I must've accidentally clicked on an old Wikipedia link (which i visit occasionally because I'm weird) in my history 'cause this can't be the Escapist posting outlet pron.
Fun fact, that third grounding/earthing/(annoying thing that gets ripped off by people not up to speed on electrical saftey) pin is longer than the others on every plug shown so the first and last contact is always that safety measure. (If you make or repair a cord with one of those store bought plugs that you wire up yourself, always maker sure to keep that wire longer than the others so you've got ground in case the cord is pulled out of the pug. I make my hots just a tiny bit shorter than neutrals, too.)
I'm still kinda jealous UK outlets usually have switches built in and the plugs have fuses while the my area in the US just got stricter with how you wire the outlets. The switches would help save power with all this always on or on standby technocrap industries keep feeding us, without forcing you to buy some dumb switched outlet thing or a power strip for $10. And, the fuses would definitely cut back on fires from overloaded cords. "No that paper thin lamp extension cord isn't going to run a hot plate and an A/C unit. For long."
fix-the-spade said:
No article on socket plugs is complete without the mighty BS 1363 three pin plug. Preventer of fires, pre-emptive earther of circuits, destroyer of feet!
I just tried stepping on one of those, FOR SCIENCE! (I got it from some equipment at work that included both NEMA 5-15 and BS 1363 cords.) It sure hurts, but a NEMA 1-15 wall wart's pins are slightly thinner making it hurt a little more. Watch out for those monsters, too. (I know some companies are so cheap that they make one voltage sensing wall wart with the North American pins and send it out with snap on adapters to overseas markets.)
