryers (we tend to have the latter two in our kitchens and not a dedicated room).
In addition, in the UK we do not have sockets in the bathroom - apart from a two pin shaver socket. Also, if the bathroom light is turned on within the bathroom, we use a pull chord and not a switch. Sometimes the light switch may be on the outside of the bathroom.
As to the issue with plugs landing on their back, prongs upwards - if you think getting a shock from an outlet hurts, it is nothing like standing on a plug. Having said that, as we have isolation switches on all of our outlets, it is very rare that we would actually unplug an appliance, so the chances of them laying on the floor is minimal.
The fuse rating is really to prevent the cord feeding the appliance from getting overloaded in case of a short, not to protect the appliance itself.
As a person who uses these plugs all the time I say the UK plug is one of the best not only for all its safety features this gentleman described but I like the factor that it is flush so you can plug it in and then push a sofa or a fridge or anything up against it.
Testing the ring circuit is relatively easy. We have this new and simple way of doing it. You plug into your main fuse board with a simple clip and then you have the testing machine plugged into that cable and then you walk around the house with an extension cable touching the plug sockets and it takes about six minutes , to do a two bedroom apartment!
Had mine tested last week, they had a testing meter about the size of a nintendo switch that plugged into the plug socket and a similar size one that was hooked up to the mains box. No cables. One guy stayed at the mains, the other went round with the handheld device. I have 3 ring circuits and 17 double plug sockets in a 2 bed flat and they also installed a carbon monoxide detector for me, only took about 20 minutes. I was really surprised at how quick and easy a job it was.
Checking the socket switch is the first thing we do. It just becomes normal.
We have the same plug set up with plugs and outlets here in South Africa (The British influence). They just look a little different. The British health and safety regulations are very strict so i can see why their plugs are so well designed. Our plug outlets also have on and off switches.
Plug might be bulky, but it sticks out from the wall by a lot less. With the wire coming out of the bottom you can put furniture right up close to it. So it's mostly less obtrusive than the US type plugs when in use. In normal use load balancing isn't that much of an issue. In my small two bedroom bungalow the sockets are actually on two different rings. Main bedroom and lounge, and second bedroom and kitchen. Cooker get's it's own circuit, as it's IIRC 60A, the electric fan heaters in the kitchen and bathroom, power shower, and hot water immersion tank are all on separate circuits too. Oh and of course it's even go two lighting circuits. Finally it's very unusual to have to pull the plug from the socket, unless you need to temporarily plug something else in. Just turn it off at the switch on the socket to isolate it. Never come close to stepping on an upturned plug in my 60 years of life.
My brother taught me how to wire a plug when I was about 10 and have never forgotten the way he showed me. When you have the plug open (pins facing away) you have 3 wires, brown (live), first 2 letters of brown are BR so bottom right, blue (neutral), first 2 letters of blue are BL so bottom left, then 3rd goes to the top.
MK were the first to introduce the plastic insulation on their plugs other companies followed,
MK make the best plugs with screw cps rather then screws to clamp the bare wire, and also a anti pull clamp rather then a band clamp held by two screws.
We have the two or three wire system Brown, Blue, Green/yellow my Mum taught me about wiring a plug and it goes like this look at the capital letters
BLue Bottom Left
BRown Bottom Right
One wire and terminal left if three core.
We do actually have Moulded plugs here, many devices like Tassimo Coffee machines, Laptops PCS etc have a moulded plug that cant be taken apart, the fuse is accessable from the Pin side of the plug so you cant remove the fuse when live.
We actually used to have Round Pin but they were only rated to 240vac 50hz and 5 amps
The Type G can handle 13 amps 240vac 50hz you select the bet fuse from 3Amp -13 Amp depending on the device you are using for a kettle needs 13amp fuse where a desk light only requires 3amp
Actually the old round plugs were rated at 5A, (lighting) and usually 15A anything else, Mind you I was very young when we upgraded to the new wiring system for the house and went to the new "square" plugs. We have had 240V as standard since introduced.
There were 5A sockets and physically bigger 15A. Also adapters that had 15A on the front and 5A on the top.
Living in the uk i always laughed when watching tv with somebody throwing a tv across the room taking the lead as well .that'll never happen i thought until i visited America and saw your plugs that actually wobbled in the socket. All became clear.
60 years in, it's not a problem I've ever thought off. Our things stay plugged in.
@@1972Ray Just an observation, not a criticism.
One thing not mentioned is the advantages of having a much higher voltage. The main benefit is shown by studies that have shown that it is much safer, which might seem contrary to most people's beliefs; but it is safer because there is a lot less current flowing through the supply circuits, and so there is a greatly reduced risk of fire.
I suppose that depends on whether you consider fire or electrocution as more serious!
@@dopiaza2006 FIRE is statistically a far higher risk compared to electrocution. Scientific & practical fact that led the UK to lead the world in terms of electrical safety.
