Re: Why does laptop PSU have an earth wire?

On Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:45:20 +0000, Jim <afton370@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:04:25 GMT, Spiny Norman<default@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Once had a health and safety officer doing a lecture on H/S. He
started waffling on about how UK plugs were safer than continental
stuff so I asked him what tests he could cite and pointed out the
design was certified for use in a lot more countries than the UK
design. Though I don't know how that hangs now since I've been out the
business over ten years.. I actually prefer the UK plugs just for the
ability to fit a fuse. It tends to give warning that something is
wrong before major damage occurs.

They are very much safer. This is despite the fact that these chunks
of coppen and brass that form the pins often only make tenuous contact
with the corresponding rather sparse bits of brass in the outlet.

Fuses are a fine idea, but most people fit 13A fuses simply because
it says so on the cover of the plug, which gives no protection at
all to a faulty power unit or lamp even which should have 2A or 3A
fuses fitted. This might be avoided if plugs were sold without
fuses.

Which would then leave you reliant on the consumer unit and the 15 to
80 amp circuit protection in them. We used to have 5 amp and 15 amp
systems with no fuses. Even had 2 amp plugs for electric clocks. Tiny
little 2 pin things with pins about 3/16 ins dia. I've also got one of
those bayonet adaptors somewhere that people used to run irons off the
light circuit with.
.

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