Why South Africa is changing its plug standard

[phoneJunky]

Talking about safety concerns... Do your sockets have switches on them?

Only the hybrid ones, but that isn't really a safety concern. Or why do you think it is a safety concern to switch them off when you are out?

My Samsung has a 3 pin.

Oh okay, so even within brands the TVs have different plugs

 

[phoneJunky]

View attachment 945920

Is that a kettle plug? My plug is the slimmer version that goes into the tv. How old is your tv?

 

[Willie Trombone]

Only the hybrid ones, but that isn't really a safety concern. Or why do you think it is a safety concern to switch them off when you are out?

Well no, though that can be a plus. If someone is electrocuted in front of you or a PSU pops or causes fire, you'd have a way better chance to save the situation by switching off at the socket.
Also, you can power off your expensive gadgets in an electrical storm without resorting to the powering off entire circuits.
Extra isolators always come in handy and add value.

 

[phoneJunky]

Well no, though that can be a plus. If someone is electrocuted in front of you or a PSU pops or causes fire, you'd have a way better chance to save the situation by switching off at the socket.
Also, you can power off your expensive gadgets in an electrical storm without resorting to the powering off entire circuits.
Extra isolators always come in handy and add value.

If someone is electrocuting because of the cable he will naturally pull out the cable out of the socket because you contract when you electrocute, unless the path to the socket is hindered. Also you will be less likely to electrocute because of the cable as that normally happens because of wear and tear of plugs that doesn't come out of a socket and causes strain on the cable. If the path is hindered for the cable it will also be hindered for you to switch the plug off. And it is just quicker to plug it out with a tug, than to go to the socket and switch it off.

The powering off of appliances might be a nuisance, but if there is an electrical storm you do need to unplug it. The distance that the switch open circuits the path isn't sufficient to protect your equipment. Maybe it will protect you against a small power surge, but if lightning hits near your house and is picked up it fries everything switched off.

 

[Willie Trombone]

If someone is electrocuting because of the cable he will naturally pull out the cable out of the socket because you contract when you electrocute, unless the path to the socket is hindered. Also you will be less likely to electrocute because of the cable as that normally happens because of wear and tear of plugs that doesn't come out of a socket and causes strain on the cable. If the path is hindered for the cable it will also be hindered for you to switch the plug off. And it is just quicker to plug it out with a tug, than to go to the socket and switch it off.

The powering off of appliances might be a nuisance, but if there is an electrical storm you do need to unplug it. The distance that the switch open circuits the path isn't sufficient to protect your equipment. Maybe it will protect you against a small power surge, but if lightning hits near your house and is picked up it fries everything switched off.

LMAO @ that safety logic.
And lightning affects your equipment differently depending on how close the strike is. A direct strike will more likely destroy the feeder cable to your house, but the output from a strike will vary depending on the location. Switching off is way more convenient than unplugging everything daily in summer. It won't catch a direct or near direct strike but it absolutely will improve the chances dramatically of saving equipment.

 

[Ipwn 4]

That's just objectively not true. (/cc @Rabobi). The article goes into some detail about why South Africa chose this standard, and why it stuck with it.

looking forward to next week's plug article

 

[phoneJunky]

LMAO @ that safety logic.
And lightning affects your equipment differently depending on how close the strike is. A direct strike will more likely destroy the feeder cable to your house, but the output from a strike will vary depending on the location. Switching off is way more convenient than unplugging everything daily in summer. It won't catch a direct or near direct strike but it absolutely will improve the chances dramatically of saving equipment.

Here is a link to the workgroup

https://www.ee.co.za/wp-content/uploads/legacy/04%20G%20IT%20-%20SANS.pdf

Arguably the safest system in the world, the socket outlet is used in SA because it accommodates cell phone chargers and two-pin Europlugs fitted to small power devices such as hair dryers etc

They also give a summary of why they switched over to this standard in the conclusion

 

[upup]

I bought a new plug just last week, still the good old 3 pin plug.