Some UK plugs are moulded, and the fuse can be removed via a little flap that lifts up easily with a small screwdriver.
They all are now, EU regs that we still have.
The physical size of UK plugs is most definitely NOT a drawback. The design of the plug means that the power lead exits the plug downwards close to the wall, the plug itself when plugged in fully is probably less than an inch proud of the wall. Contrast that with an American plug: when compared side by side, the British plug would appear to be noticeably larger, however when an American plug is fully inserted into an outlet, the body of the plug protrudes further from the wall. Add to that the fact that the cable exits straight out of the back of the plug only adds further to the whole assembly. But he's right about stepping on one in the dark, but that's why carpet slippers were invented.
seen this vid a few times. The guy said about load balancing. Its very rare to have an issue with this. For example the ovens over here are on a different circuit. so its not a real issue.
Load balancing has not been an issue for about 50 years. I've seen this video a few times, being reviewed by US Americans and the comments all agree that this guy is really stretching to find 'faults' with Type G plugs and sockets.
In school back in the 80's ( yes I'm old ) we got taught how to wire a plug. And no the lego treading on a plug is a myth because we keep plugs plugged in and switch them off at the socket.
Kids are still taught how to wire a plug as part of the science curriculum
@@ausomebeak good to know :)
I've accidentally trodden on a plug numerous times and it flipping hurts.
Most of the time they stay in but occasonally it happens. I've done it once, would rather tread on a landmine full of lego
@@marypettyfer4640 in all of my 51 years on this planet I have never trodden on a plug, hope you got the medical attention needed :D /s
Retired electrician here. Remember our voltage is twice yours! and thats why load balancing is not a problem.(30a at 110v= 15a at 230v approx.) Most UK home installations are wired via a ring circuit to the outlets(receptacles) and the ring circuits are usually just one for a kitchen, one for downstairs and another upstairs. High load appliances(Ovens, hobs) are wired via single radial and fused as such at the board. AC would also be wired separately. The only time load balancing is important is in commercial premises where there is a three phase installation- each phase, as near as possible has to be the same load as the other phases. In homes-never ever a problem. As to surge protection, There is now the availability on new installation, in the UK to fit surge protection with in the electric board (consumer unit-uk)- That protects against electrical power surges known as transient overvoltages. They also protect sensitive electronic equipment, such as computers, televisions,w/machines and safety circuits such as fire detection systems. Love the video JT!
We've got two domestic wall-mounted split AC units in our house in SW England. Both have standard plugs and go into standard 13 Amp sockets. Obviously, it would be a different story trying to cool (or heat) commercial premises.
He's 100% correct with his upturned plug criticism; but criticising UK plugs for having a switch on the socket as it could confuse you if it's switched off and your appliance won't turn on is possibly the worst reach for a downside I've ever heard, LOL. It might confuse an American not used to having them (and I get it he's speaking to an American audience) but no Brit is going to call out an electrician or start trying to fix an appliance that won't turn on without immediately checking it's turned on at the mains within 2 seconds of the device seemingly not working. In fact "Is it switched on at the mains" is an in-joke here used as sarcastically towards someone complaining something's not turning on for power issues as "have you tried turning it off and on again" is now used jokingly when someone is complaining about a computer issues (thanks IT Crowd)
Yeah, first check it’s switched on at the wall, then check mains fuse box (in case it’s tripped), then check/replace the fuse in the plug.
At 230V (ish), UK kettles are typically 3 kilowatts, which can boil a cups worth in under a minute.
Most modern chargers/laptop adaptors etc. will quite happily run off 110 or 230 volts, and just need a basic adaptor to plug into UK sockets.
not every UK socket has a switch, you CAN get unswitched ones, but theyre quite rarely used, mostly in cases where you have washing machines or similar under a worktop, you have the socket there near it, but a separate switch above the worktop
Another scenario is in office or other commercial spaces where "always on" requirements are more common.
Load balancing isn't really an issue in the UK because we don't run off a single circuit.
We have separate circuits that feed different areas depending on the size of the house. In our case we have 7circuits with their own breakers. 3 for the lights, 3 for the sockets, and 1 misc. Basically upstairs, downstairs, and the utility/garage. The misc one was our old water tank boiler and electrical shower which runs a heavy duty cable, these days we no longer have the tank so it is just for the showers.
TBF our wiring is a bit messy due to people taking short cuts over the years with two extensions on the building and could do with a full rewire as some things are not on the appropriate circuit. But it all works so...
Commenting before I’ve watched the video because I need to congratulate you on that exquisite mighty Leeds United shirt 💛💙 You have good taste sir
Something I was surprised he didn't mention is how all the UK pins are solid metal, whereas the "ground" pin on an american 3 prong is entirely hollow. I've seen on multiple occasions where after a fire has occurred, a short across the ground pin got it hot enough to arc or melt a ring around the entire pin- separating it from the ground plane completely, & then starting the fire as it became impossible for the appliance to ground out afterwards.
