Why I love the European / German schuko plug
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- Why I love the European / German schuko plug
🟦 Like, comment, subscribe! 🟧
🔺Links: 🔻
🔶Liftsnetwork: ▶ trz.mooo.com/sk...
🔷Instagram blog: ▶ / vorzugsfahrt
🔶Instagram lifts: ▶ / trizocbs
🔷Amazon wishlist: ▶ trz.mooo.com/am...
🔶Website: ▶ trizocbs.com
🔷Twitter: ▶ / trizocbs
lift - elevator - aufzug
I love how all comments either support schukho or british, but no one bothers to talk about the shitty US plugs :))
There is not so much the need of commenting the nema standard wich by far is the worst that exists in the world… you only need to look at japanese electric security videos of plug types A And B here on youtube…. Terrible security, thin lamp cord and connector u use also for heaters and kettles, toasters etc….. max 1500 wats….. heating and boiling connections and cords…… the wallsockets that are the crappyest you can think of…… plugs that can be allmost out of the wall socket and still u have two exposed LIVE pinns u can toutch… maybe A and B countryes should at least change the socket type that way that it actually would be like the types E/F/J and N in wich the connection point is resessed and the half off the neutral and live pinns are protected with layer (insulation layer) the same way as europlug and plug type G so u will not toutch live pinns with electricity…. Totally unpossible to change the plug type and all the appliances but in the future you could make the plug and sockets more safe this way….. absolutely terrible are the countryes that use types A and B with 220-240 volts…… easy to commint suicide in there… or be killed accidentally:(
I hate the US plugs and I have them 😡
@@eliashki The can't do that until they stop using 120V.
The US plugs are the best they’re way better than European ones
@@terrym3106 the US plugs are way better than German ones
Straight schuko also is used for extension cords (not multisocketed expansion, those almost always use angled). The idea is that if yanked hard enough, like if someone trips on the lead, the socket will safely detach without things breaking.
We used to have those plugs and outlets in Ireland until some idiot decided we should have the UK BS-1363 outlets and fused plugs which are superfluous since most domestic installations are radial circuits rather than ring circuits as used in Britain and Northern Ireland. It was with German standards that we had full rural electrification in Ireland back in the day. Now our outlets are out of step with mainland Europe which is particularly stupid since Britain left the EU.
Hoping now Ireland adopt Schuko over the years because post brexit import etc gets more expensive and people will buy more from Europe
Ireland can re-adopt the schuko standard at low cost through slow harmonization. Simply new installations can be of the European standard. You can also use a new type of plugs and sockets designed for Europe, which are in new electrical installations in South Africa and Brazil (IEC 60906-1 - Type N) This is my favorite type of connectors
The point about fused plugs is that they help prevent fires caused by overheating appliance supply cables. The fuse should be matched to the normal power demand of the appliance so that if the appliance develops a fault that causes an increase in the current the fuse in the plug will break the circuit when the house wiring fuse/breaker may not trip even though the appliance is drawing enough current to overheat the appliance cable.
@@martinconnelly1473 The usual practice in the continental Europe is to put fuse into the appliance itself instead of the plug
I've often what Ireland was thinking when they went over to BS1363 *after* have already gone with Schuko-Europlug - it seems totally arse about face as Schuko-Europlug is a standard pretty much everywhere in Europe, and is a much more flexible design. I live in the UK and the UK plug really pisses me off. I've stepped on a few and it makes lego feel like a walk in the park by comparison, and when travelling they invariably punch holes in anything else in the bag. Post brexit I can see it being a real millstone for Ireland (and Malta and Cyprus as well) as there's no large population markets inside the EU using it now, so it's going to make stuff more expensive.
Why people say that UK plugs are better then others? I see the European / German schuko plug at least one of the smartest plugs in regard to the deep hole for the connection at least instead of the flat style (see other plug connections) :-D
Actually, I find them to be safer and cheaper in every way except for the fact that earth always has to go in first in british plugs, otherwise the plug won't open its contacts.
@@andreimiga8101 You finf UK plug safer? Or the Schuko?
@@doublepmcl6391 Schuko plugs are safer, that's what I meant
@@andreimiga8101 ah ok I got it :-D
British plugs has a fuse built into the plug itself is where the extra safety comes from. Not sure about shucko though
With the exception of the UK, Switzerland and Italy all countries in Europe use variants of that and they are compatible. The flat europlugs work anywhere in Europe except the UK. I assume that's the reason for Brexit...
Ireland and Malta also use same plugs. Denmark has a weird plug with gfound as a pin in the plug. This means you can use schuko but it does not ground.
@@okaro6595 it does ground. most Schuko plugs have a hole here in Germany even tho we don’t use the ground pin design.
@@okaro6595 New electrical installations in Denmark now have French standard sockets and schuko sockets. They have been allowed since 2006 year
@@okaro6595 french style also has a pin for ground but the other way around, meaning the sockets have a ground bin on them that goes into a hole on the plug. The standard design schuko plugs are designed to be compatible with that as well and have a hole in them that that pin can go into that is connected to ground. Thats opposite to that danish one though
Italy also uses schuko plugs
Finally a great take on this. It annoys me when people call British plugs "brilliant engineering" just because Tom Scott said so. Also, dual ground pins give balance pressure on the plug which would otherwise be forced to upwards or downwards making insertion difficult. Which also makes the plug symmetric, giving you the ability to insert it in two different orientations. You can always ground yourself too :)
Two orientations. Exactly. With non-polarised plugs you can end up with a switch in the wrong wire, or a lamp shell being live. Don't count on the lampholder to protect you, they aren't all designed to stop people touching the lamp cap.
@@TestGearJunkie. There is no "Wrong way" in AC. Unless you have sensitive medical devices at home.
@@DangerWrap Erm.. Touch the neutral and there's not usually a problem. Touch the live wire and there definitely is..! Single pole switches should always be on the live side.
@@TestGearJunkie. That's why we usually have double pole switches. That's why the switch in that switched power strip in the video is so big: The switch has to be double pole to be compliant. Which unfortunately doesn't mean you can't get non compliant ones...
And for lamps: To be safe, just pull the plug before changing the bulb. Don't rely on a switch if you don't have to.
