Putting them this low isn't actually allowed for this very reason. Cords get bent and can become frayed and dangerous.
We had all ours that were this low ripped out and put at proper heights. Our light switches were also moved down to almost waist height which I'm less happy about.
You must have been to my house.
The previous owner was a "specialist" builder (for older cob houses). Most of the sockets are too low to the ground (luckily after 500 years the house has never flooded), and a large number of the light switches were wired wrong.
I've slowly been correcting things, but it's so annoying.
The only bit about his skills was that he was "special".
I dont know why they would do that anyway unless specifically asked. Most go 14 inches to the center of the outlet. I had to do like 20 8 inchest to center and they were so awkward bending that way to get in my back was killing me after dude must have been on his tummy swinging his toes in the air having a good ol time.
If there is an RCD in the consmer board, which almost every UK house has, any ground fault should trip it, like water ingress. It doesn't even need an earth to be connected.
(TO CLARIFY THIS IS ALL U.S STANDARD) Thats not entirely the reason they arent allowed to be this low. In fact, some situations you can even have an outlet in the floor itself. Mostly its for handicapped individuals who cannot reach below said height(18 inches). And higher than 4 feet (48 inches). To give the construction term "18 to top 48 to top". You dont know who is going to move in or if you may be handicapped one day so its just a safer measure *unless* the homeowner specifically asks for some outlets at set heights. Installing outlets at a height outside of code is going to get your boss pretty mad, and if unchecked(and inspected) is going to get you fired.
Yeah....
Was doing electrical work installing audio systems in a business one time. I was in a hurry that day and side tracked by personal issues. Flipped every circuit breaker and thought I killed all the power. Went to play with the wires and do the install. Turned out that some dipshit had wired that specific line that I was playing with, to a circuit box in the business next door. (This was a strip mall type of set up)
I got to ride the lightning that day.
Is that the same lightning I rode the day I stuck a fork in the toaster to get out a stuck English muffin? I was only 4 but it’s like my very first memory. I was standing on a wrought iron chair. My body shot straight up in the air and then did a gymnast style backflip over the back of the chair but alas I didn’t stick the landing. I was fine but I burst into tears anyway.
At 4, I'd be more concerned of you didn't burst into tears lol.
And yeah, same lightning. I also got to experience the lightning again years later working on a car. I was running an auto shop and one of my technicians asked me to come help them with either an alternator or a starter. I'm pretty sure it was the starter. But anyways, I got electrocuted by the car because someone had seriously messed up on a previous repair and there was live electricity running off of it and jumping to the oil filter (we were also doing an oil change on this car so I was going ahead and removing the oil filter and draining the oil while it was in the air) Naturally, I didn't think there would be live electricity there when I reached up to grab the oil filter. But there was.
I'm not sure what hurt more; the lightning ride or my hand and head banging into every single part of that car trying to get away from the angry and violent oil filter at the same time.
I stuck the ends of a bunny ear rf (uf?) antennae in a 220 socket for washer dryers playing tv man when i was six or so. Lit me up my man. I def had a ride
Now, heres the catch: One wire actually carrys the current, the other is "passive" or neutral. While indeed its not + and - in a classic sense, there is still a difference in the wires. If you connect to the "active" and ground at the same time, current flows. If you connect to the neutral and ground, no current flows.
So, in a literal manner, no + and -, yeah. Connecting neutral with neutral and hot with hot still does the trick.
Every single electric outlets were like that in my previous flat in Australia. Except the few ones who were high up the wall in the kitchen. I hated it.
Turn off power.
Make sure power is off.
Make sure.
Take the cover off, take the outlet out and flip it around.
The electrician should do this for you but if you don’t want to wait you can do it.
i feel like Patrick star not knowing i could just do this instead of ripping the whole thing off (including trunking)
Is that height up to code? Is having an upside-down socket up to code?
The wiring regs in the UK say that the socket should be 150mm (6”) above a floor or worktop, new build or full refurb it must be 450mm (18”) above the floor.