Those are the ONLY mains plugs in the UK! Modern appliances come with a moulded-on plug, it's not repairable unless you cut it off and replace it (which is pretty easy and we all learn to wire a plug from our families, you can do it with a butter knife if you haven't a screwdriver). For the moulded plugs, the fuse is in a little pop-out plastic holder with tabs holding it in.
Safety safety safety... until you step on one! They tend to lie with the pins sticking up. And you could probably kill an intruder if you gave it a good swing at his head.
Just a note regarding ring circuits: They have NOTHING to do with the features and functionality of the plugs and outlets. They will perform exactly the same on radial circuits. Maybe worth a mention, but including ring circuit issues in the pros and cons is completely inappropriate.
IMHO, the only downside of the British plugs is their size (and maybe applying the LEGO detection process)
They are made for a human hand to comfortably hold.
Load-bearing issues are never an issue in the UK. We very rarely remove a plug from its socket and move it around unless it's a phone charger. If you are stupid enough to leave a plug facing upwards, you deserve to step on it😂.
The plug is flat to the wall, so you can push furniture up against it and forget it. This way, your furniture always sits flush to the wall.
just like to add, that you only step on a plug once! ;)
That would be very true😂
Another major benefit of having the fuse in the plug itself is you can use different cables appropriate to the power draw of the appliance being plugged in. A table lamp pulling only a few AMPs isn't going to melt the cable and potentially start a fire if it starts to pull more than it actually should before tripping the whole circuit.
You have to remember that in the USA most things are about the profit were as in the UK it's about the safety first
most of us here in the UK have USB power built into every socket, watch the video again and notetice the usb power poinits built into the sockets, as standard.
The little slots on the wall socket he didn't talk about are USB sockets so you can use these to charge your phone. We have three pin (G) plugs on everything but small items often come with USB cables that can either go into a plug adapter (for any country) or into a direct USB socket.
Travelling think about it the other way around - it seems to take AGES to charge your phone compared to what we are used to in the UK.
Hi JT, with regards to when you travel to the UK, all you will need is an adaptor. They are inexpensive and very handy. As for standing on our plugs, it never happens as we rarely have to unplug things. We simply switch them off at the wall socket.
Yes, these plugs are on everything. we do have extension cables that have a surge protector in them. Also you can get travel adapters so you dont have to change your plugs to your devices for when you visit the UK
For some things they will need a converter. Most will be ok at 230V, some will go poof as they can nae take it
@@Swansea32 I believe some devices also rely on the cycle time of the AC and that is different to US, I think UK is 60Htz and US is 50Htz, can alter how clocks work.
Many sockets in UK now have USB outlets which are universal, I'm not sure there is much I would bring US to use in UK that's electrical (as a tourist).
@@stephenlee5929UK is 50Hz
Surge protection for a house, is fitted at the distribution board and is the same size as a circuit breaker or two,.
One device covers the full installation.
Also, the socket he was using had USB ports, plug your phone lead direct to the USB, doing away with the charger adapter altogether.
Im an electrician from the uk , NEVER had load balance issue ever, if you pick a point in a ring it is always in the middle , rings are kept to a manageable size if wired by a Qualified spark and there are usually multiple rinds per house with the likes of the kitchen having its own due to it being a larger load area , plus every item is fused down so cant exceed 3kw. whereas the cable size needs increasing the more outlets you have on radial circuits unless you want volt drop hence the overload issues he mentioned earlier, and i dont know how the size of something plugged into the wall would ever be a problem?
Load balancing is not an issue. Also our plugs may be big but they don't stick out as much as the US ones when plugged in. That means you can push furniture almost flush against the wall.
I LOVE watching you american's learn about our plugs and sockets! hahahah .. Ohh and JT .. that load thing ...bullsh*it ... we dont even think of it. Having said that most houses have the Kitchen on a seperate 'ring' to the rest of the house and same with lights and sockets etc even upstairs and downstairs rings: all that meaning that balancing is not needed.
It's all very interesting.
A bit of jealousy on the part of our American cousins me thinks.
The best thing about the ring system is if a breaker trips you know which room to look in for the cause. With lighting, the kitchen, the shower all having different breakers it makes it easier to fault find.
As a Brit, i can confirm, the pain of standing on a plug is indeed a KILLER pain in the foot.