@@TestGearJunkie.This is impossible nowadays because using an isolation transformer is compulsory in almost all cases for safety reasons
I am from Central America and the plugs here are of type A and B, and I envy the plugs of the United Kingdom and Europe, if I would have to change the standard it would be to the European plug since they are much safer than the flat or American type.
Well
If you want to step on a plug, then Schuko is a great choice
@@AA-sg2py indeed, British plugs are the WORST to step on
Hell, even the AS/NZS 3112 standard which we have here in New Zealand (Also found in Australia, Argentina, and China) would be a huge upgrade for the USA. It runs at 240V 10A, has an earth pin, forces polarity (They literally cannot be plugged in upside-down), has plastic shielding on live and neutral, and also has shutters to keep foreign objects out. I'd say they are almost as good as the Europlug.
The vaccum cleaner plug (Konturenstecker) is shaped like that because it has thicker prongs and can draw more current than euro plugs. There used to be sockets just for euro plugs which weren't rated for full schuko current, so they designed the Konturenstecker so it can't fit in there
Contour plugs have been since the 60s. I do not recall europlug sockets until maybe the 90s. The Europlug has 4 mm prongs as some countries like Italy ans Switzerland use them. The prongs are bent and flexible to give better contact on schuko sockets but still the current is limited to 2.5 A. Koreans use a similar plug but with rigid 4.8 mm prongs. It would be ideal for schuko. There is a version of the Europlug that looks like a contour plug: CEE 7/16 Alternatetive I but it is basically never used. (Europlug is alternative II). The europlug is flat for Swiss sockets.
The contour plug is round to give protection when inserting. The cuts are to fit the schuko socket which was specifically designed to reject ungrounded plugs (CEE 7/2 and its predecessors).
Lol I was about to write that too...yeah the Schukostecker is designed for up to 16A while the Konturenstecker is only meant for 10A and the Eurostecker only for 2.5A
As I always say the German engineering is the best in the world
@@HiAnonym I think the europlug is rated up to 6.5 amp as ive seen stereos and similar draw mire than 2.5 amps.
@@norwegiannationalist7678 Officially the euro plug is only meant for 2.5A. However whether the manufacturers of electrical devices follow these rules always is another story. If the wire gauge is big enough and you plug the device in a single outlet, even 6.5A should be no problem in my opinion.
The hole in the middle is for compatibility with french sockets. Lots of neighbouring countries use the same powergrid and same devices which is pretty cool. But also we love the french, their baguettes and their pain au chocolat.
French sockets with the ground pin are also used in Belgium, Poland, Czechia and Slovakia. Those are the only countries in Europe other than France that use French type.
@@Ignisan_66 that's quite a few countries - though the German one is more common
YES to make this CEE-7/7 plug compatible to most of EUrope ... except UK, Switzerland, Danmark & old sockets of Italy
I prefer the French plug over the German one
The French type E plug has the additional advantage of ensuring polarity is maintained by the offset earth pin in the socket. The Schuko style can be inserted either way so polarity in the cord and appliance is not guaranteed.
this perfect design is only ruined by someone with a thoughtless bulky macbook adapter
We use those plug in Indonesia too🇮🇩🇪🇺
Yeah because we was a dutch colony
@@sebastianwolf4170 Probably you mean South Korea, but in DPRK they have the same? Sorry I don't know
Russia. We also use shuko. people call it "euro-plug" often
@@4ever242 in north korea plugs c and f but also a (nema) exist in some areas
Very informative. Imagine if every country used this type
Schuko is rated for 16A, but often used for 10A.
One weakness has become apparent with the introduction of EVs: Some Schuko sockets can run hot or even melt when loaded with 16A, or even 10A, for an extended period of time.
This is not a problem with the Schuko standard itself, but rather a quality problem with some manufacturers who saved pennies by using flimsy contacts in the sockets.
Another problem is that not all Schuko extension cords can handle 10A or 16A.
Connect your EV with a cheap extension cord, and it will get really hot.
The UK style fused plugs avoids this problem: Extension cords can be appropriately fused to protect them from overheating.
You should not connect big loads (such as EVs) to extensions if not rated correctly. I agree the design is not poka-yoke in that matter but, every shuko socket must be connected to a 16A circuit minimum. I don't think 10A extensions do exist anyway.
In many countries with the shuko standard it is illegal to connect appliances larger than 1000watts to a exstension cord. Alot of times you wont get full repay from insurance if your house burns down due to an extension cord loaded with more than 1000 watt. only time ive seen the 10 amp plugs get hot is with a 2200 watt fan heater at 250 volts it draws 8.8 amps which is fine but since it is ar my cabin far from a tranformer we get really low voltage so it draws alot more amps than usual so in thid rare instance it draws 10.5 amps which after many hours makes it a bit warm to unplug but not as hot thats its a fire hazard.
@@fb55255 Yes ive seen a couple of the older extension cords with ungrounded shuko rated for 10 or 13 amps, Also ive seen newer cheap chinesium cords with the grounded shuko rated for 13 amps.
IF the correct fuse is fitted that is lol
Still bad practice to constantly load a UK socket, the old MK ones can take it, modern outlets can burn up even with a tumbler drier working for a few hours :(
I would fit a 16a commercial outlet, or a proper car charger personally
Normal household sockets are not rated for 16 A hour after hour. That is a completely new kind of use for which they were not designed. You should install a 3x16 A socket for an EV.
South Korea is an interesting example: they use schuko plugs and sockets with 230 volts, but with the American 60hz frequency.
It's not a grip on the cable (it's there for to protect the cabel for being bent). You should never hold the cable and pull, only the plug.
We use those plugs in Turkey too.
As a Czech tourist, I appreciate that ;)
What do you think about Italian type L plugs? I might be biased but I really think it's a good design. The biggest advantage is the space saving, it has the same features of the shuko but the same size of the europlug.
It's even more "foot-friendly" than the shuko beeing flat.
You might say that there are 2 types a large and small size (10A and 16A) but this is a relic of the past in disuse now.
P. S. in Italy we also have this "italian multisocket" which accepts europlugs, shucko, french plugs and both italian plugs. They are very common.
I think the italian type L plug is great, it is kind of a mix of all of them. However it is annoying needing an adapter to use schuko plugs with standard L and even C sockets which are still very common in old houses.
