Why AS/NZS 3112 has earth pin facing downwards on the wall while BS1363 is upwards? Cons and Pros?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Why AS/NZS 3112 has earth pin facing downwards on the wall while BS1363 is upwards? Cons and Pros?

Huchiz

221 posts

Master Geek

#189162 18-Dec-2015 21:10

I would assume it's illegal to have any NZ outlet socket on the wall to have earthing pin facing any other 3 directions.

But why it has to be facing downwards?

gregmcc

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#1453252 18-Dec-2015 21:25

as far as I know there isn't any legal requirement on the orientation of the outlet, the only reason I can think of the there is a side entry plug it would place unnecessary stress on the cord as it goes in to the plug.

Huchiz

221 posts

Master Geek

#1453253 18-Dec-2015 21:34

gregmcc: as far as I know there isn't any legal requirement on the orientation of the outlet, the only reason I can think of the there is a side entry plug it would place unnecessary stress on the cord as it goes in to the plug.

I understand it has to be all upwards or all downwards so the plugs and sockets can match to prevent unnecessary stress. It's just interesting they chose downwards in the first place. Maybe they just picked one.

Oncop53

273 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1453271 18-Dec-2015 22:31

Pareidolia

ludez

903 posts

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#1453285 18-Dec-2015 23:10

Because the way we have it simply looks cooler.It actually looks like screams face

gareth41

742 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1453286 18-Dec-2015 23:20

Having the earth pin on top prevents a short circuit across the phase and neutral if plug is sitting loose in socket, i.e. half way out and something conducting falls down across the pins, it will hit the earth pin first.

Australia, NZ, and China all use the same socket except China has the earth pin on top. Some Aust and NZ devices without earth pins eg cellphone chargers won't work in China because of a locking mechanism requiring the presence of an earth pin. Two pin plugs in China use the American style and the three pin Aust/NZ style but with earth on top.

Australia and NZ have requirements to insulate half the pin lengths to prevent a short circuit should something conductive fall on a plug hanging halfway out a socket.

shk292

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#1453341 19-Dec-2015 08:57

I wonder how many tons of brass have been saved because we didn't adopt the UK standard? The pins in those plugs are seriosuly chunky

gregmcc

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#1453349 19-Dec-2015 09:12

There is a reason for than, UK have operated on a much higher circuit rating, with the device protection been a fuse inside the plug, that's why they are so chunky

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chopsuwe

25 posts

Geek

#1453496 19-Dec-2015 14:04

Earth at the bottom also makes the plug a lot more secure in the socket.

The Chinese earth at the top ones fall out very easily as do American vertical flat pins and European round ones.

blackjack17

1705 posts

Uber Geek

#1453535 19-Dec-2015 15:48

A bigger question would be why don't most other countries have on off switches on their plugs?

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Huchiz

221 posts

Master Geek

#1453572 19-Dec-2015 16:54

blackjack17: A bigger question would be why don't most other countries have on off switches on their plugs?

we do? I believe you meant the socket.

It helps the safety and it's greener, old appliance could have a standby consumption as high as 5W, that is a horrible 44KWH per year, the cost of the additional switch can be easily waved by saving that.

But new appliance does have extra low standby power usage such as 0.1W, that is really really good.