It's bloody horrible 🤣
Even worse than a lego brick. 😊
@iamcarbonandotherbits.8039 Nice 1 I'm laughing my head off!!! 🤣 😆 😂
7:50 Yes. That's the generic 'average' every day plug. You have to remember, we typically have 220-240v for domestic appliances, and they do 13AMP. That's 3KW from a single outlet. For the USA, that typically has to come in on two phases as your power is split to 110v. This is also why, when you do have an electric kettle it's still only 110v and takes a lot longer to boil water. Larger USA appliances will use the bigger plug, for things like washing machines/dryers/cookers and even some microwave ovens. In the UK, it just uses the same plug.
you can buy and install the uk style 230 outlets but they ca cost over $200 upwards, not to mention the electricians installing. its just all the appliances are built off edisons 110 is best idea, thats a whole different thing,
I have stood on an upturned UK plug in bare feet.
I can honestly say that it is excruciating.
Having said that the UK plugs and sockets are the best in the world.
Especially with young children around.
How do you actually manage to tread on an upturned plug? 80 years on I've not managed to do it,
@@achitophel5852 69 years on and I have done it once, in a dark bedroom.
The problem with the fuse is that it is only as safe as the person who fits the fuse. I've found all sorts of "creative" replacements when inspecting 13A plugs such as nails, silver paper from cigarette packets, wire strands and various other conducting materials. The usual problem though is the blanket use of a 13A fuse, regardless of the rating of the cable (power cord) supplying the appliance. Standard fuses rated at 3A, 5A, 10A and 13A are readily available at many retail outlets and 1A fuses are available from electrical retailers.
The Ring Main will be protected by either a 32A circuit breaker or in the case of some older properties a 32A cartridge Fuse, I retired as an Electrical inspector three years ago, and there were still the odd (mostly industrial) installations where the ring was protected by a rewireable 32A fuse. As with plugs, cartridge fuses at distribution boards were sometimes found to have been bypassed by wire and the like. Over the last thirty five years or so the trend has been to protect 13A sockets by use of a residual current device rated at 30mA which will automatically disconnect the supply if a current of this value or greater is detected between the circuit live and earth. This protection has now been extended to all domestic circuits, though as the wiring regulations in Britain are not retrospective it will probably be many years before all installations are so protected. These devices can be installed separately but these days are usually combined with the overcurrent circuit breakers for the individual circuits. As I neared retirement, I believe that arc fault detection devices were also becoming available to automatically disconnect the supply, though I never had any experience of them.
I can confirm that stepping on a 13A plug with upward pointing pins is excruciatingly painful, as someone else has said, you will only do it once.
It's not often we see plugs that can be opened anymore sadly. Most appliances have self-contained plugs on them now. Best thing to do in that case is cut them off and add anew plug... like in the video. Also different fuse sizes are used for different appliances.
Yeah, we've had moulded plugs for a number of years now as standard.
Cutting off a moulded plug will affect your warranty
@@shaunrye7740 You know whats its like....fuse goes just after the warranty ends... change the plug, simple.
The fuse sizes are nothing to do with the appliances. The fuses are there to protect the cable to the appliance, nothing more. if the cable is say 1.5 mm with a 6Amp peak load it'll be fitted with a 3A or 5A fuse. Fitting a 13Amp fuse to such a cable will make a 20mm cable and a 1.5M fuse. If an appliance needs it's own surge protection it will have it's own internal fuse.
Obviously the size of the cable will be determined by the power requirements of the appliance. 🙂
I nearly always replace sealed plugs with normal rewireable plugs, So much more convenient when fuse blows.
The " type G" plug is more usually called a " 13amp plug" in the UK and the other places where 3-pin plugs are used as this is the normal fuse size used. The 13amp is the standard plug used and pre-installed on power cables supplied with all normal domestic appliances like kettles, coffee makers, fridges, ACs, hairdryers, computers, etc.For outdoor use there are also rubber ones that are weather-sealed, and these are used with weatherproof lidded socket boxes.
As for balancing ring mains, this is easily done with a small plug-like adaptor that tests each of the three circuits for overload or earth leakage.
Knowing yhat JT shoved paper clips into electrical sockets as a kid explains everything!
Although the 13A plug is ubiquitous throughout the UK, there is one place where the older 15A round-pin plugs and sockets are still used-stage lighting.
In addition, we also use the CeeForm connectors (known as pin & sleeve in the US) in industry, particularly for outdoor applications or where heavy-duty power is required like for amplifier racks used in large sound systems, or for the dimmer racks used for stage lighting.
To answer your question, yes they are universal, doesnt matter if its your fridge, your phone charger, your blender or your computer cable, they all look the same. There is 1 residential exception though. Some bathrooms have shaver ports which are two pronged and are only for use in electric shavers. Yes if you travelled to the uk from any country that doesnt use this system you would need an adapter. I believe they sell them in airports but you can also buy them from many other places. Finally, Stepping on one should grand you a temporary blue disabled parking badge because those buggers hurt!
And Electric Toothbrush charger! Also, most, if not all, have two outlets - one for 110v and one for 230v.