Hi, great video :)
Being british, something feels very odd to me about having a big round hole in your wall for each socket; in a custom install of a british socket you can keep the profile of the wall flush and preserve the same safety, with dark paints you won't notice the holes unless you try to look for them. It also "punishes" manufacturers for not having an earth/ground because they still have to include the prong for it. As with most things, the best type is the one you feel patriotic for :) I know a lot more about european plugs now, thanks!
American people usually hate their plugs lol and we know how patriotic they usually are
@Will "Better" from a safety point of view, probably yes. From a flexibility / convenience point of view, I'm not so sure ;)
Unless standing on them can also be considered a safety hazard ;)
Like how he says uk phone chargers are bulky. Then gets out an eu phone charger that is about 4 times the size of a UK iPhone charger.
@Will Not sure what you mean by better. For example, in a schuko plug you can plug the live and neutral both ways. This has 2 benefits: it reduces possible wear on the wire since you don't need to bend it so much, and it forces manufacturers to design their circuits such that it doesn't matter which prong is live and which one is neutral: treat them both as equally dangerous! As for aspect, your plug will not stick out of the wall as much (since the socket is dug into the wall). And since the plug is dug into the wall, you have even less chance to touch exposed prongs (instead of the insulating material that can get scratched; only Euro plugs have it because they are generally easy to grab from the sides) . Also, why the F would you need a fuse in the plug if you already have a fuse in your electrical panel?! If you need to protect the actual device from overcurrent, than just put the fuse inside it and not make such bulky plugs.
The point is not that British plugs are bad, but people should stop this fanboy attitude of "British plugs are the best in the world".
@@rebelartwork Not sure about what you mean, all chargers I own have plugs that are less than half the size of a regular british plug (not necessarily chargers)
This video is underrated
tho, theres something...
FRENCH PLUGS. also known as type E plugs, these are similar, exept they have a ground pin sticking out instead of two attachments on the side for ground. so because of that, they have a hole inside the plug, this design does not offer the gripping by the ground attachments on the sides, but usually, they have a extreme grip on the pins to allow for about the same amount of gripping. i live in france so those are the standard, so if you ever see Schuko plug with a hole on the back, it is designed to fit inside a french type E plug as well.
What holds the prongs so securely? I see that you really have to push hard and grip firmly to connect and disconnect.
the Konturenstecker and the europlug are for devices that for some reason or another dont need ground because the connectors on top and buttom are actually the ground
Yes, they are for double insulated devices. There also is the old ungroudned plug. It does not fit schuko as it would be dangerous but the reverse works.
www.plugsocketmuseum.nl/EU/EU-NL_2pin_plug.jpg
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Stopcontact.jpg/150px-Stopcontact.jpg
yeah, plus the schuko don't even fit inside the europlug holes (3mm vs 2mm radius on the pins), so you couldn't fit a device plug which needs ground in a socket designed without ground
Devices that run a transformer and are so called double isolated... like radios
@@the_lenny1 They do not fit because the plastic in Europlug sockets is shaped so. It is not of the pins. On the early part of the 20th century ungrounded plugs had 4 mm pins and schuko had 4.8. Still they were seen compatible. The ungroudned were changed to 4.8 mm in the 60s. Italy and Switzerland never made the change so they still use 4 mm.
Some good things about UK plugs are that at least the shutters exist in every socket, and not in some of them, like the case of schuko. Most UK sockets (if not all) have a redundant switch, so that you can switch off your electronic devices without plugging them out. Also, there are various fuses for the UK plugs, but the most common are the 3A and the 13 A. For example, for a laptop charger you can use a 3 A fuse to add some extra protection to the device, but that's not the case with the schuko or EU plugs.
One main disadvantage for me however, which was not mentioned in the video, is the fact that you can easily plug in EU plugs and schuko plugs (not as easily as in the case of EU plugs). In the case of the schuko plugs, that's how you leave the appliance without earth. At least, in the case of the German sockets, you can't plug in any other plugs besides schuko or EU plugs without an adaptor.
To be honest, I don't really mind about the socket designs, unless we're talking about the crappy US design. What really matters, at least in Cyprus were I live, is the fact that many of our appliances come with schuko plugs, eventhough our sockets are the UK, and people do many stupid things to plug them into the UK sockets. That's why, I believe that there should be a strict law to the exporters of electrical appliances to export them according to the standards of each country's electricity system.
It's foolish to have a british socket in European Union.
@@Mixolixplosion we had them before joining the EU, what should we do? If someone came and ask you to replace your whole sockets and cabling so that it is compatible with other standards, would you do that? We're not the only EU country that follows the British standards of electrical installations, Ireland and Malta follow the British standards too. However, if an appliance comes in any store of any of these countries with the wrong plug, then it must be replaced before is sold to the final customer, unless you're talking about shavers or things that you may take with you when traveling (for example, you take your phone charge or a hair dryer with you, but not a toaster or a kettle).
@@chrishadjipetris6059 Ireland is right next to the UK and Malta probably has a lot of British tourists and expats or even immigrants and maybe they also import more electronics from the UK than any other countries. Other than those factors there is no smart reason to use the UK plug unless your power circuit is a 32A ring final circuit instead of 16A radial like in most EU countries.
@@Mixolixplosion the reason why we have the british sockets in Cyprus is because we follow the BS 7671 regulations in first place, because our electricity system was first designed under English occupation, I think in the '40s. In other words, 32 A ring circuits are also a thing in Cyprus and any other country that follows the BS 7671 regulations. At first, I thought you said that it's foolish for any european country to follow the BS 7671 regulations. However, if your point is that it's foolish to have british sockets in any country that follows any other regulations, then I agree with that.
@@chrishadjipetris6059 Ok..That makes sense.. I did not know that the Brits were there in the past.. I thought you had options to choose like some countries but made the wrong decision.. Like Japan who opted for type a&b over type f.
100% agree with you I like the european plugs better then the UK ones. The only reason I like the UK ones is because they have a fuse in the plug and they for if something was to go wrong with the item the fuse would go instead of the whole electrical
European houses have radial circuits instead of ring circuits like in the UK. There's a breaker for each "prong" that gets tripped. Then you just reset it, no need to switch fuses. Because of this the euro plugs don't need fuses.