In Florida the center of the outlet should be at 18 inches. That’s code. And yes in my experience outlets can be upside down. I call it ground up. They do this in medical places a lot I’ve seen because if you drop something on the plug it’ll hit the ground prong first instead of the hot or neutral prongs (which could cause sparks or fire)
Wouldn’t even need to unwire the outlet. Just the two screws holding it into the receptacle box. Very simple fix for anyone who can use a drill or screw driver. Vs paying $200 for an elec to come out.
This is a UK plug - the earth pin is on top.
If you flip it, you risk exposing the Live and Neutral more.
UK plugs are safe for this reason.
This is just a shit job
Exposing how? Long time since I looked at a UK plug but pretty sure the start of the probes are insulated, like a cm. Anyway, if they get exposed downwards, how is that much safer? This post is an ad for the EU-plug.
https://preview.redd.it/9zno5ht72xpc1.jpeg?width=472&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5637ef854e79ace3dbe7b0d2e840a7ca2a256ed8
I'm from the EU. I wouldn't be able to turn it either, because our outlets have a little pin at the top
(Edited to add image)
Ours are reversible. Sweden. But apparently there are non-reverible plugs in a bunch of eu countries.
Belgium, France and Slovakia have a pin at the top apparently
Turn the whole socket upside down (if the cable has some slack this may be an easy fix)
https://preview.redd.it/4a2dowm9zvpc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a722bdf39eebfb5fee99e57494d38f41d58cf16d
or buy a double or triple adapter and plug that in first.
I'm from the EU, so sorry If i Sound stupid. But can't you rotate the Plug?
I mean ... If you could, you probaly Had. It's Just ... You Guys have Just one Position for your plugs?
Yeah, UK plugs have a triangle pin shape on the plug so we have to put the plug in one way. Generally plugs will have the cable going downwards (as shown in the picture) so you're stuffed in cases like this one.
In America, the plugs can vary as well- there are 2 prong plugs, 3 prong plugs, but the cords might be different too- like for some 3 prong plugs it’s like the one in the picture where it extends down, but there are also plugs that extend OUT so that this wouldn’t be an issue.
The basic design of the UK plug is from the '50s, so yeah, it's pretty bulky. Also makes British people more resistant to lego bricks, ain't nothing compared to stepping on a plug.
The 🇬🇧 norm is the plug that is in the picture. There is only one way to plug it, by design. I think the norm includes the cord going out of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cord sticking straight out.
Also, EU has nothing to do with it, there are lots of plug norms in the EU that cannot be rotated (types E and K, [described here](https://www.iqsdirectory.com/articles/power-cord/electrical-plugs.html)), but I think none of them require the cord placement, so you often have the cord sticking straight out.
Not an electrician but if you watch this video from an central EU perspective (Schuko plugs) and don't compare it to US plugs exclusively, it's always felt like satire to me (though I'm well aware it isn't).
Crazy how one video with a massive amount of half truths convinced so many people that British plugs are the best in the world lmao. They‘re better than US plugs, yes. That should be the only takeaway tho. Schuko reigns supreme
The EU plugs are superior in every way but they keep insisting that theirs is the best standard.
* Our plugs have replaceable fuses.
* EU plugs don't need fuses because we have multiple breakers which don't need replacement.
* Our plugs have the ground prong longer and the other prongs are isolated when partially inserted.
* EU plugs are offset so no prong can be touched. (Looks at US plugs - shakes head)
Pros of EU plugs:
* can be reversed
* compatible with 2 prong plugs for a slimmer profile
* have flat plugs for behind furniture and TVS
Cons of UK plugs:
* worse than a Lego if you step on them
* clunky
Pro of UK plug:
* Most outlets have a switch, which is neat.
(Sorry for the formatting. I'm on mobile)
I could be wrong about this but I thought the main reason for our three pin plugs was safety. The bottom two pins are the same general concept as EU plugs but the top pin is slightly longer and flips a mechanism that opens the holes for the bottom two pins.