@@davidwallin7518 yeah the bathroom sockets are 110v so we dont think that little power needs protection lol ... america is running on a shaving sockets basically !
@@Psylaine64 cant say ive ever used 110, how many appliances would you have to use to trip it?
Shaver sockets have a transformer behind totally isolating the L&N. It also has a 1A fuse. So, no, you cannot plug in a USA hairdryer.
@@Psylaine64
Not really.
Love your shirt!
If you come to the UK, you would need to purchase an adaptor to plug your phone charger into a socket. Most chargers these days are rated for 100V to 240V so it would work fine here in the UK. Another win for us here in the UK is that I can theoretically boil my kettle about 4 times quicker than you can in the USA.
When you have a switch on the socket you don't tend to unplug your devices, just turn them off, so we don't typically have plugs left lying around to be stood on, just the end that connects to the device for things like phone chargers. I've never stepped on a plug and don't know anyone who has though I imagine it would indeed hurt an awful lot, it's just not a problem that ever really manifests. Same with his examples of load balancing (you would need to have some pretty power hungry devices all in one room for that to be an issue) or not knowing if the device is switched off or broken which just seems like looking for a potential issue even if it doesn't impact anyone.
The only real issue with the type G is the size, which when travelling with multiple electronic devices is cumbersome, but once plugged in you forget they exist and they actually take up less room than the type A or B as the cable doesn't stick out from the socket but instead hugs the wall
Safety features on UK plugs are next level to most of the world!!
But have any lives been saved ?
The British plug is an engineering marvel. There is only one con against it -is if you stand on it you will know! But if you have any sense you learn and don't leave it where it can be stepped on as the prongs are painful on bare feet.
YESSSS!! I've been waiting for this reaction 😂😂😂
Edit after watching the full vid: we have fuse boxes in the house so that if the electric trips, we can look at the fuse box and it will tell us which part of the house it's in because only that switch will be off. Also, I feel like compared to all the pros, his cons are a bit irrelevant because when you are used to these plugs you don't pay attention to their size and they are either plugged in or set to one side out the way (otherwise you quickly learn😂). In regards to charging your phone, our phones now just come with a USB-C to USB lead, enabling us to plug it into any plug, including plugs like I have with 4 USB outlets on it so I can plug 4 small devices into one plug and a larger or more power hungry item into the second plug of the socket. Due to the circuit system we use and the double amount of electricity they can sustain, power outages are quite rare when houses have up to date electrics, it's more common to have the fuse box trip a switch in older houses with older electrics in them. If you came to the UK, as long as your phone has a USB-C or iPhone charging input you will be able to get a charger here to charge your phone and yes, they do charge quicker 😅 especially if your phone is the only item connected to one plug and socket 👍🏼🇬🇧
When I was a kid ,in a storm we had to disconnect the t v aerial in case the lightning it the Ariel on the roof 😊 .inthe 1960s
@@JillHughes-n1h this is still something that is recommended. I do micro repairs and have seen a damaged console as a result of a lightning strike hitting an aerial. It travelled down the aerial, through the TV to the HDMI socket, through the HDMI cable and into the console, it blew the HDMI encoder.
Although it might have survived if the console and TV had been plugged into the wall, allowing the current to go to ground, they had unplugged the TV and console meaning the end point for the current was the encoder.
One point omitted is the different fuse sizes that are used. There are three. 3A,5A and 13 A. The appliance being plugged in should be supplied with the necessary information with regards to the correct fuse rating. So for example, a washing machine should be fitted with a 13A fuse, (Which can draw up to 3.1Kw) but a table lamp should only be 3A.
Hi JT. Yes, you do need an adaptor to allow a plug from one system to be put into a socket from another system. The main thing visitors from the US will have to be mega careful of is the voltage difference. As the geezer said in the demo, the US only runs on 110V. If you plug your device straight into a UK socket, it will get barbequed! You also need to buy a step-down converted to bring the voltage back down to 110. IEC and USB devices have drastically reduced the need to convert every single appliance, so things aren't as cumbersome as they used to be. As in that demonstration, some of our wall sockets have USB ports on them, so you can just plug your USB charging cable straight into that, and bypass all this faff.
An important point was missed here. The 'default' fuse in a UK plug is rated at 13A so that it can be used for the highest demand appliances but they are also available in 10A, 5A and 2A ratings. You wouldn't want a 13A fuse on, say, a table lamp that's normally using perhaps 50W and has a power cord suitable for that demand. A short-circuit fault in the lamp could overheat the power cord and maybe start a fire. So, it is recommended to always fit an appropriately rated fuse in the plug, in this case, 2A. This would blow long before the circuit breaker on that ring main circuit, which is likely to be trip rated for at least 30A.
Something my grandparents drilled into us when we where kids, "if you ain't using it, turn it off at the wall".
Once you step on a British plug, you ain't gonna do it again.
