24 Nov
2014
24 Nov
'14
1:48 p.m.
On 2014-Nov-24, at 9:29 AM, Holm Tiffe wrote:
Brent Hilpert wrote:
[..]
Funny, I've never had a plug fall out of it's own accord.
There is a certain benefit, when somebody trips over a tool cord or the vacuum cleaner is
pulled to the cord limit, to having the plug release, than to having the plug dutifully
stay in the receptacle and strain the cord or rip it off the appliance or the plug
instead.
I will point out my initial entry in this discussion was "all these systems have
varying benefits and detriments", and "present varying tradeoffs". You can
poke holes in any of them or say it would be better done this way or that way.
Once you require the transformers to get down
from 240V, you might as well go to the center-tapped 55-0-55 technique at a small increase
in complexity over 0-110 for a further safety improvement.
If you would ask me if I would change the usual german installations
against the "higher security" of the NA system you would hear an
No thanks" for sure...
I know of no other country in the world where Plugs are so secure that they
disconnect them selves from the outlet by simply falling out... From over here, the 240V, 3-phase into the house,
plethora of different plugs (I take it that situation has been improving over the years),
transformers required for common power tools, ring circuits, etc, etc. of the EU, etc. can
seem arcane and bizarre, but then it's very much what one is familiar with.
Don't worry, I have my own gripes about the NA system, like the stupid little wall
outlet and switch boxes, with an incompetently-designed mounting methodology, that
you're supposed to stuff all the wires and connections and devices into.