[Gllug] OT: Merging UPS outputs

[Alain Williams]

On Sun, Aug 21, 2005 at 01:25:27PM +0100, Liam Smit wrote:
> > Quite, they ought to adopt the UK standard 3 pin plug.
> 
> 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.

> > * 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, ...

> > * 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.

-- 
Alain Williams
Parliament Hill Computers Ltd.
Linux Consultant - Mail systems, Web sites, Networking, Programmer, IT Lecturer.
+44 (0) 787 668 0256  http://www.phcomp.co.uk/

#include <std_disclaimer.h>
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