Aye folk who think stepping on Lego is the worst haven't stepped on a UK plug.
It's like watching an African child experience a McDonald's drive-thru in the US for the first time.
we actually work on 240 volts when Americans come to the UK if they bring hair dryers these instantly convert into flame throwers
lol very good
I think a lot of people think we work on 230 rather than 240 because of the deal with the EU, but that's more of a compromise.
The EU wanted 220±5 to be the standard.
The UK didn't want to change from 240 because it'd be expensive to update everything.
The compromise is that the standard became 230±15, which covers both ranges making them technically standard while not actually solving the problem of two differing voltages.
Luckily it does mean most devices claiming 230v will work in the EU and UK.
In construction 🦺 we actually like to work on 110v to be even safer 👍
@@EdDnB Three phase though for industrial use...
Us Brits are slightly untrusting of other plug sockets when travelling abroad. Flimsy low voltage things that poke out rather than lie flush and trusty.
Okay, this is a question to those above a certain age in the UK - Who remembers when the time when you'd buy appliances and they'd come without a plug, and you had to wire the plug yourself?
Probably explains why they taught us to wire a plug in school.
Oh, those were the days!
Wasnt mandatory for white goods to come with plugs until 1992!
Re-wired a plug only this morning.
It wasnt until 1992 that it was mandatory for appliances to come with plugs.
I remember that being the case as a kid in the 1970's, but there was an excuse - back then, a lot of pre-war houses still had the old round-pin (BS-546) sockets, so it kind of made sense to sell appliances without a plug and let the customer buy and fit the appropriate plug for their house. Many electrical retailers would offer to fit a plug for you, for an extra cost, but you could save a bit by doing it yourself, reusing a plug taken off another old appliance.
@@CrazyInWeston Thats fascinating. Is it because there's too many different socket types?
The early versions of our plugs had solid metal live and neutral pins: the partially-insulated were a later development.
I'm an electrician and load balancing is not really a thing.
The wiring in the walls is more than adequate to cope with pretty much anything you plug in. If there's a serious problem it trips out, but that's rare.
I was born in 1962 and I remember the old round pin plugs which had none of these safety features.
People would regularly get a jolt by touching the pins whilst pulling the plug out and our TV caught fire.
Electrical fires caused more problems back then but not these days.
It's a really robust system.
Lighting ring is 5amps = a bit of a tingle.
Outlets ring is 15amps = a "shit, that was unpleasant".
Cooker is 30amps = "how did I end up on the other side of room"? Or "shit, how did I end up dead"?
😂😂😂
✌❤🇬🇧
You still get the old 5A and 15A plugs in theatre lighting rigs 🙂
@@FenrisianAle oh yes. I was in rock bands for 45 years and remember seeing them on the par cans before the rig was hoisted up.
I suppose they don't want the possibility of the fuse blowing and as they run through a desk it's pretty safe.
Damn those lights gave off a lot of heat.
Thank God for LEDs.
@@coot1925 well the lights themselves draw their power from the massive dimmer racks, the lighting desk just sends low voltage DMX control signals to the dimmer racks. Yes, given what an arse it is to get to those lights, the last thing you want is having to do so for a blown fuse, it is bad enough for a blow lamp 🙂
Done a few sites were we put in 5a sockets for cabinet lights and decor lighting in high end restaurants
@@paulmerchant9015 yes, there's no reason why one can't adapt to the needs of certain jobs.
Personally I would put a label on the socket so that people don't overload it.
I worked as a security officer at a conference centre here in the UK which had 234 bedrooms.
The fire alarm went off at 2 am and we had to evacuate the building.
When I went to investigate the room it was an American student who plugged her hairdryer into an adapter which was not a transformer.
The hairdryer was rated for 120 volts and she put 240 volts through it.
I found a piece of the motor armature on the floor and her dryer was a blob of plastic.
Oh dear. 😂
Your final point about needing converters or a new phone charger if you visit the UK - you'll definitely need an adapter, however they don't change the voltage so you have to make sure your phone charger (for example) can handle 240V - most chargers can. Check the small print somewhere on your charger and if it says (typically) 100-240V then you're good to go. Back in the old days devices had a voltage selector switch so running a 240V device at 120V would just not work, and running a 120V device at 240V would result in your own personal lightning storm and a dead device. Modern switch-mode power supplies tend to be good at auto-sensing the input voltage so can operate over a wide range. But - check the numbers first before plugging in, if you don't want an impromptu fireworks display.
My house, according to a kill-a-watt type device, indicates that I get about 245V, and my multimeter concurs. This is within the allowable tolerances in our electrical system, and I've not had any issues - aside from my ex-wife's Chinese-bought hair dryer designed for 220V, eventually overheated and stopped working from being over-volted by 10%.
