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> The UK has a unique way of wiring houses which doesn't lend itself well to automated control. I never heard of this. Does anyone know what it refers to? Edi

by raldi 11y ago

> The UK has a unique way of wiring houses which doesn't lend itself well to automated control. I never heard of this. Does anyone know what it refers to? Edit: Free karma points for anyone who sketches ASCII art diagrams of the replies! The links are nice, but none of them show how switches and lightbulbs work in ring vs radial.

nakedrobot2 11y ago
It might be referring to the "daisy chain" wiring, which means that every plug has the fuse inside the actual plug itself. This is why UK plugs are so huge. The reason for this is after WWII there was a copper shortage and it was cheaper to wire houses this way.
AlgorithmicTime 11y ago
I believe the UK uses ring circuits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit
pjc50 11y ago
Neutral is not usually present at the switch, which makes it hard to power things. There is a lighting ring main through the lights, and each switch is a spur that gets "live" and "to lightbulb". Whereas it looks like other countries run power to the switches, and then to the light. Edit for diagrams: http://www.howtowirealightswitch.com/2-way-switch-with-power-feed-via-light/ http://www.howtowirealightswitch.com/2-way-switch-with-power... ("UK") versus http://www.howtowirealightswitch.com/2-way-switch-with-power-feed-via-switch/ http://www.howtowirealightswitch.com/2-way-switch-with-power... (neutral at switch, suitable for powering other electronics)
- raldi 11y ago
  Okay, I think I get it. They're both electrically equivalent to this circuit: White main --- Bulb ----+ | Black main --- Switch --+ But "equivalent circuits" are not actually equivalent when you're an electrician. It makes a big practical difference whether the main goes to the bulb, with the switch as a spur (UK), or whether the main goes to the switch, with the bulb as a spur (US and others). P.S. Everybody please give pjc50 the karma I promised.
rednab 11y ago
That would be a ring circuit¹). It's also the reason why UK plugs²) tend to be fused. ¹) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit ²) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets:_British_and_related_types#British_three-pin_.28round.29_plugs_and_sockets https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets:_Br...

by raldi 11y ago

nakedrobot2 11y ago

It might be referring to the "daisy chain" wiring, which means that every plug has the fuse inside the actual plug itself. This is why UK plugs are so huge. The reason for this is after WWII there was a copper shortage and it was cheaper to wire houses this way.

AlgorithmicTime 11y ago

I believe the UK uses ring circuits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit

pjc50 11y ago

Neutral is not usually present at the switch, which makes it hard to power things. There is a lighting ring main through the lights, and each switch is a spur that gets "live" and "to lightbulb". Whereas it looks like other countries run power to the switches, and then to the light. Edit for diagrams: http://www.howtowirealightswitch.com/2-way-switch-with-power-feed-via-light/ http://www.howtowirealightswitch.com/2-way-switch-with-power... ("UK") versus http://www.howtowirealightswitch.com/2-way-switch-with-power-feed-via-switch/ http://www.howtowirealightswitch.com/2-way-switch-with-power... (neutral at switch, suitable for powering other electronics)

raldi 11y ago
Okay, I think I get it. They're both electrically equivalent to this circuit: White main --- Bulb ----+ | Black main --- Switch --+ But "equivalent circuits" are not actually equivalent when you're an electrician. It makes a big practical difference whether the main goes to the bulb, with the switch as a spur (UK), or whether the main goes to the switch, with the bulb as a spur (US and others). P.S. Everybody please give pjc50 the karma I promised.

rednab 11y ago

That would be a ring circuit¹). It's also the reason why UK plugs²) tend to be fused. ¹) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit ²) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets:_British_and_related_types#British_three-pin_.28round.29_plugs_and_sockets https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets:_Br...