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As a Brit watching this video, i had to stop and google a couple of Americanisms: "unpolarized cord" - good god, you mean you can plug most American appliances

by twic 7y ago

As a Brit watching this video, i had to stop and google a couple of Americanisms: "unpolarized cord" - good god, you mean you can plug most American appliances in either way round, and so random parts of them will be live? This is the worst country on earth! "toaster strudels" - correction, this is the greatest country on earth.

gautamcgoel 7y ago
Comment of the day right here!
Aloha 7y ago
Pretty much every modern appliance is polarized. The key to note, in most houses when the unpolarized stuff was new, there were alarmingly few ground sources nearby, so the fact that one side of the appliance was hot, doesn't actually matter that much - so while it's safer now, it wasn't that unsafe then. I'd also point out, these choices make more sense when you consider the lower voltage of US power distribution.
- kwhitefoot 7y ago
  Pretty much every modern European mains powered device is double insulated so it doesn't matter which pole is live and which is neutral. Some countries do have polarized connectors (UK, some Polish, France, Belgium, etc.) but many do not. However supposedly competent electricians sometimes connect them the wrong way round anyway or omit the earth or both as I discovered in France last year. See this web page for a convenient list of mains connectors and countries that use them: https://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/ https://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
vinay427 7y ago
Tangent but virtually every country in continental Europe has two-prong unpolarized cords. It's far more common here than in the US, in my experience.
maxerickson 7y ago
The appliances would be designed to account for the plug going in either way, which is a long ways from 'random'. Polarization and grounding enable designs that are even safer.
mikestew 7y ago
and so random parts of them will be live? Why on earth would you assume that? This is the worst country on earth! Could be, but we do know how to make appliances that are not dependent on which you plug them in. (Truth be told, I’m pretty sure a lot, if not most, other countries do, too.)
- kwhitefoot 7y ago
  Modern devices are normally double insulated, it makes no difference which pole is live. Many European countries use unpolarised Schuko connectors.
ozmbie 7y ago
That's why I love UK and Australian/NZ power plugs. It's impossible to plug them in "the other way around". They only go in one way.
- frosted-flakes 7y ago
  North American plugs also only go in one way, unless they are unpolarised, and pretty much all modern appliances have polarised plugs. The only stuff that doesn't are stuff like cell phone chargers, which is actually great, because sometimes it's more convenient to have it pointing the other way.
megaremote 7y ago
> toaster strudels I am sure you can get the same effect in your country by just pouring a cup of sugar on each slice of toast.
- twic 7y ago
  Cinnamon toast, the borderline poverty answer to toaster pastry!

by twic 7y ago

gautamcgoel 7y ago

Comment of the day right here!

Aloha 7y ago

Pretty much every modern appliance is polarized. The key to note, in most houses when the unpolarized stuff was new, there were alarmingly few ground sources nearby, so the fact that one side of the appliance was hot, doesn't actually matter that much - so while it's safer now, it wasn't that unsafe then. I'd also point out, these choices make more sense when you consider the lower voltage of US power distribution.

kwhitefoot 7y ago
Pretty much every modern European mains powered device is double insulated so it doesn't matter which pole is live and which is neutral. Some countries do have polarized connectors (UK, some Polish, France, Belgium, etc.) but many do not. However supposedly competent electricians sometimes connect them the wrong way round anyway or omit the earth or both as I discovered in France last year. See this web page for a convenient list of mains connectors and countries that use them: https://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/ https://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

vinay427 7y ago

Tangent but virtually every country in continental Europe has two-prong unpolarized cords. It's far more common here than in the US, in my experience.

maxerickson 7y ago

The appliances would be designed to account for the plug going in either way, which is a long ways from 'random'. Polarization and grounding enable designs that are even safer.

mikestew 7y ago

and so random parts of them will be live? Why on earth would you assume that? This is the worst country on earth! Could be, but we do know how to make appliances that are not dependent on which you plug them in. (Truth be told, I’m pretty sure a lot, if not most, other countries do, too.)

kwhitefoot 7y ago
Modern devices are normally double insulated, it makes no difference which pole is live. Many European countries use unpolarised Schuko connectors.

ozmbie 7y ago

That's why I love UK and Australian/NZ power plugs. It's impossible to plug them in "the other way around". They only go in one way.

frosted-flakes 7y ago
North American plugs also only go in one way, unless they are unpolarised, and pretty much all modern appliances have polarised plugs. The only stuff that doesn't are stuff like cell phone chargers, which is actually great, because sometimes it's more convenient to have it pointing the other way.

megaremote 7y ago

> toaster strudels I am sure you can get the same effect in your country by just pouring a cup of sugar on each slice of toast.

twic 7y ago
Cinnamon toast, the borderline poverty answer to toaster pastry!