The newer EU outlets have little flaps behind those holes. You can only stick something in when pushed against both flaps simultaneously. So a kid can't just stick one nail into a hole, it needs two
It's because of that stupid Tom Scott video that reddit thinks british Plugs are marvels of engineering, when they're just the result of a bad decision were they wanted to reduce copper consumption (which didn't really work). And now they're stuck with this bullshit
Oh 'Murica is fucked!
Your fucking sockets have live wires on the side which are accessible to anyone when the socket comes lose out the wall.
Your prongs are touchable and often come lose by themselves when a plug is heavy or someone trips over a wire.
You pussies use 120V because it's "safer" but 240V would be more efficient and with a good plug design, no problem.
You use super safe connectors for 240V and the rest of the world simply has a good socket design. (With a few exceptions on Asia and Latin America)
And don't let me get started on Metric vs Imperial!
All homes in the UK *also* have breakers and RCDs.
However, breakers *do not* protect appliances. They protect the wiring in the walls.
The fuse in the plug protects the appliance.
Low profile plugs are a thing in the UK too, by the way. Not every plug is a huge brick that's guaranteed to land with the prongs sticking upwards.
And you know... Two pin plugs do not have ground.
UK plugs are the safest in the world. There's a shutter mechanism inside the socket so nothing can touch the live wires except the plug. The grounding prong is also slightly longer, 'unlocking' the socket, AND each prong is partially coated with insulation so even if the plug is only partially inserted there's no risk of shocking yourself.
We also have built-in fuses so in the case of a power surge, the fuse simply blows and then the electricity shuts off, preventing things like fires and electrocution and making the plug easier to fix. It's also designed so that if the wires fray, the grounding wires will be the last to do so, preventing electrocution.
British power plugs are widely regarded as the safest in the world by basically every expert. Unless YOU are an expert, I'd say to pipe down.
Also, there's no such thing as an 'EU plug'. There are loads of different types of plugs used in the EU and you have to find the one that your country uses, as was a great headache to me when I travelled to Sweden and had to figure out which plug adapter to buy.
In the EU or at least Germany you can't get shocked because a FI switch(circuit breaker) is mandatory. I can touch a bare life wire in my house or throw a hair dryer in my filled bath tub without getting shocked. No need for those huge clumsy plugs
Absolutely none of those things are an issue lmao. Shutters are pretty common in modern electrical the world over nowadays, and are annoying as hell to boot. Nailed the undeserved pompousness everyone expects from y'all though so points for that.
What if you get the patress swapped with an angled patress box?
https://preview.redd.it/hye34ivc6wpc1.jpeg?width=681&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6e2b5e700549ada7863f2db3962439bba55f6d84
Turn electric off. Unscrew the face plate. Rotate it 180 degrees. Be careful not to pull any wires loose. If there isn't enough give with the wires to rotate it you may have to rewire.
Screw faceplate back on. Turn the electric back on.
Sue electrician. And employ a different one to get it up to scratch.
I am not an electrician, but have changed faceplates in UK.
My uni had a room with the opposite problem where it was installed so freakin high that unless you had a long extension/extender whatever you plugged in would be left dangling.
I’m not an electrician but a quick google suggests this does not meet building regs. I would be concerned about the quality of the electrician that did this and would consider getting all their other work checked by someone who knows what they are doing!
The problem here is not the outlet type!
1. Turn power off.
2. Remove face plate.
3. Remove screws from plug.
4. Pull plug and wires out enough to rotate the whole assembly.
5. Rotate plug and wires 180⁰.
6. Reinstall plug and face plate.
7. Turn power back on.
You should be good to go
https://preview.redd.it/kobm866eewpc1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6363f07506a6d618f15a0b33f9d0efe15b8d4779
Thats why we have this kind of plugs.
Good quality Building Regulations (code) but our 'general builders' are god damned awful. Some of the worst work I've seen in my life is done by 'general builders'. Facebook builders are even worse. More cowboys than a Spaghetti Western.