JT I heard the thunder. I live in Scotland. 😁 The sun is shining here. Which is a bit weird but lovely. Lot of love to you and Anna xx
As an update. Most appliances sold in the UK today have a fully moulded Plug fitted. Same as the one shown but you cannot access the internal wires. Fuse is accessed via the pop out clip which you did show. Of course if you did have a broken wire near the plug you can cut the plug off and replace with the wired type you show.
There's a lot I don't like about living in Britain. But our plugs are something I really like, and I always feel when I go to a place that doesn't have our plugs, that their plugs and sockets seem so rudimentary. Ours are so robust, and even though they're so chunky, they're fairly flush to the wall, so if you only have one appliance to plug into a switch and you don't regularly need to access a switch, you can push furniture up against it and forget about it. We have surge protectors on things like laptop chargers since laptops are typically designed to work on a lower voltage. I've never had any problems with load balancing, though I do remember back when I was little that the TV would go snowy if I was drying my hair or we were vacuuming! You can buy an adaptor, for our plugs and you can buy a type G charger which is basically just a plug that a USB cable can plug straight into! I'm glad you never played with British sockets as a teenager, cos you probably wouldn't have made it to adulthood!! The difference in voltage means probably death if you get shocked by one.
A pincushion of plugs a ratking of wires, that's the stuff I'm used to seeing around the house in the US.
One advantage of the higher voltage in the UK is that our electric kettles boil about twice as fast as one would in the US. Another reason why kettles are more popular here.
We do have American made electric kettles in the US.
17:30 but when plugged into a socket the type G may not stick out as far as an US plug, especially with the cable coming straight out. So takes up less space if your socket is at worktop height and you can route the cable down easier.
You don't HAVE to buy a voltage dropper.
You'll get to see the Blue Smoke Genie escaping !!
Just don't fudging step on one 😂
Felt the pain just by reading this comment! 😬😂
Anyone who lives in the UK is so used to the switch on the socket that it's pretty much the first thing they check if an electrical device doesn't work.
Most phone chargers are dual voltage (110v and 230v). However, you may need to buy a special converter plug so that your charger will fit in our sockets. Or simply pop into a Tesco supermarket and buy a new one for £10 when you get here.
Yes, we do have extension strips with surge protection. A four way strip is about 10" or 11" long. They usually have a red LED or neon light that glows when the it's plugged in, so you know if there's power going to the strip.
First we have the Safety features of the plugs and the plug sockets and light switches,
(the cooker, boiler & shower may have an isolation switch with a red light on it, where the installations would be wired in to),
then the wiring from these sockets or switches go to a fuse box, where you will find a board with larger fuses, each fuse will be designated to different outlets or switches around the house,
If there is a surge of power the fuse box will trip a switch to off, this will be either the main trip switch that cuts the power to your home, or a separate switch to one of the switches or outlets listed below,
Like for instance:-
Downstairs outlets
Upstairs outlets
Downstairs lights
Upstairs lights
Cooker
Boiler
Electric Heaters
Shower
Washer/Dryer
(Or separate
Washing Machine
And Tumble Dryer,
If You can’t afford
one that does both)
If you are on a Day/Night tariff
You will then have two other large boxes with switches on them, these are basically timers, so you’re power supply from your electric meter switches from on peak prices during the day to off peak prices at night,
(or if you are unlucky enough, these boxes will be missing, which means you will be on a flat tariff where you pay whatever Ofcom sets the caped price at for you electricity 24/7 until they put the price up again next year),
Then from the electric meter you will find the mains wire, where you’re energy source comes into your home from your energy supplier,
You can also buy the 8/12 extension plugs, (like the one he had on his table), with built in serge protection, for expensive items, such as:-
The 64”, 4K, HD, LED, TV,
Next Generation Games Consoles,
Broadband Box & Internet Hub,
Dolby Surround Sound Speaker System,
PC,
Laptop,
Tablet,
Next Generation Smartphone,
🇬🇧🥵👍🏼
Great explanation hun! .. my surge protection extension lead has switches for each socket too
I hear from Americans about how supposedly "more advanced" they are than the UK and Europe...
When you consider that the british plug design seen in this video is a design from the 1940's......
It's funny how many Americans react to the UK plug and shocked how good they are, we just take it for granted
I actually just think how stupidly over-engineered they are for most modern uses.
@@kellymoses8566 Modern uses like not killing people?
The plugs are big, but because the chord comes out of the bottom they stay flush to the wall. Compared to a US Plug (with the chord coming out the front) they take up relatively less space, especially if you want to push a piece of furniture or something back.
Stepping on plugs in the night isn't a problem here; we don't leave them lying on the floor in the first place. We just leave them plugged in.
Way back in the olden days there weren't as many plug sockets. Most rooms had one. So if I wasn't playing with my Scalextric and was instead using my radio the plug would be left on the floor.
@Nickbaldeagle02 So, not really relevant then.
