I've just finished getting a Vodafone 3G card to work. Only took about 10 re-installation of the software to do it!

And now... I'm going home!

They're turning off the custompc.co.uk website soon.

Why're the fora so quiet tonight?

It definitely doesn't have a fuse, the plug literally has the three pins. I think I'll not use it!

Peter.

Any chance of a link or a picture? I've never heard of that in the UK! Are you sure there isn't an in-line fuse? In all likelihood, the device you intended to power from it will be fused anyway. Provided you have fast-action trips you should be OK even if you cut the cable. The trips usually go before the fuse pops anyway, but I wouldn't recommend testing it.

Of course, they manage perfectly well with no plug fuses in the rest of the world. However, we have high current ring-mains where as many other countries take a very different approach. In France for example, everything is effectively on a fused spur. It's a horrible system for various reasons, but they seem happy with it.

Of course, nothing is earthed over there either and live / neutral are interchangeable. This makes operating some UK equipment absolutely bloody lethal. Case in hand, a Pace Sky box which effectively had a live chassis if you plugged the plug in the wrong way around!

I can't really find anything similar nor can I take a picture at the moment, sorry. The easiest way to describe it is an upside down "Y" shape. It just has very thin wires leading to each pin, with absolutely nothing in between.


I bought it on eBay, so I'm not sure of its exact origins. Despite the listing stating it was coming from the UK, it did have a customs declaration from Hong Kong on the package.

Thank you all, especially to JJW009 for some very interesting reading there! I have always wondered about the French electric system with their lack of fuses and earth. I shall never plug another device into their mains

Peter.

If you're that worried, just spend 50p on a new plug and snip the old one off.

Fuses in the plug seems to be a very British anachronism. Over here, the idea falls somewhere between quaint and hilarious...

Why?
To me it seems quite sensible.. but then again I confess I am not a sparky

Because, using the wiring system over here, there is no need for fuses. We also don't have the same limitations on 4 way extensions, generally the normal surge protected extension sockets have between 6 and 12 plugs in them...

I'm not aware of a 4way limitation. 6 to 12 way adapters are quite common.

Of course, they are fused.

6 way extension lead, £2.25

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/130413

Hmm anything over 4 way used to be frowned upon, if not outright banned... Mainly because it was likely to overload the fuse... I suppose with the rise of lower ampage devices, the problem isn't so bad now?

That'll be a Hong Kong plug then.

A lot of far eastern countries use the same plug format as we do, so their plugs will work in our sockets. Doesn't mean it's a good idea to use it though...

Like Nick said, if you're worried about it just hack it off and wire on a new plug.

Having used electrical devices in France and Germany, I can catagorically say that I didn't die.

are you sure?