Double insulated electronics do not require a ground connection. It's not required for everything in the UK either but that ground pin is needed to open the outlet shutters. Sometimes that pin will be plastic when that's all it needs to do.
That plug does not even have two sockets from the look of it so its probably a very old socket. Id not be surprised if that house has knob and tube meaning a properly grounded outlet would probably need extensive rewire and maybe a new service panel.
Our plugs and sockets are safer but I will point out that though every plug has an earth pin, not every device is wired to earth. Double insulated devices will have a plug with a plastic earth pin that will still operate the shutter mechanism.
Oh no, our government wants us protect use from potential electrocution. How shall we live with this tyranny? It's a Health and Safety rule. Our voltage is twice yours at 240V which means twice the potential current, and a greater chance of getting killed should water and electricity mix. We do have 120V outlets with isolation transformers for shavers but they're more of a hotel thing.
A light switch just inside the bathroom door is as likely to cause electrocution as any light switch in your house. We also have 240v outlets here in the US for some appliances. And how did the British public survive before this? And don’t you use GFI to prevent electrocution? How do you manage not to electrocute yourselves using appliances in the kitchen? And if you could manage not to electrocute yourself in the kitchen, why wouldn’t you be able to do the same in the bathroom?
I don’t need a nanny, I’m an adult. And it doesn’t matter how “safe” you make it, an idiot will find a way to kill themselves. I think making things so safe for kids actually does more harm to them as they don’t realize how easy it is to unalive themselves. German and Finnish playgrounds aren’t designed to be safe but allow an element of danger. Result is more confident and independent children. Research shows US kids circumvent safety measures, if they use the playground.
No thanks, the UK's socket design is kind of stupid and built around having fuses built into the plugs instead of breakers/fuses built into the home. There are advantages but frankly we're all just using really old electrical standards purely out of momentum. Don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing the US design is better, just that if we were going to switch I'd rather not go with a design that was settled on solely to use less copper during WWII.
The UK plug/socket design has a whole host of safety features that make it one of the safest plug/socket designs around. The build in fuse is just one part of the safety.
Christ someone doesn't understand how a UK house is wired. Every house has breakers (possible some very old homes still use a fuse box) and that has always been the case, the fuse in the plug was an extra line of defense. If you look at your modern appliances some won't have one anymore, high drain devices are more likely to. It protects more expensive components from damage. It's the safest design in the world, you can make an argument for it being over the top but it is not "stupid".
Sounds like they understand how they used to be wired when that plug was developed. Ring mains and whatnot - which absolutely were used to minimize the amount of copper needed. And you can have fuses in devices that need them without a sledgehammer sized plug, they're not mutually exclusive.
Ours typically have one main breaker for the house then individual breakers for specific rooms and high load appliances. The UK design was setup to avoid having all the separate circuits thus using less copper while wiring homes during and after WWII.
Look man, what's your point? That was the primary reason the UK adopted its plug design and it's entirely unnecessary today in a house with separate breakers for each room. I'm not going to get into some argument about electrical sockets over you, like I said from the get go they're all antiquated designs. All I said was were we to replace our socket design I wouldn't want the UK's jumbo fused silly plugs. If you like them then congratulations.
RElGNMAN
They know.
MikeRInternetTraveler
TWAS I WHO SET THE HOUSE ABLAZE!!!
1HPleft
hacker kitty exploring a brownout bug at hardware level: I'm in
alcamar
That cat is going to catch that entire house on fire
Volpe42
Not unless it doesn't have a breaker panel
MidnightTacoTruck
And He won't even feel bad about it
BANANAFLAKE
This cat is doing it for food. Most would do it for nothing.
ByThePowerOfSCIENCE
MrWobblyHead
That's what you get for having a shit plug and socket design.
SoftKleenex
Not the cats problem, as long as the kibbles are there
un1matr1x
Why we didn’t stop the global warming, for 200$ please
Solkanarmy
everywhere should have plugs like the UK, way safer... is that thing even earthed?
FoxySpirit
You spelled "EU plugs" wrong. The whole recessed layout makes it completely safe from touch when a plug is in.
anteyeclimbaxe
Double insulated electronics do not require a ground connection. It's not required for everything in the UK either but that ground pin is needed to open the outlet shutters. Sometimes that pin will be plastic when that's all it needs to do.
Filanwizard
That plug does not even have two sockets from the look of it so its probably a very old socket. Id not be surprised if that house has knob and tube meaning a properly grounded outlet would probably need extensive rewire and maybe a new service panel.
StellaMatutina
Yeah, cuz the history books of the UK pushing their way of life on everyone else went fucking swimmingly
Solkanarmy
wow, I love where you went with this
JoeGrunt
We would call that "grounded", not "earthed", and no, that plug is not grounded.