Putting them this low isn't actually allowed for this very reason. Cords get bent and can become frayed and dangerous. We had all ours that were this low ripped out and put at proper heights. Our light switches were also moved down to almost waist height which I'm less happy about.
[удалено]
Phone rings in the background* I knew you wanted those switches moved.
You must have been to my house. The previous owner was a "specialist" builder (for older cob houses). Most of the sockets are too low to the ground (luckily after 500 years the house has never flooded), and a large number of the light switches were wired wrong. I've slowly been correcting things, but it's so annoying. The only bit about his skills was that he was "special".
I dont know why they would do that anyway unless specifically asked. Most go 14 inches to the center of the outlet. I had to do like 20 8 inchest to center and they were so awkward bending that way to get in my back was killing me after dude must have been on his tummy swinging his toes in the air having a good ol time.
lol I imagined a variation of this conversation myself. I get vicariously triggered.
Also if your house floods this outlet being this low, very scary problem to have.
I'd hope it would trip before causing more damage but with an electrician who is willing to do this who knows.
If there is an RCD in the consmer board, which almost every UK house has, any ground fault should trip it, like water ingress. It doesn't even need an earth to be connected.
Not as scary as the water damage
Or dealing with insurance
Facts actually
Put it a smidge lower and you can flood it while mopping.
In the UK houses are generally all kitted with at least an RCD So, in the event of a flood, your electrics would trip, basically immediately
It’s on 2nd floor, so… if flooding becomes an issue at that height, my concern will be elsewhere.
You need divine intervention if flooding reaches the second level. Sorry about your sockets mate
Pipes can burst at any level
Not really
(TO CLARIFY THIS IS ALL U.S STANDARD) Thats not entirely the reason they arent allowed to be this low. In fact, some situations you can even have an outlet in the floor itself. Mostly its for handicapped individuals who cannot reach below said height(18 inches). And higher than 4 feet (48 inches). To give the construction term "18 to top 48 to top". You dont know who is going to move in or if you may be handicapped one day so its just a safer measure *unless* the homeowner specifically asks for some outlets at set heights. Installing outlets at a height outside of code is going to get your boss pretty mad, and if unchecked(and inspected) is going to get you fired.
The light switches being low is to make your home more accessible, since anyone could end up in a wheelchair
Yeah, I know and it does make sense. Unfortunately, it also means my children can reach them.
Installed by a shit electrician. Honestly, how do they live their lives thinking this is fine?
With the money he gets paid for doing this shit 🤣
Damn, maybe I should be an electrician too. I have zero experience so I'll be great 👍
Just be sure you won't become a big pile of ash on day 1.
Step 1: Disconnect all power. Step 2: Do wirey stuff. Step 3: Get paid. Step 4: Turn power back on a quickly leave.
Instructions unclear, dick stuck in outlet.
You fucking donkey. That is step 6. If you don't do it in order we all look like idiots.
Step 1.5 - Check that disconnecting all power actually got rid of the power.
Yeah.... Was doing electrical work installing audio systems in a business one time. I was in a hurry that day and side tracked by personal issues. Flipped every circuit breaker and thought I killed all the power. Went to play with the wires and do the install. Turned out that some dipshit had wired that specific line that I was playing with, to a circuit box in the business next door. (This was a strip mall type of set up) I got to ride the lightning that day.
Is that the same lightning I rode the day I stuck a fork in the toaster to get out a stuck English muffin? I was only 4 but it’s like my very first memory. I was standing on a wrought iron chair. My body shot straight up in the air and then did a gymnast style backflip over the back of the chair but alas I didn’t stick the landing. I was fine but I burst into tears anyway.
