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Question about electricity in Europe (Page 2)
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OreoCookie
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Jun 19, 2007, 04:53 AM
 
When I was in the UK last time, the only way to recharge my ProBook was to use the Euro plug in the bath room.
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voodoo
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Jun 19, 2007, 07:13 AM
 
Originally Posted by Powerbook View Post
It works also in the UK. I always used my german plugs directly in UK sockets, it's a bit tight, but it fits.

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... no... no no.. I'm walking away from that one.

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badidea
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Jun 19, 2007, 09:26 AM
 
Originally Posted by voodoo View Post
... no... no no.. I'm walking away from that one.

V
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Kevin
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Jun 19, 2007, 09:57 AM
 
Originally Posted by BRussell View Post
You've been shocked just pulling a plug out of the wall?
Thats what I was wondering...
     
analogika
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Jun 19, 2007, 01:17 PM
 
If you have a plug that's sitting extremely tight in the socket, what do you do?

Given that yanking on the cord is a complete no-no, I mean.

You grab it firmly between your thumb and the side of the index finger, right? And then you wobble it and wobble it and try to get a grip on the ****ing plug.



Imagine that being a small two-prong plug.

Now assume that your hands are NOT the size of a six-year-old's.

?
     
Mastrap
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Jun 19, 2007, 08:59 PM
 
^Truth be told, I've never had that problem ever. You just grab the plug, then pull it. I've never got a shock from that.
     
CharlesS
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Jun 19, 2007, 09:15 PM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
Imagine that being a small two-prong plug.
The small two-prong plugs are usually ribbed to give you more friction with which to grab it. There's also usually a little protrusion right where the plug meets the cord to give you something to grab onto.


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Dakarʒ
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Jun 19, 2007, 09:22 PM
 
^ exactly
     
TETENAL
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Jun 19, 2007, 09:33 PM
 
Maybe this is a stupid question, but: How are you prevented from touching the metal prongs on a US-power-plug while it's half-way inserted?
     
Mastrap
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Jun 19, 2007, 09:41 PM
 
Originally Posted by TETENAL View Post
Maybe this is a stupid question, but: How are you prevented from touching the metal prongs on a US-power-plug while it's half-way inserted?
You aren't. But the contact point in a North American power outlet are pretty far to the back so once the plug is pulled forward there is no actual current flowing anymore. The plug needs to be inserted about 4/5th of the way to make contact.
     
ghporter
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Jun 19, 2007, 09:51 PM
 
For a number of reasons, preventing contact with the prongs being only the most obvious, it's best to ensure that ANY plug is fully inserted. A secondary reason is that with the prongs fully inserted in the socket, you have the maximum contact surface and thus the least resistance-and least heat generated-in the connection.

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TETENAL
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Jun 19, 2007, 10:14 PM
 
Originally Posted by Mastrap View Post
You aren't. But the contact point in a North American power outlet are pretty far to the back so once the plug is pulled forward there is no actual current flowing anymore.
And this is not a problem with children who like to explore?
Originally Posted by Mastrap View Post
The plug needs to be inserted about 4/5th of the way to make contact.
I wonder why nobody thought of insulating the last 1/5 of the prongs as is in the Euro-plugs?
     
BRussell  (op)
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Jun 19, 2007, 10:33 PM
 
Originally Posted by TETENAL View Post
And this is not a problem with children who like to explore?
I wonder why nobody thought of insulating the last 1/5 of the prongs as is in the Euro-plugs?
Maybe because no one has ever heard of anyone getting a shock?
     
Mastrap
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Jun 19, 2007, 10:51 PM
 
Originally Posted by TETENAL View Post
And this is not a problem with children who like to explore?
When there's no current flowing, how can it be a problem?

Originally Posted by TETENAL View Post
I wonder why nobody thought of insulating the last 1/5 of the prongs as is in the Euro-plugs?
Probably because it would be a solution in search of a problem. As I've said above, the electrical connection is interrupted almost immediately when you pull the plug out of the socket. We are talking millimetres here.
     
analogika
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Jun 20, 2007, 05:57 AM
 
Originally Posted by CharlesS View Post
The small two-prong plugs are usually ribbed to give you more friction with which to grab it. There's also usually a little protrusion right where the plug meets the cord to give you something to grab onto.

