Power supply madness...:(

sideways14a said:
Problem is these things are not stable in a socket, the have issues with weight and will sag out of the socket or be at an angle ect - you can see where this is going cant you?
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No, I can't see where it's going. I've been using said cube doodahs since the 70s and have never had a problem with them hanging out of the socket due to weight. So please, explain why it's suddenly an issue now.
 
With a cube style, you get a lot more heat concentrated in a small area.

There's a lot more space in a 4 way gangway. Less stress on the wires and far better heat dissipation.

We also don't allow cubes where I work.


A cleaner plus vacuum cleaner plus cube plus heater = accident waiting to happen.
 
firstborn said:
So, enlighten us... how should it be done?
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That was the 2016 version.

This is the older 2015 version
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Do you think it was progress to move the button from how it was? who the hell holds a tablet in portrait mode.

you can almost guarantee most of the time they are used to watch videos, even if you going to read a website landscape is better, portrait is good for what? being an Ereader, then people probably just buy a kindle
 
It's a cost cutting exercise, if the transformer is inline and the cable has a plug on the end you have to pay for the plug (or an entire 3/2 pin cable), if the transformer IS the plug it costs less to make, saves the manufacturer pennies, inconveniences the user to no end.
 
robfosters said:
Ive just read that a single plug socket can handle up to 3000W before overloading. That sounds like a lot. Even a beefy PC only has an 800-1000W PSU and rarely uses all of it.
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3KW is plenty for normal appliances, but as soon as you start converting electricity into heat it's not much.

Hence why you can have loads of AV equipment plugged into your one socket near the TV, but 1 kettle can be 3KW alone so shouldn't be used on a extension/multisocket lead tbh - especially if the lead isn't uncoiled.

As for the cube multiplugs plugs they used to be notorious for catching fire, mainly afaik due to their poor construction. Not sure if modern ones are any better, but all our fire safety officers have banned them.
 
Freakbro said:
3KW is plenty for normal appliances, but as soon as you start converting electricity into heat it's not much.

Hence why you can have loads of AV equipment plugged into your one socket near the TV, but 1 kettle can be 3KW alone so shouldn't be used on a extension lead tbh - especially if the lead isn't uncoiled.

As for the cube multiplugs plugs they used to be notorious for catching fire, mainly afaik due to their poor construction. Not sure if modern ones are any better, but all our fire safety officers have banned them.
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Thanks for that. Let’s play a game. Have a guess at how much power this little lot would draw:

3W LED lamp (easy enough lol)
Amazonbasics shredder
500W ceramic heater
Pioneer DJ controller
i5 laptop
Small DJ monitor speakers
Small airbrush compressor
 
Freakbro said:
especially if the lead isn't uncoiled.
.
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This is particularly important to consider if you are using a cable reel with a heavy load.
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Interestingly it isn't about restive heating as such, it is inductive effects. a coiled cable reel under these circumstances can get very hot indeed, surprisingly quickly.
 
^ Yep, a friend of mine [who should have known much better] was using an oil filled radiator on a cable reel, uncoiled. It didn't take long to melt and go up with a big bang and flash - idiot! :rolleyes:

We get complacent with electricity and most of the time it is fine, but like all things, mistreat it and it will bite you in the ass
 
itchy said:
Earth wire is the same as a neutral wire. Both do the same thing its just a earth wire is a backup for neutral going wrong.

Earth is mostly used in appliances that are metal based. Anything plastic based you will not usually see a earth wire on the plug connection.
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That sounds wrong, need to ask an electrical engineer. The neutral is the centre tap on the 3 phases it is not the same as the earth and the earth does not do the same function.
 
Maybe they're shaped liked that because they don't want people using them in that way perhaps for whatever electric reason could be bad for it to be 'shared' with another device?
 
I use a few of those cube adaptors due to lack of sockets in an old house, One is behind TV and 2 are up on wall in front of kitchen bench, both are unlikely to get knocked due to protruding. Also they are not on constantly and not all devices that are plugged into them are used at the same time. Having them is mainly to save time plugging and unplugging stuff.

Plus there are a lot of dodgy USB sockets about, like ones that constantly draw power when nothing is plugged in etc.
 
The neutral isn’t the same as the Earth because it is only earthed at the 3 phase distribution point where the current should be in balance. In the UK in your single phase domestic the neutral is a current carrying so simplistically saying they’re the same is dangerous. A domestic earth won’t be current carrying except in fault circumstances.
 
PlacidCasual said:
The neutral isn’t the same as the Earth because it is only earthed at the 3 phase distribution point where the current should be in balance. In the UK in your single phase domestic the neutral is a current carrying so simplistically saying they’re the same is dangerous. A domestic earth won’t be current carrying except in fault circumstances.
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My understanding is that it is the substation Neutral>Earth bonding cable that the ****** steal from substations.

In principle, there should be little current flowing through it so it should be safe to cut even while the system is live.

However, if the loads are unbalanced this is not the case and this is when the thieving little whatsits get fried.

It is also why this sort of theft can cause so much damage down the line. with the neutral>earth severed, unbalanced loads down the lines can result in the live voltages floating Vs true earth causing major problems for consumers, damage to appliances, damage to wiring and even fires.

"Metal Theft" really should be treated far more seriously by the courts :/
 
itchy said:
Earth wire is the same as a neutral wire. Both do the same thing its just a earth wire is a backup for neutral going wrong.

Earth is mostly used in appliances that are metal based. Anything plastic based you will not usually see a earth wire on the plug connection.
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itchy said:
[



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_and_neutral

That's why your plastic lamp from IKEA does not have an earth, but your washing machine, electric cooker, iron etc will. ;)
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No, not quite.

The neutral conductor is considered a live conductor. I assure you it's possible to get a shock from a neutral conductor.

The reason some products have no earth provision is because they are either double insulated (identified by a square within a square symbol) or are electrically separated via an isolating transformer.

TNC-S systems are a combined neutral but require the supply cable to have the N conductor staked along its length with earth electrodes to prevent a cable breakage causing dangerous potentials.

If your were to use the N conductor as a CPC in any system other than TNC-S/PME and the neutral conductor broke then there would be dangerous voltage potentials.

There is a reason it's not called an earth any more and is called a Circuit Protective Conductor.
 
chaparral said:
Why :confused:

I have always found them to be great and have always used quiet a few of them cube multiplugs in my house...
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Having had the local fire prevention officer round doing a smoke alarm check, I got a lecture on how dangerous they are and how often they are the cause of fires.

That’s why.

Edit: Note to self, check thread age.... :o
 
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