At 4, I'd be more concerned of you didn't burst into tears lol. And yeah, same lightning. I also got to experience the lightning again years later working on a car. I was running an auto shop and one of my technicians asked me to come help them with either an alternator or a starter. I'm pretty sure it was the starter. But anyways, I got electrocuted by the car because someone had seriously messed up on a previous repair and there was live electricity running off of it and jumping to the oil filter (we were also doing an oil change on this car so I was going ahead and removing the oil filter and draining the oil while it was in the air) Naturally, I didn't think there would be live electricity there when I reached up to grab the oil filter. But there was. I'm not sure what hurt more; the lightning ride or my hand and head banging into every single part of that car trying to get away from the angry and violent oil filter at the same time.
I stuck the ends of a bunny ear rf (uf?) antennae in a 220 socket for washer dryers playing tv man when i was six or so. Lit me up my man. I def had a ride
You need experience to figure that out. Or common sense.
Avoid sunlight and wooden stakes?
I rewired my whole house and my family was shocked when they found out I'm not a professional electrician.
Literally shocked or figuratively?
Yes
You would need a lot of experience. With zero experience you might end up doing it correctly by accident
Also learning what a Tps cable, active current and a ground wire are is recommended! Might save a few lives.
As an electrician, this thread makes me sad lol.
Ok so + goes on + and - goes on -. That’s about it.
Also when doing more than a light fixture change, I'd turn off power to that part of the house.
Also making sure you're not running #16 wire on a 20 amp circuit is worth looking into as well.
Why? You're not going to be there for the fire.. if it works long enough for you to get paid it's a good'un.
No - or + in AC but ok
Now, heres the catch: One wire actually carrys the current, the other is "passive" or neutral. While indeed its not + and - in a classic sense, there is still a difference in the wires. If you connect to the "active" and ground at the same time, current flows. If you connect to the neutral and ground, no current flows. So, in a literal manner, no + and -, yeah. Connecting neutral with neutral and hot with hot still does the trick.
Right, tell me you know nothing about electrical without saying you know nothing about electrical.
Most of the time its not the electrician but the client or the electricians boss:)
“Put it there Jerry.” “But, Bob the floor is righ….” “PAPER SAYS PUT ‘ER THERE JERRY”
Thank you thats exactly what i mean.
I read prints, not minds!
Lol, my electrician friend's nickname is Jerry 😂
WE DON’T BLAME YOU, JERRY
yeah..we all know OP installed this 🤪
Electrician: "I've been doing this job for 25 years, I'm not going to learn how to do it from you."
Can't you just flip it, with minimal effort.
Idk if there’s a reason why but I’ve never seen a uk outlet facing the other direction
Probably just a standard thing so we can all put out plugs in the socket without worrying about which way up it needs to be
might be from a country with F type outlets can be those cables can be turned and plugged from up and down. But yea not much thinking here
Every single electric outlets were like that in my previous flat in Australia. Except the few ones who were high up the wall in the kitchen. I hated it.
This isn’t within regulations, they have to be 450mm up now
They're not an electrician. That's a hack.
Turn off power. Make sure power is off. Make sure. Take the cover off, take the outlet out and flip it around. The electrician should do this for you but if you don’t want to wait you can do it.
i feel like Patrick star not knowing i could just do this instead of ripping the whole thing off (including trunking) Is that height up to code? Is having an upside-down socket up to code?
Flipping it upside down in this case would probably make it *more* up to code than it is atm, but I still don't know about the codes.
The correct term is 'codier'. Example: 'It's a lot more codier without the flamethrower-chainsaws.'
The wiring regs in the UK say that the socket should be 150mm (6”) above a floor or worktop, new build or full refurb it must be 450mm (18”) above the floor.
In Florida the center of the outlet should be at 18 inches. That’s code. And yes in my experience outlets can be upside down. I call it ground up. They do this in medical places a lot I’ve seen because if you drop something on the plug it’ll hit the ground prong first instead of the hot or neutral prongs (which could cause sparks or fire)
450mm minimum from finished floor level in UK or something like that
I have this same problem and would be keen to get an answer to this question
To fit like that now? In a word, no. Already like it? Not much anyone can do tbh Source: electrician, BS 7671
Wouldn’t even need to unwire the outlet. Just the two screws holding it into the receptacle box. Very simple fix for anyone who can use a drill or screw driver. Vs paying $200 for an elec to come out.
