Converting to 50Hz

[FionaZuppa]

Any exposed metal is enough to become live.

What if the whole outside is all plastic, but metal inside. That's a risk?

If they banned nema-1 cap cords in favor of nema-5, then at least it's moving in the right direction.

Question: does the nema-5 EGC pin there to force polarity of the L-N pins, or was that just an inherent thing? Most if not all nema-5's caps are not polarized, so perhaps the better move is to stop nema-1's in favor of nema-5-polarized, this way if the EGC pin is broken off at least you still get polarized use. And along those lines the nema-5 to nema-1 adapters should all be polarized style.

But let's not make it like the Obama move to replace incandescent bulbs with CFL's that have deadly mercury in them (aren't we energy independent now because of no incandescent bulbs?), if you know what I mean.

 

[mbrooke]

What if the whole outside is all plastic, but metal inside. That's a risk?

No risk.

If they banned nema-1 cap cords in favor of nema-5, then at least it's moving in the right direction.

They should for everything not double insulated.

Question: does the nema-5 EGC pin there to force polarity of the L-N pins, or was that just an inherent thing? Most if not all nema-5's caps are not polarized, so perhaps the better move is to stop nema-1's in favor of nema-5-polarized, this way if the EGC pin is broken off at least you still get polarized use. And along those lines the nema-5 to nema-1 adapters should all be polarized style.

Blunt truth is the NEMA 5 design is crap when it comes to the EGC. Those break off more than I want to have learned over the years.

But let's not make it like the Obama move to replace incandescent bulbs with CFL's that have deadly mercury in them (aren't we energy independent now because of no incandescent bulbs?), if you know what I mean.

LEDs are now taking over which I think it better.

 

[FionaZuppa]

LEDs are now taking over which I think it better.

Agreed, but to-date poco's are still handing out loads of CFL's for free. I think the reason why is, the poco has a lot of mercury on-hand and wishes not to pay for the hazmat costs to dispose of them, so they let end-users take the poison for free.

 

[mbrooke]

CFLs are bad all the way around.