Originally Posted by
theddo
I thought your comment were true for older plugs, but newer have all been adopted to the grounded Scandinavian/German plug, the Schuku. French plugs adapted this by having one of the grounds elongated to fit over the old french ground (the CEE 7/7). The Italians adopted it by having a modified Schuku were you could use the old plug and the new plug. I don't know how widespread any of these outlets are, but I'm thinking they are used for most new houses and has been available on my trips there.
I don't know were the limit for "high current" is but I think all of those a safe to use and should be grounded?
I thought the Europlug shouldn't fit the english socket at all. But that is pretty much one of few (I think that unlike the Schuku plug the Europlug would even fit and be safe to use in Swiss outlets? Is that true?).
Yes, I know hybrid sockets and plugs are getting more common, not sure how common in real life. Schuko is a bad design and it's sad it's getting more common (bad design because a grounded plug can fit in an ungrounded socket). Too bad pretty much the entire world opposed moving to IEC 60906 (the international standard almost no one uses), it's a much better design (similar but not the same as the Swiss one).
Yes, Europlugs fit in Swiss sockets no problem - that's the reason for the hexagon shape of Europlugs - to fit in the recessed Swiss sockets. I laughed at the German guy I was staying with at a Swiss hostel, he brought his huge Schuko to Swiss adapter - to connect his Europlug phone charger. I had to show him that he didn't need it because it blocked the other sockets. He was amazed his phone charger just fit right in the Swiss sockets, LOL.
The Europlug current limit is 2.5A (600W at 240V), so Europlugs exclude hair dryers, curling irons, flat irons, etc. When mated to a BS 1363 socket, the true safe current is perhaps not even that high - different sockets fit differently. Also, remember BS 1363 is designed to be used with FUSED PLUGS and RING WIRING - it is NOT safe to force a Europlug in such a socket. But it does work.