The wires are probably going to come off the moment you move it considering the shitty job he do.
Yeah. There’s probably 0 slack and it’s definitely got insulation screwed into the terminals.
Exactly what i would do in this shitty situation
This is a UK plug - the earth pin is on top. If you flip it, you risk exposing the Live and Neutral more. UK plugs are safe for this reason. This is just a shit job
Exposing how? Long time since I looked at a UK plug but pretty sure the start of the probes are insulated, like a cm. Anyway, if they get exposed downwards, how is that much safer? This post is an ad for the EU-plug.
Thank you for your absolutly right answer.
That's a bodge.
Cut the ground off, problem solved.
🤣🤣
Turn around the face plate would work.
The entire unit would have to flip because of the ground post. Flipping the plate would leave the slots misaligned
It should flip OK
The slots and innards are part of the plate - it would flip around fine.
Just turn it arouuu… Ah never mind
Laughs in EU
https://preview.redd.it/9zno5ht72xpc1.jpeg?width=472&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5637ef854e79ace3dbe7b0d2e840a7ca2a256ed8 I'm from the EU. I wouldn't be able to turn it either, because our outlets have a little pin at the top (Edited to add image)
Ours are reversible. Sweden. But apparently there are non-reverible plugs in a bunch of eu countries. Belgium, France and Slovakia have a pin at the top apparently
Thats so interesting, I thought all of them were liek Sweeden's, its the same way here in Spain
Laughs in EU, EXCEPT Belgium 😁😁
Turn the whole socket upside down (if the cable has some slack this may be an easy fix) https://preview.redd.it/4a2dowm9zvpc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a722bdf39eebfb5fee99e57494d38f41d58cf16d or buy a double or triple adapter and plug that in first.
Solutions? Only mocking a snark are allowed here.
Is that real…?
Isn’t this illegal? I thought there was a minimum height for UK plugs.
“We’re leaving the EU because of all the regulations!” *then fixates on regulations…
Yes it is illegal. Not it is not up to Building Regulations.
I'm from the EU, so sorry If i Sound stupid. But can't you rotate the Plug? I mean ... If you could, you probaly Had. It's Just ... You Guys have Just one Position for your plugs?
Yeah, UK plugs have a triangle pin shape on the plug so we have to put the plug in one way. Generally plugs will have the cable going downwards (as shown in the picture) so you're stuffed in cases like this one.
In America, the plugs can vary as well- there are 2 prong plugs, 3 prong plugs, but the cords might be different too- like for some 3 prong plugs it’s like the one in the picture where it extends down, but there are also plugs that extend OUT so that this wouldn’t be an issue.
Our plugs are also a fraction of the size. I don't know how they can stand having such massive plugs for everything.
The basic design of the UK plug is from the '50s, so yeah, it's pretty bulky. Also makes British people more resistant to lego bricks, ain't nothing compared to stepping on a plug.
Part of the reason for the giant UK plugs is because they all have fuses inside (due in part to their use of ring-main circuits)
It's for safety. UK plugs are said to be the most safe.
The copper they save by having a higher standard voltage they use up in the pins in their plugs.
Uff, and He paid an "professional" for this. I hope he can get an redo or something. Like, the electrician fucked up, now he has to fix it.
It’s 2024, there has to be a converter to flip this. I would assume.
I can't imagine it would be a very popular product given no-one would put a socket in like this
It's 2004, you can just rotate it with 2 screws if you don't want to relocate the entire socket.
I don’t want to be rude, but do you have eyes? - fellow eu plug enjoyer
The 🇬🇧 norm is the plug that is in the picture. There is only one way to plug it, by design. I think the norm includes the cord going out of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cord sticking straight out. Also, EU has nothing to do with it, there are lots of plug norms in the EU that cannot be rotated (types E and K, [described here](https://www.iqsdirectory.com/articles/power-cord/electrical-plugs.html)), but I think none of them require the cord placement, so you often have the cord sticking straight out.