Most European nations are glad that they've been using Schuko outlets for many decades and consider to be the safest electric system while in Asian countries there is a complete mess with different types of sockets, plugs, especially in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines. Sooner or later, Asian countries may switch to Schuko power outlets, and unsafe outlets may be phased out in Asian countries. My country Russia has been actively using the Schuko power outlets after the collapse of the USSR. However, in Russia you can find ungrounded power outlets, into which plugs with a pin thickness of 4.8mm will be plugged without problems, as well as Soviet-era electrical appliances
As a Thai person. We phased in the Type O Plug to end this struggle. It's a mixture of
3 Prongs of type B
Insulated prongs of Type C
And 4.8mm round prong of type E.
This mess comes from foreign appliances manufacture investment from Japan, USA, EU and they uses their own plug style.
We use those plugs in Sweden as well
Also in Austria..
Also in Norway..
Also in Kosovo
Also in finland........... spain, greece, portugal, russia, estonia, latvia , lithuania........ etc etc
Basically every country in the continental Europe uses them but the neighbors of Germany: Belgium, France, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia (former Czechoslovakia) , Switzerland, Denmark, and Italy which is not a neighbor.
Wish those were the plugs in the USA. Unfortunately, in the US we have the NEMA 5-15 garbage. And, we're stuck with it because we use 120V 60hz instead of 230V 50hz.
To be precise, you use 2×120v system, instead of 1×230v
Schuko has one annoying feature. They can gather dirt like hell. The are far harder to keep clean than non-recessed outlets like in the UK.
European power systems are quite different to US that have special breaker outlets or UK with a fuse inside them as most European power systems installed in commercial buildings or homes often have what's called a residual Current circuit breaker that is usually located in a breaker room, when even the slightest fault is detected in an outlet connection, it instantly cuts all power to the whole system, and you can then fix the faulty connection and not worry about getting a shock or your house burnt down, you can then reset the residual current circuit breaker. Oh yeah and the so called "Protection things" mentioned at the start of the video are just grounding pins.
The groundless round plug also has thicker prongs that can carry more amperes.
no?
@@SuraLeo The shuko and Konturenstecker both have 4.8mm thick prongs to handle 10 and 16 amps while the europlug that can handle 2.5 amps (ive seen ones that can handle 6.5) Have 4mm prongs.
I think the main disadvantage of Schuko / CEE 7 style connectors is that there is no rule where live and neutral is. The Schuko plug is from the 1920s where in Germany two phases with 110V each where used. The TN net with a neutral wire and 220/230V where introduced later with no change in the power outlets...
Why would you care where live and neutral are in AC? You have two ground pins for grounding and electronics inside don't care.
Also, many years ago, a country (I think Switzerland) that's using plugs with clearly defined L and N had a lot of grid problems because the transformers don't like half-wave rectifiers (and those were common in the past, I think when you put your hair dryer on medium it's half-wave rectified still)... Well, every half-wave rectified device was rectifying the same half-wave and transformers didn't like it and even dropping out so this "L and N are defined" posed more problems than it wanted to solve...
It's a single phase and it doesn't really matter where the live and where neutral is. All standard devices should have reverse polarity protection.
@@zlac I agree, polarized plugs gives a false sense of security IMO, since it happens that the outlets are often incorrectly wired in houses....
It is not needed as all circuits are gfci/rcd protected and the neutral ground and live are all seperate. Any appliance with exposed metal case where a ground fault may occur needs to have a ground pin.
@@zlac I know from experience, at least on some lamps with a metal pole you will feel the difference in polarity when touching the pole, but I would generally classify it as a nice to have. Definitely more a suggestion for consistency rather than something that's actively enforced.
Worse still is the French, which due to the ground pin in the socket can only be used one way, yet which pin is live / neutral is still mostly random arbitrary.
As an American, I am going to attempt an off the wall comment.. Bloody Heck man, those plugs appear to be safer than ours here in the US.... We Americans ao so dim in whit... I hope you got a right jolly expiereince out of that.
Now as an American speaking, I truly believe that these are much safer than you units we have here, got to love the non recessed idea here in the US, seeing the light of day when a plug is plug halfway in as I have seen some Americans do from time to time, and ten we have or get the floppy sockets, that is when our sockets become worn and floppy. That system prevents the floppies. And just locks everything in, I don't see why we couldn't adapt this to out 120 set up for our outlet's.
I want my country used Schuko as a country standard, instead they mixed Schuko, American grounded and Europlug to create Type O plug which has three round prongs with insulation on the L and N prong.
Ah yes, Thailand.
It's quite reminiscent of the old British plugs, which are still used for dedicated theater lighting circuits.
@@56independent42 I heard the rumors that the medical equipment in Thailand used the British plugs to prevent unauthorized use.
4:50 Even if you push the flaps with a round object, they won't open. Both flaps must be pushed simultaneously to open.
The newer UK plug sockets need *all three pins* of the plug inserted, otherwise the shutters stay closed.
Schuko is the oldest standard still in use. The main benefit is a recessed receptable giving good mechanical strength in comparision to Britsh or US Nema.
Up until now every country still is trying to set/revise their own non compatable standards for reasons only god knows. Like Switzerland having a domestic industry delivering their market with receptables but importing nearly all household devices fitted with special swiss plugs. It's nice for manufacture pricing policies as nobody will trade thus devices cross country.
IEC C13 socket - modern plastic, economic sizing and pin enclosure
In Italy we have all of them, we also have 3 pins straight, it’s like the standard one but it’s stiffer and thicker
@You can eat in class!! The three in a row is called the italian plug (Type L). It's basically an improved europlug with earth connection.
The 2 types (pins closer or further) are a relic from the past where electrical systems used to differentiate between 10A and 16A circuits. Nowadays there's no more distinction and new sockets allow both plugs in addition to shuko.
@@fb55255 yes, but plugs and sockets are an absolute mess in Italy
@@grassytramtracks only because we started accepting the shuko plug. Otherwise up to 30/40 years ago only italian and europlugs (Type C) were used and everything was easy. Now some old houses need lots of adapters to use the shuko with the italian sockets.