*Usually*, yes.

To be fair, I've plugged and unplugged US/Japanese plugs probably thousands of times with no trouble at all, but not all of the plugs had that ridge. Especially older ones are often just slightly ribbed.

What can I say? It happened.
     
Kevin
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Jun 20, 2007, 06:47 AM
 
Originally Posted by Mastrap View Post
^Truth be told, I've never had that problem ever. You just grab the plug, then pull it. I've never got a shock from that.
Me either, and I am not the safest at doing that.

Now I've gotten jolted from being a dumb ass while working on electronics. But never by plugging anything in.

AKA forgot to bleed caps in a tube amp.
( Last edited by Kevin; Jun 20, 2007 at 01:15 PM. )
     
Mastrap
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Jun 20, 2007, 06:53 AM
 
Originally Posted by Powerbook View Post
It works also in the UK. I always used my german plugs directly in UK sockets, it's a bit tight, but it fits.
Considering that you need to push open the earth prong insert on the outlet to make an electrical connection, how did you get that to work with a two prong plug?
     
Powerbook
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Jun 20, 2007, 11:46 AM
 
Originally Posted by Mastrap View Post
Considering that you need to push open the earth prong insert on the outlet to make an electrical connection, how did you get that to work with a two prong plug?
Not sure that I understand your question. I used the two German prongs in the two "horizontal" holes of the English socket. Worked with e.g. my camera's power supply. Oh and the places I tried it were pretty old, mostly 60s and 70s. Maybe a coherence?

PB.
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Dakarʒ
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Jun 20, 2007, 11:50 AM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
*Usually*, yes.

To be fair, I've plugged and unplugged US/Japanese plugs probably thousands of times with no trouble at all, but not all of the plugs had that ridge. Especially older ones are often just slightly ribbed.

What can I say? It happened.
And its believable that it happened once. But it doesn't pose a real issue.
     
CharlesS
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Jun 20, 2007, 12:01 PM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
*Usually*, yes.

To be fair, I've plugged and unplugged US/Japanese plugs probably thousands of times with no trouble at all, but not all of the plugs had that ridge. Especially older ones are often just slightly ribbed.
I think the only two-prong plugs I've seen without that ridge have been really old ones. It's pretty rare nowadays (in the US, at least - I don't know much about Japanese plugs).

The three-prong plugs, on the other hand, are quite often smooth, as in the picture you posted. I have no idea why this is.

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analogika
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Jun 20, 2007, 06:42 PM
 
Originally Posted by Kevin View Post
Me either, and I am not the safest at doing that.

Now I've gotten jolted from being a dumb ass while working on electronics. But never by plugging anything in.
Neither have I.

I was *un*plugging something.
     
Kevin
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Jun 20, 2007, 07:04 PM
 
Originally Posted by Dakarʒ View Post
And its believable that it happened once. But it doesn't pose a real issue.
Yeah.. I'd like to see the deaths per year of this. In bar graph form please.

With pretty fishes.
     
nonhuman
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Jun 20, 2007, 07:04 PM
 
Originally Posted by TETENAL View Post
Maybe this is a stupid question, but: How are you prevented from touching the metal prongs on a US-power-plug while it's half-way inserted?
Intelligence.
     
analogika
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Jun 21, 2007, 06:17 AM
 
Originally Posted by Kevin View Post
Yeah.. I'd like to see the deaths per year of this. In bar graph form please.

With pretty fishes.
I suppose not everybody lived to tell the tale on this old MacNN as I did, eh?


The power arcs from one prong through the finger to the other and doesn't pass through the heart.

The likelihood of anything beyond a burnt finger is pretty small, if the shock is short.
     
Doofy
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Jun 21, 2007, 06:51 AM
 
Originally Posted by Kevin View Post
Yeah.. I'd like to see the deaths per year of this. In bar graph form please.

