Why are we stuck with these silly 3 pin electrical plugs in Britain?

Question

Why is it that we have these 13amp 3 pin electric plugs that are so hard to plug in and take out, while the rest of the civilised world has nice easy 2 pin plugs?

Wow! Some good answers to that one. Good to hear from those of you who live in countries with 2 pin plugs that it is not the perfect system either. Maybe it is just because I am getting weaker, but I find british ones hard to push in and out sometimes. I think I will patent a one pin plug that runs on lower voltage and earths through the floor :)

Answer 1

Well yossa, the others have about said it all, But the best thing I can add is,........don't suffer with the difficult to pull them out of the socket business. Look out for 13amp plugs that have a big ring pull that you can get a finger or two into built into them. Called easy pull, Fit them where you can and life will be much easier. Use link and scroll down.

Answer 2

Unlike what some people think it's nothing to do with voltage. Most of the EU is on 230V and still using 2 pin plugs.

The system we use is the only one that contains a fuse built in to the plug.
This fuse should be rated according to the appliance. E.g. an electric kettle would have a 13A fuse in the plug but a television set would be safe with a 5A plug.
(I know that most have 13A fuses in them because people are too lazy to fit the right ones, but appliances with "factory fitted plugs" should have theright fuse).

This system has permitted the UK to develop the ring-main system, which is not universal in the lands which don't use fused plugs.

The large pin is the safety Earth. Even on appliances which are "double insulated" and don't need the earth for safety it's sometimes connected to shield the device from extrernal electromagnetic interference.
This pin is longer than the others deliberatley so that it opens the safety shutters in the socket to permit the other pins to enter.
If you have cheap sockets then the springs may not be correctly tensioned and the dimensions of the internal metalwork is often not precise. That would explain why your plugs are hard to insert and withdraw.
Get genuine MK plugs and sockets and you'll never have problems again.

The US 3-pin system is becoming more common inthe USA but it does not use fused plugs and so is unsafe for ring mains.

Also, the UK plugs are the only ones anywhere that have the cable entry from the bottom as a feature of their specification. This is deliberate to prevent unintended pulling out of the plug if the wire is tugged; and also to discourage withdrawal of the plug by pulling the wire (which will risk damaging the connections).

Additional.
The plugs are desiged as an isocelese triangle so that the live and neutral pins cannot be revresed. This means that the fuse and all switches will always be in the Live wire. This is a good safety feature that is missing in 2 pin systems.

Answer 3

A few brief points:

The United States ALSO has three pin plugs

Said three pin plugs are usually not that difficult to use (at least not here)

Three pin plugs allow a ground line that that you will not be electrocuted or your flat razed to the ground from fire if there should be a short...not all outlets are wired up to USE it, and I'm sure many electricians cut corners and don't run the ground lines, but that's what it's for.

Answer 4

if you are having problems with inserting and removing the 3 pin plugs from the sockets then i suggest that you contact an electrical supplier and ask them to get you some of the plugs that are supplied to the elderly and disabled, these plugs have a handle loop moulded onto the back of the plug making it easier to hold when plugging it in or unplugging it.

Answer 5

Actually, mate, we in the US have been mandated to use the three-prong plug for years now. It's illegal to build a home here, for instance, using only two-prong outlets. The technical reason is they're proven safer than the old two-prong system - they're better grounded.
Certain homes built before the mandate still have two-prong outlets and those are "grandfathered" for a few more years. My house has both - and I have to keep adapters on hand for the two-prong outlets because appliances like toasters and electric saws are made with three-prong plugs.

Answer 6

So that you can't plug it in backwards!

Be happy that its a tight fitting plug. And its a 3 pin.

In my country they are 2 pins and some of the plugs are not the right size and are off by just 5 cm! AAARRRRGGGG and do not fit!

Answer 7

plugs? hard to take out? most things have pre-installed plugs on now..

as for 13amps.. depends on the appliance , you don't fit 13 amp fuses to EVERYTHING, things with heating elements toasters/kettles etc need 13 amps, but not everything.

rest of the world doesn't.. as for the US they use different voltage / system.. they have NO earth wire..

2 pin plugs are old school..

Answer 8

1

Answer 9

We are most definitely NOT Stuck with them.
If you stick a screw-driver, (or similar), into the top, (earth), hole of the socket, the two lower holes will open allowing Luddites like yourself to insert the bare ends of the live and neutral wires. (Suit yourself as to which way round).
Try this with your hair-dryer whilst in the bath. You won't need an earth, you via the plumbing will be the earth.
KABOOM!
p.s. For the terminally thick:- DO NOT TRY THIS. EVER.

Answer 10

Because in Britain it is better to be safe than sorry. By separating Live, Neutral and Earth there is less risk of electrocution through leakage (crossover) between the three conductors.