Newer systems instead allow both socket types
Vabbè negli anni 70 80 usavamo pure la spina Magic
Schuko plugs and sockets, along with most others, are reversible. This is a bad move, as many appliances have switches which are single pole. The switch should be in the line conductor, not the neutral; a reversible plug makes it possible for the switch to be in the wrong wire. Also, the fuse in a 13A plug is there to protect the flex (cord), not the appliance. The 13A plug is by far the best. Am I biased..? Hell yes I am..!
schönes video ;-) , könntest du dazu nochmal ein German Video machen falls das geht ??? , ich bin leider nicht so perfekt in English ;-)
Test for correct UK polarity when using Schuko socket adapters that accept UK plugs. Cheers!
Why? Polarity does not matter.
@@okaro6595 UK plug polarity does matter; if line & neutral are swapped, safety hazard shall ensue. Cheers!
@@LectronCircuits No it does not. The devices people use in the UK are not different from the ones used in Europe. You may be at risk f you stick your fingers inside a lamp when there is no bulb inside.
@@okaro6595The UK plug has a fuse so polarity does matter in the UK especially because they have 32A ring circuits.
The only real drawback of the Schuko System is that it is not protected against polarity reversal.
That's only a problem for direct current though, which is a rare occurence.
It is not needed as all circuits are gfci/rcd protected and the neutral ground and live are all seperate. Any appliance with exposed metal case where a ground fault may occur needs to have a ground pin. So it is not a drawback as you said it was.
@@kaengurus.sind.genossen no?
@@norwegiannationalist7678 Schuko has Ground, the two metall plates on the top and bottom of the plug.
Polarity reversal means you plug negative into positiv and vice versa. That cannot happen with alternating current, since there is no default positive and negative, they switch with a frequency of 50 Hertz (or 60 in some places outside of Europe. Ergo polarity reversal can only happen with direct current, which an average person will never deal with in their life.
And a ground pin doesn't protect you from polarity reversal. It only reduces the risk of your device being fried by it.
@@kaengurus.sind.genossen Shuko has two variants as of now, The older 13 amp rated round ones with no ground and the newer ones rated for 16 amps with a ground, also there is the konturenstecker rated for 10 amps and no ground often used for vacumm cleaners and ect. Poarity reversal is a real thing also with AC, Half wave Rectifiers and switches may become useless with polarity reversal on AC. Older appliances grounded with neutral may become live if you touch a pipe or a sink at the same time if the polarity is reversed.. But usually the european appliances are designed as to work with polarity reversal.
I truly hate the child protection. Many times they don't work so you have to throw them away and buy new.
Schuko with UK-inspired fuses should be the world standard.
Why do you want built in fuse if your installation has the right circuit breakers?
@@lordkubikum extra safety.
@@SwordQuake2 Fuses don't add any extra safety if you already have breakers.
@@framegrace1 it does. But in Germany and I guess whole Europe there are 16A circuit breakers and the cables behind the plug all have 16A capability... In Great Crumbling Britain they don't need to. So they can use thinner wires. Behind the cable most Gadgets have a fuse in it too. The VDE or CE are very strict here in term of safety.
@@lordkubikum The fuse in the plug is to avoid a fire due to the cable from the plug to the appliance overheating in a fault condition where the current drawn from the supply is not high enough to trip the supply circuit breaker but is too high for the appliance supply cable. My Czech daughter-in-law had to pull the kettle supply plug from the outlet every time she finished using it. There was no switch on the outlet and no fuse in the plug or kettle. There had been many reports of fires due to this setup where the plug was left in the socket after use. The wear and tear on the sockets was crazy.
France "E" socket is better than schuko...
Its better than the American plug but so is the British standard plug which is also fused and the third longer prong ensures it is always earthed and the doors stop prying little fingers and tools.So no, its not as good as the British standard plug.
The UK plugs are massive an bulky. That makes them problematic. An the sockets have switches for some weird reason. Countless times I found my phone had not charged because I forgot to switch the socket on. I have the feeling that UK plugs and sockets are compensating the fact that the wiring in older UK homes pose a fire hazard.
@@HeikoQuant They are bulkier than others that is true but they pack more safety than most others because UK is 250 volt as opposed to misely 110 volt in other less developed countries like the USA and continental europe.🇬🇧British electric plug is a masterpiece of engineering.
@@robharris8844U You better dont post if you have no clue. Europe is using 230V and the Type F plug is for different reasons way better and saver than the the britihs Type G.
@@strasbourgerelsass1467 I was talking about the British plug engineered design. I could not care less for European power problems.
@@robharris8844U Please... You wrote "110V in the USA and European countries". Right? Thats what I mentioned. And the British plug design is ugly.
Al that banging those plugs to connect and pulling on the cords to disconnect is going to cause damage and therefore they may become dangerous. 😆
I prefer the type E, i feel like the springs would eventually damage after many years of constant usage, fortunately the CEE 7/7 plug is compatible with both.
However what I like with type C is how much space it saves, but no ground, type J solves this problem but is ugly so I'll leave it to Switzerland no thank you :)
Hab noch nie die Doppelversion gesehn
Me neither! Was very surprised to see that.
You can buy a converter from Schuko to two type-C plugs.
but does it have shutters over the socket pins unless something is plugged in?
yes
Shutters have been pretty much the norm since 1980s. It took somewhat longer for them to be used on powerstrips also. I have powerstrips from early 2000s without shutters.
@@okaro6595 interesting, well the US is only getting really shity shutters now
@@okaro6595This isn’t universally true. I’m from Hungary and here most wall sockets don’t have shutters, even new installations, but interestingly every power strip has shutters. There are special “dummy plugs” that you plug into a shutterless plug if you don’t have to have children sticking things into the pins.
Only problem is cheap USB charger, I get burned by desk inside when cover fell of.
To clarify the doors in the british plug only open if the door on earth is pushed. That way you don't get the situation of a child sticking two things in live and neutral.
But you can get the situation of a child sticking two things in live and ground.
I don't see how's that any better?
@@est495I thought that would pop the fuse. But I don't understand those things really. I was just citing a electroboom video.
@@jonathandilger1649 For future reference: Connecting live and ground will not pop a normal fuse or breaker but it will pop an rcd, which is most likely present on newer installations in many countries.
@@entcraft44 Normal breaker (MCB) will if trip if the earthing system is a TNCS and may trip or not if it is a TNS but almost guaranteed to not trip if it is a TT. Most countries now use a TNCS system including UK & USA.
