minor updates on the unpolarized plug saga. the blades of my lamp's unpolarized plug have the uL logo engraved on them. maybe the switch is both ways but idk
(is that called a bipolar switch...? I forget)
anyway, we had to get rid of our old toaster because I embarrassingly broke it. turns out the old toaster was also unpolarized??? new one is polarized
at this point I can't help but wonder how much stuff from the last century is secretly plotting to kill us
...not everything in Europe has a grounded plug, does it?
or rather, I think there's ungrounded plugs in Europe, but only on double insulated electronics?
@onfy all plugs have current limits. appliances are usually grounded
@noiob ah, yeah. that's another thing innit? our plugs normally only have limits in the sense that going over them will cause combustion and maybe a circuit to trip. only Christmas decorations normally have fuses here
@noiob if you exceed the rating on a power strip or extension cord it will melt or get burninated
@onfy German plugs aren't fused
@noiob then how do they limit current?
@onfy they don't? there's only so much current that can come out the wall
@onfy Brits have fused plugs because of copper shortages after the war, they built the whole house as a big ring circuit
@noiob yeah that's a bit funky. I just once heard extension cords would be safer with a current limiting fuse. oh well
@onfy yeah I've seen that Technology Connections video too, but that's for chaining them. If you just put an 18A rated extension on an 18A circuit it'll be fine
@noiob the circuits here are usually 15A but extension cords are frequently closer to 6A. put 7-15 on the cord and no circuit trip, but you'll have a bad day nonetheless. this happens frequently with people using extension cords for things like vacuums
@onfy at least in Germany I don't think extension can be rated for less than the standard circuit breaker amperage, but like, we take that kinda stuff very seriously
@noiob obviously, we don't...
@noiob haha yeah. are there like current limits? would it be found on appliances? for example toaster, coffee maker, vacuum
(do modern coffee makers have grounded plugs here? I think the keurig does...)