Open letter to the manufacturers of Swiss electrical appliances - Page 3

#41 11.11.2010, 18:02

You can get these in Swiss

#42 11.11.2010, 19:23

With outlets to match Swiss (not US) plugs?

#43 11.11.2010, 22:45

	Quote:
	With outlets to match Swiss (not US) plugs?

Yes, hence my writing "you can get these in Swiss"
I know the internet is awash with grammatically special people, but I am not one of them. If I'd wanted to say "You can get these in Switzerland too", I would have.

#44 11.11.2010, 22:52

But can you get them in Swiss, in Switzerland?

#45 12.11.2010, 10:17

Apparently so.
A Swiss firend said he'd got one a few weeks ago - I shall ask him where he got his from when I see him this w/end.

miniMia · #46 12.11.2010, 17:10

	Quote:	Ittigen
	I have my ideas, but I will ask my recently qualified Swiss electrical son tonight. Incidentally in 1986 there was a European designed plug approved, similar to the Swiss. It was never used in Europe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60906-1 only in Brazil. .

That's interesting. Then I wonder why we can't find adapters for this CH/BR plug here in Argentina. They look at me like I'm crazy when I would bring in my Swiss plugs to get an adapter for it. They tell me they've never seen those.

Mica · #47 12.11.2010, 17:50

This should solve most of your problems:

http://www.digitec.ch/ProdukteDetail...Artikel=104382

Wollishofener · #48 12.11.2010, 18:51

	Quote:	Leafy
	You can get these in Swiss

You possibly CAN ! But not to be used in Switzerland

Big Mara · #49 12.11.2010, 19:43

	Quote:	Tom1234
	How new? I thought this was just for rooms where water may be present such as kitchens and laundry rooms.

Since 01.01.2010. the type T12 are no more allowed. Have a look at http://www.esti.admin.ch/de/aktuell.htm
It is in a PDF file called "Anwendung der Fehlerstrom-Schutzeinrichtung". Sorry its only in D, Fr or It.
All new or even repair installations must use these sockets since the 1st Jan. 2010.
In kitchens and laundry rooms with new installations, it is now possible to use the new 3 pin 16amp sockets.
Salut Zämma

swisspea · #50 12.11.2010, 19:57

The sunken sockets are a problem too, our Aussie/Swiss adapters don't fit into a sunken socket...ie. all our powerboards, but we have flat sockets on the walls...so we have to be quite strategic...

And same for 'why did they install the power point halfway up the wall ?' and 'why don't they have on/off switches on the power sockets' (in Oz we have switches on all sockets so they aren't 'live' when empty)...

#51 12.11.2010, 19:58

Show your commitment to your new life - we've cut all our plugs and replaced them.

ElggDK · #52 12.11.2010, 20:50

	Quote:	Treverus
	You can safely assume that the design was 100% driven by costs: How do you design plugs for global products in the most effective way? You want to manufacture as much as possible of the entire product in one piece, so you have high numbers and save money. This means that a "sensible cable" - like the ones notebooks typically have, is probably more expensive to produce than the blackberry charger, where you only clip on the last bit of the plug depending on the country. ..

Correct ! In a previous life I did re-engineering at Bang & Olufsen in order to optimize cost and even though power cords and alike comes cheap, it makes a big difference when the volume goes up (which however is a problem B&O does not face these days

)

Verbier · #53 12.11.2010, 21:30

This plug is available for CHF 6.95 this week at Jumbo. Handles some of the problems that are being discussed.

Joolie · #54 13.11.2010, 23:50

Thank you !!! 3 yrs and I had not worked that out ..........how stupid do I feel now .......lol

	Quote:
	Aha! I may be able to help you there. Often, one of the three is marked with a special symbol and is controlled by a switch on the wall. The idea is that you plug a standard lamp into that socket and you can switch it on or off at the wall, just like a ceiling light. It took me months to work that one out.

american lockpicker · #55 16.11.2010, 08:36

Interesting thread.

Also I've noticed lately that plugs for the US market are being designed better. So I gathered a few things from around the house for comparison.

Regular US outlet.

Typical poorly designed transformer.

Power strip with various things plugged in.

And these(from Braun and Tangent) are designed well so you can have two things plugged in at the same time.

esto · #56 23.11.2010, 20:19

Does anyone know why the Swiss didn't adapt the Italian way of doing the 3-pin plug? It looks more practical, since the 3rd pin is in the middle, and not off-set like the Swiss one, it doesn't matter which way you plug it it. But the Swiss offset plug will always have a "right" and "wrong" way of plugging in...

ITALIAN 3-PIN PLUG:

lbow_17 · #57 23.11.2010, 20:48

How about a switch linked to the plug - preferably located next to the plug not randomly placed somewhere in the room?

Tom1234 · #58 23.11.2010, 20:55

	Quote:	esto
	Does anyone know why the Swiss didn't adapt the Italian way of doing the 3-pin plug? It looks more practical, since the 3rd pin is in the middle, and not off-set like the Swiss one, it doesn't matter which way you plug it it. But the Swiss offset plug will always have a "right" and "wrong" way of plugging in... ITALIAN 3-PIN PLUG:

The polarisation of the Swiss plug ensures that the neutral wire from the appliance always goes to the mains neutral.

Not all appliance ON/OFF switches disconnect the live and disconnect the neutral - some only disconnect the live.

Hence, if the live and neutral were transposed then even though the appliance was switched off, it would still be live with respect to ground.

esto · #59 23.11.2010, 21:02

	Quote:	Tom1234
	The polarisation of the Swiss plug ensures that the neutral wire from the appliance always goes to the mains neutral. Not all appliance ON/OFF switches disconnect the live and disconnect the neutral - some only disconnect the live. Hence, if the live and neutral were transposed then even though the appliance was switched off, it would still be live with respect to ground.

So the Italian plug is more dangerous, but easier to deal with? ...and the Swiss plug is safer but more of a pain in the ass? Yup, sounds about right, ha-ha

Tom1234 · #60 23.11.2010, 21:05

	Quote:	esto
	So the Italian plug is more dangerous, but easier to deal with? ...and the Swiss plug is safer but more of a pain in the ass? Yup, sounds about right, ha-ha

I think it's more that the Italians do what they want and to hell with the consequences!