 

[Willie Trombone]

Here is a link to the workgroup

https://www.ee.co.za/wp-content/uploads/legacy/04%20G%20IT%20-%20SANS.pdf

They also give a summary of why they switched over to this standard in the conclusion

Do they cover removal of the switch?
Not sure why you'd want that. I'd go with these

 

[phoneJunky]

Do they cover removal of the switch?
Not sure why you'd want that. I'd go with these
View attachment 946048

No they don't go over it there. But I have followed this since varsity. When I have more time, I might track down the engineering news articles (which I think they were in here). MyBB also did a few articles back in the day about it.

Also, I have both these in my house, and the six socket one with no switch.

As it quoted there our standard, is arguably the safest in the world

 

[Willie Trombone]

As it quoted there our standard, is arguably the safest in the world

Not my point. My point is an isolator should be a requirement.

 

[Motherdog]

Wow, I can't believe the resistance to the new standard, I suspect the same type of mindset is why the Americans aren't on the metric system yet...

I've been exclusively on the new plug standard since 2014, just bit the bullet and changed my whole house over when I first learned of it. I absolutely hated having to deal with adapters and multiplugs on a daily basis, so it was an easy sell. Back then only Livecopper carried the new plugs, cost me about R2k and took 2 days. Gave all my adapters to friends except for one multiplug that I fitted with a new plug in case someone visits and still has a grandpa's plug on something.

It's been an absolute pleasure, every device I own fits directly into any wall socket or extension, and I have at least 4 sockets at every plug point. What is there not to like?

 

[phoneJunky]

Not my point. My point is an isolator should be a requirement.

You can have one, but it shouldn't be a requirement. Switches is one of the first places where a socket fails. That is one of the reasons I replaced all of my sockets in the first place.

I also can't think that I have use one switch on a socket in my house in the last 12 years, so it will just add cost for people that don't require them. You actually do get get the option to purchase sockets with them.

 

[cr@zydude]

Wow, I can't believe the resistance to the new standard, I suspect the same type of mindset is why the Americans aren't on the metric system yet...

I've been exclusively on the new plug standard since 2014, just bit the bullet and changed my whole house over when I first learned of it. I absolutely hated having to deal with adapters and multiplugs on a daily basis, so it was an easy sell. Back then only Livecopper carried the new plugs, cost me about R2k and took 2 days. Gave all my adapters to friends except for one multiplug that I fitted with a new plug in case someone visits and still has a grandpa's plug on something.

It's been an absolute pleasure, every device I own fits directly into any wall socket or extension, and I have at least 4 sockets at every plug point. What is there not to like?

How did that happen? I know that Europlugs fit, but I have yet to see any grounded appliance sold with this new SA plug.

 

[itareanlnotani]

I'll be honest, I've just gone with the chinese standard plug in my house, with a sprinkling of south african plugs.
The chinese ones are pretty much plug in anything and it fits.

Similar to this, but not quite - i have nicer ones., and they fit round + angled too (can't find a decent photo, will update post if I do).

Like these, but without the USB plugs



If and when I eventually sell my house, I have the standard (old style) SA plug sockets to replace them with.
I'm far happier with these - pretty much everything I buy from the shops just fits*


*Except the never seen in the real world "new style" SA plug.

 

[Swa]

Wow, I can't believe the resistance to the new standard, I suspect the same type of mindset is why the Americans aren't on the metric system yet...

I've been exclusively on the new plug standard since 2014, just bit the bullet and changed my whole house over when I first learned of it. I absolutely hated having to deal with adapters and multiplugs on a daily basis, so it was an easy sell. Back then only Livecopper carried the new plugs, cost me about R2k and took 2 days. Gave all my adapters to friends except for one multiplug that I fitted with a new plug in case someone visits and still has a grandpa's plug on something.

It's been an absolute pleasure, every device I own fits directly into any wall socket or extension, and I have at least 4 sockets at every plug point. What is there not to like?

So you rewired everything in your house? That's where the resistance lies. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Americans are actually on both the metric and imperial system. Just wish they'd decide on one or the other.

You can have one, but it shouldn't be a requirement. Switches is one of the first places where a socket fails. That is one of the reasons I replaced all of my sockets in the first place.

I also can't think that I have use one switch on a socket in my house in the last 12 years, so it will just add cost for people that don't require them. You actually do get get the option to purchase sockets with them.

Switches fail because people try to switch things off at the plug rather than at the appliance. Just imagine now that there's no switch.