@@IAmThe_RA Thank you for your answer. It depends on how you connect earth and ground. If a child is sticking things in and bridging the gap with their body, it will not pop a normal breaker regardless of earthing system. If you insert a piece of metal that connects both terminals then your comment is correct.
How can you tell which way round to plug it in? you may plug the live into the neutral which is a huge red flag.
If the device is properly planned it isn't a problem
@@Trizo what do you mean by 'planned'. The problem is that any on/off switch and internal fuzes are across the live terminal. If you plug it the wrong way you may think your device is isolated, but in reality it's still live.
@@sydmichel Most devices here have switches that switch off both live and neutral
@@Trizo err, no they don't
just because your designers are too incompetent to make a safe interchangeable L/N device doesnt mean ours are :)
Minute 8:13, over here we call em “three-way adapter”
We use those plugs in Ukraine 🇺🇦👍 too
Living in both US and EU, I like the US plugs more. They are more compact and quite suitable for their intended duties. Need more power? Larger plugs are available. I dont mind EU plugs but they are bulky as all hell.
BY far the most common plug in Europe is the Europlug which is at least as compact as the US one.
Swiss Type J: The security of most European plugs along with the compactness of US plugs. Also, you can plug lower power plugs into higher power outlets.
US plug is the most dangerous plug. You can easily get shocked if you touch one of the prongs, even worse when you touch both. And pray you don't step on it.. Schuko>UK plug>US plug.
Yes. I love them. So nice.
I hate the angled ones...
What about the voltage?
230 volts
2:00 NEVER EVER PULL ON THE CABLE OR THE INSULATION
I love the European plugs and sockets I wish I had one or at least get to use one
which one on this plug is neutral and live . what If someone wants to control a device with a relay . how do you that whihc side is live and neutral?
That isn't standardised. (And wouldn't work even if it were, because the plug can be plugged in both ways). - If you want to fully disconnect it with no chance of live voltage anywhere on the device you have to use a double relais. (But if you don't care about that, a single relais in either of the wires works just as well, the current is broken either way).
polarity doesnt matter and if for the appliance it does matter, manufacturer must include polarity reverse protection. Like im 24 and only like a month ago i found out what polarity is and that it matters in some parts of the world. it doesnt here.
It looks like the schuko plug looks extremely bulky and doesn't come in right angles.
Yes it does.
Brazil type n plug is better and have backwards with type c
Nice video
But...
If that European plug is stuck in the socket, people will likely tug on the cable connection, putting strain on it. Tugging a cable to disconnect the plug is *not* safe for obvious reasons.
The Earth contacts inside that socket could get tampered with (and broken or bent) by inquisitive kids.
The safety shutters on newer British plugs will only open when ALL THREE pins of the plug are inserted.
British electrical plugs are over engineered with other safety systems that you can read about in the other comments.
This is quiet nonsense...
People are taught not to pull from the cable.
@@strasbourgerelsass1467
On newer British plug sockets, all 3 contact pins must be inserted before the shutters will open. Don't believe me? See the video titled:
MK Socket Outlet BS1363 Dismantled & Examined
By John Ward
@@okaro6595 British plugs have the cable at 90 degrees to the contact pins. The user never has to touch the cable to insert or remove the plug from the socket.
@@Dave4000 Guess what? The type F has the 90 degree version too. You simply choose...
Why do you smash and yank them in and out? Like chill out brother.
If only they were polarized, it would be great
Does it matter? If so, in what cases? I never really think about polarity.
It is very contraversial, but from my electronics knowledge and experience it provides little bit more safety than non polarized plug does
First example, i have a hot air station that uses an AC heater and switches it with a triac, so it is not insulated and cause of cheap construction it uses a MALE plug on the unit iself and FEMALE on the cable so you are exposed directly to neutral and through the triac live, but with unpolarized plug you are at 50% chance of direct live connection
Second example, fusing is tricky, you are supposed to fuse the live connection, but if it's reversed and something happens your device is still powered and could potentionally shock you, however unlikely it's best avoided
Third example, for cheap as possible devices double pole switches (basically two switches in one) are expensive so they are very likely to put a single pole one and then your extension cable may only switch the neutral and live is still present at all times
tl;dr any cheap device (which is most devices nowadays) don't care about the polarity and the reversal may or may not increase the risk of shock cause proper circuit is more expensive
additional note, many new devices don't care about polarity, so while i personally like polarized plugs and would like if they were used everywhere, the safety problem is more with cheap devices so my wish will probably be unfullfilled
@@alexstone691 Are your arguments made for European devices or that is universal. I would assume there is usually some safety in mind for each design choice. It is hard to picture in my mind how exactly your examples would be.
@@alexstone691Reverse polarity protection is really easy to do for AC tho
British is the BEST my friend BS1363#
Swiss plugs are better. These are way more compact. We have 3 of them in a normal outlet.
Moving to the EU from the UK, i was shocked by how ugly Schuko plugs were. Massive space-wasting holes in the wall. A british plug is flush with the wall and maintains a simple and uncluttered design.
@@56independent42 You haven't seen Swiss plugs. These are the best. The old ones are even flush with the wall, but now you're not allowed to build these in anymore because the ones with a hole are safer. And also the fact that 3 of them fit into an outlet that's even smaller than a British one. You can also combine a light switch with 1 plug in the same square shape.
@@crafter89 Our house is quite old in Spain. We have the Italian L-type plugs and i think we have the swiss plugs in a small circle. In fact, we have an L-type plug next to a light switch and it still forms the same shape. It is unpolarised though, just like the Schuko.
I think the euro plugs should have a one shot fuse due to many people overloading them.
Thats something UK plugs have.
The UK plug is designed for 13A and the European plugs and sockets for 16A, and the wires are thicker. The electrical installation has adequate overload protection, so a fuse is not needed
@@LionRecordsHD, it depends on the usage. Some people just plug 3 high power appliances in those power splitters and burn their houses down with these splitters.
@@CowMowTV That's technically impossible. Regular Schuko extension are usually rated for 16 A, which is also the typical rating for the circuit breakers in continental Europe. If your extension cord can't handle 16 A, it must have a built-in overload protection. You can find many multimedia extension cords which are only rated for 10 A, but then always equipped with a fuse.
