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>metal savings.... why every UK plug is fused Metal savings is why every plug is fused ? How does that even make sense when historically fuses were all metal c

>metal savings.... why every UK plug is fused Metal savings is why every plug is fused ? How does that even make sense when historically fuses were all metal construct instead of the modern ceramic whatnots. And anyway, fused plugs were not a requirement until ... 1992: "That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend the Plugs and Sockets Etc. (Safety) Regulations 1987 to require pre-wired plugs to be fitted to all domestic appliances by the manufacturer." (Citation: HC Deb, 29 January 1992, c955). As far as I know, the war has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with fuses in plugs. It was just introduced as part of the modernisation of UK electricity rules. If you look at historical houses, they still have/had central fuseboards with rewireable or cartridge fuses. See [1] The fuses on UK Plugs are for overload protection. Simple. See also this YouTube video for other reasons as to why UK plugs are the best[2]. Finally, if you have time on your hands, there is a 23 page treatise on the how's and why's of ring circuits. [3]. [1] https://electrical.theiet.org/wiring-matters/years/2021/84-march-2021/estimating-the-age-of-an-electrical-installation/ [2]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEfP1OKKz_Q [3] http://www.raymond-lai.com/-%20Online80/%E2%94%80Electrical%20&%20Mechanical%20Engineering%20%E6%A9%9F%E9%9B%BB%E5%B7%A5%E7%A8%8B/%E2%94%80Electricity%20%E9%9B%BB%E5%8A%9B/-%205%20In%20House%20Circuit%20%E5%AE%A4%E5%85%A7%E9%9B%BB%E8%B7%AF/-%20Circuits%20Sample%20%E7%B7%9A%E8%B7%AF%E4%BE%8B%E5%AD%90/13A%20Final%20Ring%20Circuit%20%E6%9C%80%E7%B5%82%E7%92%B0%E5%BD%A2%E9%9B%BB%E8%B7%AF/ring_circuits_-_history.pdf

JetSetWilly 5y ago
The plugs are part of the overall system they are in and are designed to that. If you have a ring circuit and 240volts like in the UK, then you had better have a plug that deals with common failure modes - switches on the sockets, fuses, ground as standard etc. If you have 120volts and a radial circuit then you can perhaps do without it. The US plug does have advantages, like being smaller. UK plugs are really annoyingly large and weighty.

JetSetWilly 5y ago

The plugs are part of the overall system they are in and are designed to that. If you have a ring circuit and 240volts like in the UK, then you had better have a plug that deals with common failure modes - switches on the sockets, fuses, ground as standard etc. If you have 120volts and a radial circuit then you can perhaps do without it. The US plug does have advantages, like being smaller. UK plugs are really annoyingly large and weighty.