Juni0220
Ah ues Americans inventing a term for something they dont even have
onecowboytoo
Our plugs have 3 prongs: hot, neutral, and ground. Many items don't necessarily need a ground. They breaker will still trip.
DefaOmega
Wait... Do other countries call it "earthed" instead of "grounded" or is that just word play?
funkystay
Yes. The "ground" wire literally means to go to the ground (Earth).
Wafflesaur
We do in fact call it earthing/earthed.
DefaOmega
I had no idea thanks for the information!
GlennBecksChalkboard
In german it's called that kinda, due to "Erde" meaning earth/ground/soil.
xtraa
"geerdet" is literally "earthed".
samanthathecat
Yes, earthed. Either word is actually extremely descriptive: the earth/ground wire leads directly to… the earth/ground below your house.
alphanius
Yeah, you need it to grill the worms and insects there instead of your house in case of electric failures
DefaOmega
True that's why I thought it might just be word play haha. Thanks for the answer
MrWobblyHead
Our plugs and sockets are safer but I will point out that though every plug has an earth pin, not every device is wired to earth. Double insulated devices will have a plug with a plastic earth pin that will still operate the shutter mechanism.
ForlornHopeful
Even without it being earthed it's hard to get a plug fit that badly, the mechanical connection is much better
migratingotter
Your government doesn’t trust you to have outlets or light switches in the bathroom.
MrWobblyHead
Oh no, our government wants us protect use from potential electrocution. How shall we live with this tyranny? It's a Health and Safety rule. Our voltage is twice yours at 240V which means twice the potential current, and a greater chance of getting killed should water and electricity mix. We do have 120V outlets with isolation transformers for shavers but they're more of a hotel thing.
munkis
Nz has 240v and outlets in the bathroom as long as you have an rcd on them, or whole house rcd on the switchboard
migratingotter
A light switch just inside the bathroom door is as likely to cause electrocution as any light switch in your house. We also have 240v outlets here in the US for some appliances. And how did the British public survive before this? And don’t you use GFI to prevent electrocution? How do you manage not to electrocute yourselves using appliances in the kitchen? And if you could manage not to electrocute yourself in the kitchen, why wouldn’t you be able to do the same in the bathroom?
shehdbeuebw738373
Welcome to USA fire traps. To be fair, our normal power is more spicy and less instantly kill you like yours.
migratingotter
I don’t need a nanny, I’m an adult. And it doesn’t matter how “safe” you make it, an idiot will find a way to kill themselves. I think making things so safe for kids actually does more harm to them as they don’t realize how easy it is to unalive themselves. German and Finnish playgrounds aren’t designed to be safe but allow an element of danger. Result is more confident and independent children. Research shows US kids circumvent safety measures, if they use the playground.
xtraa
True 120V is better than 240V
Filanwizard
But with one call to an electrician you can get 240v outlets as that is how much is coming into your panel
xtraa
What's bad tho is the 60Hz in case of a shock.
xtraa
We have 50, that doesn't make it much better haha
Scar1203
No thanks, the UK's socket design is kind of stupid and built around having fuses built into the plugs instead of breakers/fuses built into the home. There are advantages but frankly we're all just using really old electrical standards purely out of momentum. Don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing the US design is better, just that if we were going to switch I'd rather not go with a design that was settled on solely to use less copper during WWII.
Slugsie
The UK plug/socket design has a whole host of safety features that make it one of the safest plug/socket designs around. The build in fuse is just one part of the safety.
migratingotter
If it’s so safe, then why can’t you use a hair dryer in a UK bathroom?
RadishIsAMeat
Christ someone doesn't understand how a UK house is wired. Every house has breakers (possible some very old homes still use a fuse box) and that has always been the case, the fuse in the plug was an extra line of defense. If you look at your modern appliances some won't have one anymore, high drain devices are more likely to. It protects more expensive components from damage. It's the safest design in the world, you can make an argument for it being over the top but it is not "stupid".
anteyeclimbaxe
Sounds like they understand how they used to be wired when that plug was developed. Ring mains and whatnot - which absolutely were used to minimize the amount of copper needed. And you can have fuses in devices that need them without a sledgehammer sized plug, they're not mutually exclusive.
Szwejkowski
We have house fuses as well, you know.
Scar1203
Ours typically have one main breaker for the house then individual breakers for specific rooms and high load appliances. The UK design was setup to avoid having all the separate circuits thus using less copper while wiring homes during and after WWII.
Szwejkowski
Yeah, my house has all that AND fuses on each individual plug. It's not 1950 in the UK anymore.
Scar1203
Look man, what's your point? That was the primary reason the UK adopted its plug design and it's entirely unnecessary today in a house with separate breakers for each room. I'm not going to get into some argument about electrical sockets over you, like I said from the get go they're all antiquated designs. All I said was were we to replace our socket design I wouldn't want the UK's jumbo fused silly plugs. If you like them then congratulations.