@@CowMowTV Power splitters have to be rated at least 3500W to be sold in Germany. You gotta be an extraordinary moron to plug your washing machine, rotary hammer and electric heater into the same splitter when the user manuals of said devices tell you not to do it and there are plenty of outlets in every single house. Granted, I've never been to Finland, but do you guys have a power outlets right beneath most light switches? We do.
@@rippspeck, the plugs are also sometimes placed this way in other countries.
EU plug can be turned in 2 ways, often thats no problem. Only sometimes, like with some phone chargers. For that other outlets can be used.
There are stupid people and it‘s often good to protect them from doing dumb stuff. Overloading due to wrong usage of power splitters does not happen so often, but sometimes.
It just takes up so much space, power strips with the japanese/usa ungrounded power outlet are more compact
I think the British plugs are better than the Schuko plugs. Yes, we do have the small Europlug, but that is the only advantage. As you have pointed out, the Schuko plugs go in both ways. This is not a nice feature, but a very critical flaw. The British plugs only go in one way, this means you always know where Live and Neutral are. Technically of course it's irrelevant as it's AC, but from a safety standpoint it is desirable to have the internal fuse and power switch of an electrical device cut off the Live connection. With the British plug this is easy to achieve, meanwhile the Schuko plug might be in the 'wrong' way around, so fuse and power switch cut the Neutral. This means a significant part of the electrical device is still connected to Live even when the power is off. And in case of failure, when Live makes contact with Earth, the internal fuse is completely out of the game (as it would cut Neutral), so you are relying on the fuses in your house wiring. Which brings me to the next advantage of the British plugs: The all have fuses built-in, either 13 A fuses for high current applications or 3 A fuses for low current applications. The fuses by design always cut the Live connection. The Schuko plug relies on the fuses in the house wiring, which are typically 16 A. This can be a problem, when an electrical device due to a failure starts drawing excessive current. When a little charger designed to take 0.5 A starts drawing 10 A, there will be smoke and eventually fire, the house fuses however will not react because the current draw does not exceed 16 A yet. In a British plug the 3 A fuse would blow and that would be it.
Also, the Schuko plug without Earth connection is not just there for mechanical stability. The Europlug system, the plugs, the cables, the power bars, are not designed for high current applications. A device like a vacuum cleaner however is a high current device, so it must have a Schuko plug to allow for sufficiently dimensioned conductors. Since double insulated devices don't need an Earth connection, they leave that away to save costs and that's why this variant of Schuko plug exists.
I can agree on the verpolungsschutz, but I think that it normally doesn't matter in 98% of household use cases. I get that the power bars might switch neutral instead of live but i haven't heard of any incidents because of that. The fuse: Lots of devices have their fuse in the housing. I do not have any information on how common electrical fires are depending on the plug. I just hate the british plug because there is no straight model, it is chunky as f*ck and doesn't go well with mobile chargers and small applications.
DrCassette The live and neutral may be incorrectly wired in a British wall socket. It can be dangerous if the device has been designed to rely on correct polarity. Devices using schuko plugs must be designed so that polarity does not matter and are thus always safe.
@@juhokestila7367 They are always safe - until something goes wrong internally.
I think you meant to say British plugs are even safer, because of the additional fuse as you point out as well as the single way of plugging them in.
However, that doesn't necessarily mean "better".
When you look at the Schuko plug, you see a little hole in the top middle grounding bit. This is for compatibility with for example Belgian outlets where a piece of plastic is sticking out so you can actually only plug the Schuko plug in one way. (You can insert Schuko and Europlug and native Belgian ones into those but not classical Dutch ones which don't have the hole or any grounding).
Schuko was designed as a reasonably safe but flexible, versatile plug with some backward and cross country compatibility with the sockets they fit in, across several countries.
Extension boxes exist in many variants, including with fuses (so then the Fuse would be in the extension box), or if bought in Belgium, with plastic sticks so you can only plug your cord in one way, and if you wish, add-ons with EM filters and overcurrent protections are also available and possible with the Schuko plug (and very reasonably priced) if needed.
In addition, as far as I'm aware, most continental European housing was not designed with Ring Mains, so price is also likely a factor here.
The Europlug was designed for convenience.. and cross country compatibility as it will plug into a Schuko socket, but also into a Dutch classical socket without any grounding or into sockets which don't accept Schuko plugs due to physical shape.
The Europlug is a bit of a compromise that has also found its way into hotel rooms for shavers etc. due to compact size but with a stable enough connection.
The safety argument is a good one, but in this case a fairly marginal one as most of the safety features of the British plug are also present, but the Schuko has greater flexibility / more options for variations for different applications, and stepping on them will hurt you less than stepping on the British ones.
Don't get me wrong. I LOVE the British plugs, but stepping on them is a safety hazard in and of itself, especially when they are UNPLUGGED :p
So in any case, I'd say both are fairly good designs, each designed around local circumstances (how odd!) - and I like them both. The Schuko is more versatile though and probably less expensive. I do prefer both over the Europlug (no grounding) and the flimsy U.S. prongs though.
@@Trizo your phone charger in the video is way bigger than any UK phone charger I've owned. A lot of newer ones have the 3rd pin retract when you take the the plug out so it takes less space when travelling.
I'm watching your videos from hungary szia trizo jók a vudeóid
There are two significant shortcomings of that plug and socket combination. The first is that it's unpolarised. There is a reason that just about every other three pin/earthed system on the planet has adopted polarised outlets, and that is to make sure that single pole switches and any internal equipment fuses are on the live side. Thus if turned off (or if there's a fault that blows an internal fuse), it does not leave the circuitry live.
The second is lack of safety shutters in the sockets. I see it's starting to arrive, but that's been standard in the UK since the late 1940s.
The lack of an internal fuse means that things like thin lamp wiring isn't properly protected. It means that cable can be exposed to the full 16 A circuit. However, that's true of most plugs in the world.
This is before you get into the nightmare of interoperability with some other European systems which lead to dangerous situations. For instance, it's possible to insert plugs which require an earth into sockets which don't provide it with some combinations.
Shcuko has evolved from an old 1926 standard when Germany had a split 120 + 120V power system (not unlike the US split phase system). It evolved into a 230V single phase system but never supported polarised connections. Some systems which are, kind of, interchangeable like the French sockets do have polarisation as they have a sort of reverse pin for earth. However, plug it into a Schuko socket and it's not polarised, and it had better be one of those universal types, or it won't be earthed either.
