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> Nobody is kept up at night by the lack of innovation in AC power plugs Mandatory Tom Scott video about bri'ish power plugs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

> Nobody is kept up at night by the lack of innovation in AC power plugs Mandatory Tom Scott video about bri'ish power plugs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEfP1OKKz_Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEfP1OKKz_Q :-)

tleilaxu 4y ago
British plugs are the only thing I will ever get nationalistic about. They’re great. Hurt like a sod to stand on if the prongs are face up though!
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- kyriakos 4y ago
  Being in an ex British colony it's one of the good things left to us from that time but unfortunately it means we need adaptors wherever we travel.
avar 4y ago
That's a good overview of the features of UK plugs, but a terrible one for establishing the supposed superiority of the UK design. Much of what he describes is e.g. a feature of Schuko plugs/sockets. The main distinguishing feature of the UK design is a technical workaround for a problem that no longer exists (WWII copper shortage requiring the embedded fuse).
oldgradstudent 4y ago
Except that they're huge. Can't the same safety features fit in a smaller package?
Zak 4y ago
I like US plugs. Sure, it's easier to shock yourself with them, but you usually only do that once (because it feels bad, not because it's often fatal). I like them because they're small. I have a nifty little 3-port USB-A/C power supply where the plug folds flush. Europlug would have trouble doing that, and it's outright impossible with Schuko and UK plugs.
- Lio 4y ago
  I have a nifty little 3-port USB-A/C power supply where the plug folds flush. ... and it's outright impossible with Schuko and UK plugs You mean exactly like this folding UK adapter from Apple? :P https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/MGMY3B/A/apple-5w-usb-power-adapter-folding-pins https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/MGMY3B/A/apple-5w-usb-... Other folding UK plug brands are available. /bbc_announcer_voice
  - Zak 4y ago
    That's the closest I've seen. There's still a huge amount of bulk devoted to the plug, but that does fold flat.
- dzhiurgis 4y ago
  NZ plugs are small and don’t fall out. Best part is you can convert US plugs to NZ with a pair of pliers.
shapefrog 4y ago
We had to leave to EU to get those much safer 3 pin plugs we had since 1911. https://inews.co.uk/video/lbc-caller-three-pin-plugs-236449 https://inews.co.uk/video/lbc-caller-three-pin-plugs-236449
Lio 4y ago
"The live is brown because that's the colour your trousers will go if you touch it." Wonderful! :D

tleilaxu 4y ago

British plugs are the only thing I will ever get nationalistic about. They’re great. Hurt like a sod to stand on if the prongs are face up though!

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
kyriakos 4y ago
Being in an ex British colony it's one of the good things left to us from that time but unfortunately it means we need adaptors wherever we travel.

avar 4y ago

That's a good overview of the features of UK plugs, but a terrible one for establishing the supposed superiority of the UK design. Much of what he describes is e.g. a feature of Schuko plugs/sockets. The main distinguishing feature of the UK design is a technical workaround for a problem that no longer exists (WWII copper shortage requiring the embedded fuse).

oldgradstudent 4y ago

Except that they're huge. Can't the same safety features fit in a smaller package?

Zak 4y ago

I like US plugs. Sure, it's easier to shock yourself with them, but you usually only do that once (because it feels bad, not because it's often fatal). I like them because they're small. I have a nifty little 3-port USB-A/C power supply where the plug folds flush. Europlug would have trouble doing that, and it's outright impossible with Schuko and UK plugs.

Lio 4y ago
I have a nifty little 3-port USB-A/C power supply where the plug folds flush. ... and it's outright impossible with Schuko and UK plugs You mean exactly like this folding UK adapter from Apple? :P https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/MGMY3B/A/apple-5w-usb-power-adapter-folding-pins https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/MGMY3B/A/apple-5w-usb-... Other folding UK plug brands are available. /bbc_announcer_voice
- Zak 4y ago
  That's the closest I've seen. There's still a huge amount of bulk devoted to the plug, but that does fold flat.
dzhiurgis 4y ago
NZ plugs are small and don’t fall out. Best part is you can convert US plugs to NZ with a pair of pliers.

shapefrog 4y ago

We had to leave to EU to get those much safer 3 pin plugs we had since 1911. https://inews.co.uk/video/lbc-caller-three-pin-plugs-236449 https://inews.co.uk/video/lbc-caller-three-pin-plugs-236449

Lio 4y ago

"The live is brown because that's the colour your trousers will go if you touch it." Wonderful! :D