@@Otacatapetl now, no. But in 1979 in a child's bedroom - beware.
Unlike some others in the comment session I have trodden on these plugs a few times in the dark with bare feet, it hurts. Very few appliances will use the full capacity of 13A, they are a bit ridiculous for many low power devices (like phone chargers). The ring main was introduced in order to save copper, it does have some shortcomings, particularly as if a single wire anywhere gets disconnected the ring will appear to still be working correctly despite having reduced current capability. Of course it is very handy to be able to operate a 3000W kettle from any standard outlet. To be pedantic AC systems do not have a positive and negative....
Treading on these plugs is an emotional experience. I personally think the only negatives relate to the person. They force you to be mindful. Because the plug won’t pop out easily, if you don’t watch where you’re going and trip over the cable, the appliance will fall over, or you will, before the plug comes out. Same with unplugging. If you place the plug face down on the floor it’s fine, but if you drop it it will punish you next time you walk in the room. Like one of the other comments said, back in the day we were taught wiring a plug in school. I don’t know if they still do
The standard for the British BS1363 13A square 3-pin sockets and plugs were laid down during WW2. Contrary to myth, it had a fuse in-the-plug to:
*a)* eliminate the three types of circuits and sockets/plugs;
*b)* to protect the flexible cord and appliance;
There was the pre-war round-pin standards with dedicated plugs and circuits for: 3A, 5A and 15A, with circuit fusing at the consumer unit and sockets/plugs rated to match. So one room may have three different types of sockets depending on what they are being used for. This led to misuse and confusion. The 13A G Type plug just needed the right size of fuse slotted in. The 2.5mm cable, maximum 13A socket/plug current draw with a fuse in the plug to match the appliance and its flex was a brilliant cover all, covering all bases. It was to be a size the human ha can hold properly.
My mother's house was built in 1953 with 13A G type plugs and radial circuits. The fuse-in-plug became the enabler for rings in the late 50s/early 60s in the building boom. It was seen that using final ring circuits saved about 30% of the copper compared to the previous multitude of radials and a smaller cheaper main panel could be used. The final ring circuit effectively became a busbar with the fuses distributed around the house rather than at one point, the main panel.The final ring circuit is brilliant in its ingenuity and simplicity. It delivers the power. I have one out of choice. It saves installing two or three radial circuits. It is protected by the highest protection, an AFDD breaker at the main panel.
AFDD protection:
*1)* arc fault (protect against fires),
*2)* faults,
*3)* overload (protects cable being too hot bursting into flame),
*4)* earth leakage (protects people). AFDDs are mandatory in some UK installations, and recommended for all.
It's only 30yrs since the selling of all electrical appliances in the UK had to have a mandatory plug attached. I can still remember our dad testing me and my sisters on how to change a plug as kids. Even our UK universal travel adaptors still ooze more confidence in use than a standard C & F type plug being used in most countries.
One aspect he failed to mention is that with the cable arcing straight down and not protruding forward into the room as in the US it is possible to move furniture item much closer to the wall and not dislodge or damage the cable .
The amount of American reactors who get their minds blown by this.
It’s by far the most common plug used in the UK. Although it’s more and more common that the plug casing is moulded so you can’t get inside to the wiring.
I have a 4 bedroom, 2 receptions, Dining room, Kitchen, Downstsirs Wet Room, a Conservatory, Workshop and Double Garage on the Ground Floor and Four Bedrooms, a Bathroom with seperate Shower and seperate a Toilet, up on the first floor.
When the 3 kids were still here, they'd leave all the lights on, TV's in every room on, computers on, the seperate Hot Water boiler could be on, the Washing Machine, Microwave, 4 TV's, Iron, Coffee Percolator, and a welder in the workshop could all be on at the same time and nothing in 30 years has ever blown!
In our Villa in Spain, it is a bit embarrassing when family come to stay and you have to warn them against putting the kettle and the iron and the microwave on because everything will blow!!
can you leave me your house in your will if the kids dont want it?
As others have said, load balancing really isn't a thing. Forgetting to switch on is rarely a problem, but standing on the upturned pins is! However, as you can switch off at the socket, unplugging and leaving the plug on the ground isn't often necessary. And yes, that plug is used for everything, and you fit a fuse relevant to the device - say 3A for a light, 13A for a kettle, washing machine, microwave, etc, so you can plug anything in anywhere. 13A is the rating of the socket, and at 230V that comes out to about 3kW, so our electric kettles boil much faster that US ones, which I've found are often 1.2 or 1.5kW - important when you want a cup of tea! 🙂 The ring circuit is usually rated at 32A so tripping a breaker because you are running too much pretty-much never happens (as happened in my then-fiancee's house in New York - you couldn't run the coffee maker and the microwave together!). Of course 230V is much more dangerous than 110V, and people are killed by it, so safety in the plug/socket system is very much designed-in.