UK plugs is overengineered to allow builders to pass with lower quality house instalations after the war. Neat idea. But is not needed anymore.
Nothing you said is needed nowadays, with proper grounded and breaker protected houses, and rules that doesn't allow any dangerous electric device to be sold.
BTW, polarised connections have not been assumed not used in anything that uses sockets for years in all Europe. So there's no need for a socket supporting it.
Why tf do you like European plugs? They are the worst because it’s so hard for me to plug them in and take them out again. I like the American ones way more.
6:11 It makes me hurt to see how you put the Plugs in. Put the Plug in with a low angle and then turn it in.
I cannot begin to believe that this plug is better than the British 13Amp one. There are no switches on the outlet. There are no 'gates' on the outlet, children can easily access the live conductor. Polarity is too easily not conserved, hence your hairdryer may be switched off at the device but it's 50/58 that the windings inside are still 'alive'. I am amused that the Irishman thinks that the unfused radial circuit gives adequate protection for using his logic the thin lead on say a table light will be well blasted by the time his fuse/circuit breaker trip, .Un-believable!!
I even demonstrated the gates in this video, did you even watch it? Does Ireland have these plugs too?
Just because your designers are too stupid to design a safe interchangeable L/N AC device doesnt mean ours are ;)
@@greenfingernaildirt356 yikes, the superiority complex
What is this i dont like goofy stuff
what is your problem? Its an animated intro. Period. My channel is not aimed at children
@ oh well, I want to welcome everyone and convey a jolly, friendly feeling in my videos :)
Ok he said it is for 9 years old kids intro and some other stuff
@ idrc
@ 🤡
This is a complete idiot's video that gets facts, safety and technical details irresponsibly wrong.
The plug you are calling a Schuko is actually a CEE 7/7, the original two pin connector used in the 1920s was the Schuko. Both are crapp.
It is possible to plug Class I appliances needing a PE into outlets that don't have one. There is no fuse in the plug, like UK ones, so a 2A or 6A cable has no protection from a higher rated outlet/breaker and may melt and cause a fire in fault conditions. Live and Neutral may be reversed which is a serious problem, especially with IEC C13 cables, as IEC C14 inlets mostly have only a fuse and switch in the live side. Even equipment made in Germany is not double fused. This means that a fault may not blow the fuse! Although 4mm banana plugs are banned for audio in Europe they are commonly found on hifi and children can plug them into the outlets. In France the outlet pin makes the plug polarised, but you can't guarantee that the outlet is wired correctly. In The Netherlands there is no PE in domestic rooms apart from kitchens and bathrooms. Europe is not harmonised.
The reason these plugs are in use is that Germany evaded the cost of rewiring their obsolete system. The UK completely rewired during the 50s/60s when the previous round pin plugs were still better than the current European ones to get the safest system in the world.
Defending the indefensible is a fool's game.
No ring final circuits in Europe and wires are dimensioned correctly so need for you bulky plug 😅
British brag about superior of their plug but they home wiring is stuck in the 50's.
@@DangerWrap You obviously have not read the 19th edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations.
The whole point is to allow plugging grounded plus to ungroudned sockets. The need for grounding is determined by the location. It is dangerous to plug an ungrounded (not double insulated) device to a grounded socket. That is why you cannot connect them on a schuko socket.
In the US system you could happily connect a hot chassis radio next to a grounded device like a computer. That is extremely dangerous.
@@hintoninstruments2369 Nor have I, we're still on the 18th edition 🤣 Which, by the way, are not retrospective.
As you should know, the NA, Japan A/B plug standard will forever be the best ever invented. Simple, compact and safe !
Even worse than the UK one and the least safe. 😅
I think British plugs are better because of ther fuse
The fuses are one of the reason why they are NOT better.
The fuse is because they use 30 A breakers. It is a bad design where the socket relies on the plug for protection. You should rely only on things upstream.
We have TWO lots of protection for electrical appliances: circuit breakers AND fuses in the plug. If there's an electrical fault in the equipment, the circuit breaker trips instantly. The fuse in the plug is an extra form of protection and it's always on the live side (for obvious reasons).
By the way, as for treading on the pins, who is stupid enough to leave a plug on the floor like that? I've never in my life stepped on the pins of an electric plug.
@@Dave4000 How many fuses do the Brits store for keeping their system/technique running? 🤦🏻 This is so 1950...
@@strasbourgerelsass1467 I've never needed to change a fuse. The circuit breakers can be reset once the faulty equipment is unplugged.
Personally I think the British plug is superior in every way, just don't step in any of them.
Actually I think the German plugs are so inconvenient and impractical. Have you ever tried to put a desk on the wall where an outlet is???? It has to stand at least 2 inches away from the wall, looks absolutely stupid. No only that, but all furniture has to stand away from the wall because the plugs are so huge and none flexible.
There are plugs out there that are only stick less than half a centimeter. This applies to half of the plugs that are sold.
@@Trizo NOT TRUE at least not in Germany, have you ever seen a desktop or a printer with such a plug??? I think not.
@@rannaneumann8913 well i have
@@Trizo That is definitely not the standard plug, why lie.
@@rannaneumann8913 I have five of them in my hand rn, I even measured how far they stick out of the wall, depending on the plug, it's between 0.9 and 1.5 centimetres. Definitely not 2 or 3 inches
I’m from Hungary, and of course we use these types of plugs as well, but I HATE them... They are so boring. They have just these 2 pins and nothing else. I prefer the US, and the AU plugs. I like for example that the AU plugs have a 30 degree “V” shape.
US plugs are the least safe tho
Since when are plugs supposed to be "fun"?
@@t0nito
They’re supposed to look good... Because I have to see big holes on my wall every day, because of these types of plugs and sockets... The American and Australian sockets are as flat as the wall...
@@bencekiss4693 Oh so looks over safety or form over function, ok...
@@bencekiss4693 you could just hide the hole behind furniture or you could add those pop out plugs that are flush against the wall when not in use...
Example;
engineer.decorexpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/ustanovka_bloka_rozetok_5.jpg
OR
tilatuote.net/dev/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/twist1.jpg