Herbert,

On Sun, 23 Apr 2006 10:15:55 -0400, Herbert Graf wrote:

> On Sun, 2006-04-23 at 13:19 +0100, Howard Winter wrote:
>...
> > Are shielded outlets even available as an option?
> 
> Yes, but usually as a cover on the outlet.

OK, but that needs a positive act - placing the cover in place - to be safe, and if the little person pulls 
out an existing plug/cable, the socket is then open, obviously.
 
> I was very impressed with where Europe is on this issue these days.
> Every extension cord I could find had a built in mechanism that blocked
> the holes unless two pins were trying to get in. Very neat. I'm assuming
> that's also part of the building code over there?

I don't know about Continental Europe, but in the UK plugs and sockets have to conform to BS 1363, which 
specifies various safety aspects.  About 12 years ago it was updated to include having shielding on the outer 
half of the live & neutral pins, so if a plug is partially pulled out there can be no contact with the live 
pins.  Sockets have shields blocking the live and neutral entries, which are either retracted by the Earth pin 
(which is longer so always enters first) or in some designs will be retracted only by both L&N pins being 
inserted together - pushing something into one side will not open it.  Extension sockets have to comply with 
the same standards as installed ones.

> Generally most people over here, who have small children, plug covers
> into unused outlets. They stick in there pretty tightly and I'm sure
> they help. However, this will do nothing to prevent a child from pulling
> a cord out of an outlet and then sticking something in. The fact that
> our outlets aren't recessed make things even worse since a plug can be
> part ways out of an outlet and yet still be in electrical contact.

Ours aren't recessed, but with half-shielded pins the protection amounts to the same.  Also because the cable 
enters at the bottom, pulling it doesn't tend to pull the plug out, so part-inserted plugs aren't often an 
issue.

> Also, I'm not sure of all of Europe, but I know in some places houses,
> as part of the code, have a house wide GFCI, I'd imagine that helps
> reduce the chance of anyone dieing from electrocution. Is a house wide
> GFCI common in all of Europe?

Again I don't know about the Continent, but in the UK the latest standards say that any socket which could be 
used to supply outside appliances (electric lawnmowers, hedge-trimmers, etc) must have protection by a 
Residual Current Device (RCD), which trips if there is an imbalance of current between Live & Neutral of more 
than 30mA.  Some people take this to mean any downstairs socket, although that isn't in the standard.  
Whole-house RCDs are thought to be a Bad Thing because that would take the lights out, which may cause more 
danger.  So the usual way to do it is to have a split Consumer Unit, where half of the circuits are RCD 
protected, and half not.  Typically the lighting circuits, upstairs sockets, and electric cookers would be off 
the RCD, and fridge/freezers too if the wiring can be made to allow for it (so a nuisence trip wouldn't result 
in ruined food if it happens when the occupiers are away).

Cheers,


Howard Winter
St.Albans, England


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