[Gllug] OT: Merging UPS outputs

[Liam Smit]

> > But UK plugs are ugly!<g>
> 
> Really ?
> Anyway: I would rather something that was less aethetically pleaseing, but safe,
> rather than something beautiful but potentially lethal.

Joke: SA plugs have 3 round pins, one large earth pin and two smaller
pins (live and neutral). And they don't hurt so much when you stand on
them.<g>

> > > * It has an Earth -- many European items don't
> >
> > Many appliances don't require an earth pin. The appliance is designed
> > and built in such a way so that this is not an issue. For example my
> > electric razor, I'd have to remove the plastic casing and then plug it
> > into the wall and then use wet hands in order to get a shock.
> 
> Maybe quite true, but there are many appliances with a metal casing which
> would benefit from an earth should there be an internal short: eg clothes iron,
> electric drill, ...

The problem is that people tend to import appliances. So you could end
up with appliances designed for 3 pins in countries with two pin plugs
i.e dangerous. The alternative is appliances desgined for 2 pins being
used in 3 pin plugs.
 
> > > * It is individually fused -- European circuits rely on a fuse for the whole
> > >   circuit - this will be a much higher rating then the individual appliance
> > >   fuse. One problem with UK fuses is that the come in different ratings
> > >   (3, 5, 13 amp) but highstreet John/Jane just buy/install 13 amp fuses
> > >   (so that it won't blow again). This means that they don't get the protection
> > >   that they should. Many electrical items are also sold with the wrong rating
> > >   fuse in them -- high street retailers don't care as long as they sell something.
> >
> > Not time to switch over to circuit breakers with earth leakage
> > protection? They trip out the circuit when it detects an earth leakage
> > measure in milli amps...
> 
> Errm: fuses also protect from over use of current, eg toaster ageing & just
> gets hotter & hotter. It also means that the plug fuse blows & not the entire
> circuit.

If you overload a plug point, whether by using lots os little
appliances or a few big ones, it also trips. I believe this has to do
with the resistance changing as more appliances are put in parallel.
So you' re covered on that score too. You' d be surprised how seldom
the power  has to trip.

If you buy a dodgy appliance and plug it in you learn quickly that you
need to take it back to the store.Bit harder to pass of dodgy kit on
customers, you can't blame the fuse or the circuit breaker when all
the other appliance in the house work fine.<g>

Cheers
Liam
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