With pretty fishes.
I demand fluffy bunnies!
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
     
Kevin
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Jun 21, 2007, 08:47 AM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
I suppose not everybody lived to tell the tale on this old MacNN as I did, eh?

The power arcs from one prong through the finger to the other and doesn't pass through the heart.

The likelihood of anything beyond a burnt finger is pretty small, if the shock is short.
My post was a joke analogika.

I thought for sure the chart with fishes made sure of that. Oh well I should take my own advice on sarcasm on the internet. I am not blaming you for not seeing the sarcasm BTW.
     
Mike Pither
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Jun 21, 2007, 03:53 PM
 
Originally Posted by Mastrap View Post
Considering that you need to push open the earth prong insert on the outlet to make an electrical connection, how did you get that to work with a two prong plug?
I get the 2 pin Italian plugs to fit by inserting a pencil in the earth socket and pushing, this lets you push the other two pins in.
iMac DVSE 400 640mb + AL PB 15" with 1 gig + iMac 2,8 with 4gb + MacBook Pro 2,53 with 4gb
     
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Jun 21, 2007, 06:05 PM
 
Originally Posted by Mike Pither View Post
I get the 2 pin Italian plugs to fit by inserting a pencil in the earth socket and pushing, this lets you push the other two pins in.
I find that, in general, if it takes work to do something then it's not really worth doing that thing in the first place.
     
Kevin
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Jun 22, 2007, 06:49 AM
 
Notice, nonhuman has had the same sig for a decade.
     
Doofy
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Jun 22, 2007, 07:08 AM
 
Originally Posted by Kevin View Post
Notice, nonhuman has had the same sig for a decade.
Never mind that. Where's my fluffy bunnies?
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
     
analogika
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Jun 22, 2007, 09:16 AM
 
     
Doofy
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Jun 22, 2007, 09:34 AM
 


And this is here to get around the no shouting filter
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
     
nonhuman
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Jun 22, 2007, 10:07 AM
 
Originally Posted by Kevin View Post
Notice, nonhuman has had the same sig for a decade.
I changed it a few times, but in the end decided that the original was the best.

If it ain't broke...

     
badidea
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Jun 22, 2007, 10:15 AM
 
Recent scientific researches showed that 45% of all male forum posters who frequently changed their signature are gay - 55% are still a virgin!

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Dakarʒ
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Jun 22, 2007, 10:18 AM
 
oh crap
     
badidea
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Jun 22, 2007, 10:21 AM
 
Exception: forum posters with squares in their user name...of course!
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Dakarʒ
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Jun 22, 2007, 10:22 AM
 
You don't see the last character correctly?

Edit: Off the top of my head I'd guess you're not on a Mac right now, then
     
Dаkarʒ
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Jun 22, 2007, 10:25 AM
 
What about two squares? Maybe?

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badidea
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Jun 22, 2007, 10:28 AM
 
Originally Posted by Dakarʒ View Post
You don't see the last character correctly?

Edit: Off the top of my head I'd guess you're not on a Mac right now, then
That's correct!

...and weird

(both are you and online?)
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Dаkarʒ
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Jun 22, 2007, 10:31 AM
 
I forgot how much fun this was...
     
Kevin
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Jun 22, 2007, 07:59 PM
 
Originally Posted by badidea View Post
Recent scientific researches showed that 45% of all male forum posters who frequently changed their signature are gay - 55% are still a virgin!

Wanna go out back and make out?

For first time in my life...
     
badidea
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Jun 23, 2007, 08:57 AM
 
Originally Posted by Kevin View Post
For first time in my life...
Seriously?
I thought at least SWG already accepted one of your offers!?
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Jun 23, 2007, 09:35 AM
 
Originally Posted by badidea View Post
Seriously?
I thought at least SWG already accepted one of your offers!?
Naw he was too big of a sissy.

We had a room picked out and everything. We were gonna meet half-way.

I was even going respect him the next morning.
     
 
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