Why are power sockets different around the world?

The reason why the world is now stuck with no less than 15 different styles of plugs and wall outlets, is because many countries preferred to develop a plug of their own, instead of adopting the US standard. Many Latin-American, African and Asian countries are still in the same situation that Brazil used to be in.

Are Unswitched sockets legal?

1. Unswitched sockets are no longer compliant with regulations and need to be replaced with switched versions. False. Plugs and sockets have to comply with British Standard 1363, however this standard allows for both switched and unswitched socket variants.

Why does USA have lower voltage?

Once AC was widely accepted as being superior to DC for power generation, transmission and distribution purpose, 120V (110V) became the standard for AC distribution in USA presumably because it used the “safer” voltage level of the DC system. 230V has lower distribution costs and was popularly taken up by Europe.

Why are the holes in electric plugs?

If you were to take apart an outlet and look at the contact wipers that the prongs slide into, you would find that they have bumps on them. These bumps fit into the holes so that the outlet can grip the plug’s prongs more firmly. It also improves the contact between the plug and the outlet.

What is the difference between a switched and unswitched socket?

Switched outlets are controlled by an off and on switch. The unswitched outlets stay on all the time unless the entire unit is unplugged.

Why do American plugs have no earth?

3 Answers. Many appliances in the USA and elsewhere have two-prong plugs because they are “double insulated.” The third prong is for ground fault protection except where outlets have been designed with protective shutters on the current-carrying slots that are opened by the ground prong.

Why do UK plug sockets have switches?

Why Do UK Outlets Have A Switch? Companies in the UK supply power at 220 volts rather than 110 volts. The switch acts as an extra layer of security. By allowing homeowners to stop the flow of current before pulling a plug from a socket, they are less likely to die from electrocution if something goes wrong.

Are American plug sockets really that bad?

In one sense those countries were actually right, though: the wobbly American plugs and their uninsulated prongs are almost prehistoric in terms of design and they are notoriously unsafe.

What is the difference between UK and US wall plugs?

The main thing to know about the U.K. wall plug is that while it is bulkier than other designs, every ounce of that additional bulk makes the design safer. This is accomplished in four main ways: • Prong Design: Like standard U.S. grounded plugs, the U.K. wall plug has three prongs.

What is the purpose of an ON/OFF switch on an outlet?

It is an on/off switch, not a breaker. The philosophy behind them is that it enables someone to turn off the connected apparatus without unplugging it (!). There are probably an equal number of outlets (or sockets as they are called in the UK) in use that do not have the on/off switch.

Which country first adopted Type N plug sockets?

It wasn’t until 2007 that Brazil became the first country in the world to adopt type N as its standard wall outlet and plug top. The establishment of type N as the sole standard was motivated by the urge to sort out the motley collection of plugs in use throughout the country.