New socket and switch idea

diable

Its a non starter believe me.

ic

my guess is a socket you can't turn on without a plug being inserted first, and that perhaps automatically turns itself off if the plug is removed. tho not sure how that would affect the back box.

DevCoder

ic wrote: »

my guess is a socket you can't turn on without a plug being inserted first, and that perhaps automatically turns itself off if the plug is removed. tho not sure how that would affect the back box.

But thats the whole purpose of our shuttered live/neutral pin sockets which are only exposed when the earth pin is inserted far enough (reason why earth pin is longer than live/neutral).

The current british standard socket is incredibly safe, numerous people on the IET have disucssed how it could be improved and not really come up with anything substantial.

Owain_Moneysaver

ic wrote: »

my guess is a socket you can't turn on without a plug being inserted first, and that perhaps automatically turns itself off if the plug is removed. tho not sure how that would affect the back box.

If it is that, then it would be much better designed for the IEC 60309 industrial connectors, as they aren't shuttered (although they have a flap over the socket)

ic

krisdorey wrote: »

But thats the whole purpose of our shuttered live/neutral pin sockets which are only exposed when the earth pin is inserted far enough (reason why earth pin is longer than live/neutral).

Oh yes I know all that, I believe our sockets to be very safe, especially when compared to what you see abroad - I'm just guessing as to what the OP believes they could do to make it safer still.

rxbren

cant really see how you could make them safer
the biggest problem is it would need to be incredibly cheap to make as the mark up will be tiny due to the fact that if builders have two options and one is dearer 9 out of ten will pick up the cheapest option
if its a device to stop access to the plug socket there are loads of plug blanks already available on the market and at cheap prices so no one would want to pay the extra to have there old plugs upgraded

have you already checked that there is not a patent on the idea already?

DevCoder

Please dont let it be socket protectors, they are lethal.

http://www.fatallyflawed.org.uk/

fluffpot

Perhaps you can describe what you think is unsafe about the existing design so that you don't give too much of your idea away? That way we might be able to comment. (I'm an electrician BTW).

The posters above seem to be focussing on sockets, and I'm not entirely sure how a switch could be made any safer???

baldelectrician

krisdorey wrote: »

Please dont let it be socket protectors, they are lethal.

http://www.fatallyflawed.org.uk/

Took the words right out of my mouth

Spoke to B&Q regarding them this week- they couldn't care less and even said 'if we sell it it must be safe' - such arrogance