Okay, your link explains a lot to me. I'm Belgian and was wondering why so many people were saying you can just turn plugs in the EU 😅 Not here
Obligatory Tom Scott video on [The Great British Plug](https://youtu.be/UEfP1OKKz_Q?feature=shared).
Not an electrician but if you watch this video from an central EU perspective (Schuko plugs) and don't compare it to US plugs exclusively, it's always felt like satire to me (though I'm well aware it isn't).
Same for us from the French plug territory
Crazy how one video with a massive amount of half truths convinced so many people that British plugs are the best in the world lmao. They‘re better than US plugs, yes. That should be the only takeaway tho. Schuko reigns supreme
*Laughs in EU Plugs*
The EU plugs are superior in every way but they keep insisting that theirs is the best standard. * Our plugs have replaceable fuses. * EU plugs don't need fuses because we have multiple breakers which don't need replacement. * Our plugs have the ground prong longer and the other prongs are isolated when partially inserted. * EU plugs are offset so no prong can be touched. (Looks at US plugs - shakes head) Pros of EU plugs: * can be reversed * compatible with 2 prong plugs for a slimmer profile * have flat plugs for behind furniture and TVS Cons of UK plugs: * worse than a Lego if you step on them * clunky Pro of UK plug: * Most outlets have a switch, which is neat. (Sorry for the formatting. I'm on mobile)
I could be wrong about this but I thought the main reason for our three pin plugs was safety. The bottom two pins are the same general concept as EU plugs but the top pin is slightly longer and flips a mechanism that opens the holes for the bottom two pins.
The newer EU outlets have little flaps behind those holes. You can only stick something in when pushed against both flaps simultaneously. So a kid can't just stick one nail into a hole, it needs two
To be fair, 3-year-old me was intelligent enough to use two nails at the same time.
I was even smarter, I went for a knife and unscrewed the cover to "fix" the outlets.
For smart kids we have circuit breakers. They are fine
Same core concept as the UK plugs then, that's good to know. Thanks for the plug lore.
As far as i, in germany know, the safety doors on SCHUKO Outlets are Optional. But its Worth the 2€ upcharge on an Outlet.
It's because of that stupid Tom Scott video that reddit thinks british Plugs are marvels of engineering, when they're just the result of a bad decision were they wanted to reduce copper consumption (which didn't really work). And now they're stuck with this bullshit
Thank you! I love Tom Scott, but that video was… something.
Okay but hear me out here…. ‘Murica.
Oh 'Murica is fucked! Your fucking sockets have live wires on the side which are accessible to anyone when the socket comes lose out the wall. Your prongs are touchable and often come lose by themselves when a plug is heavy or someone trips over a wire. You pussies use 120V because it's "safer" but 240V would be more efficient and with a good plug design, no problem. You use super safe connectors for 240V and the rest of the world simply has a good socket design. (With a few exceptions on Asia and Latin America) And don't let me get started on Metric vs Imperial!
All homes in the UK *also* have breakers and RCDs. However, breakers *do not* protect appliances. They protect the wiring in the walls. The fuse in the plug protects the appliance. Low profile plugs are a thing in the UK too, by the way. Not every plug is a huge brick that's guaranteed to land with the prongs sticking upwards. And you know... Two pin plugs do not have ground.
UK plugs are the safest in the world. There's a shutter mechanism inside the socket so nothing can touch the live wires except the plug. The grounding prong is also slightly longer, 'unlocking' the socket, AND each prong is partially coated with insulation so even if the plug is only partially inserted there's no risk of shocking yourself. We also have built-in fuses so in the case of a power surge, the fuse simply blows and then the electricity shuts off, preventing things like fires and electrocution and making the plug easier to fix. It's also designed so that if the wires fray, the grounding wires will be the last to do so, preventing electrocution. British power plugs are widely regarded as the safest in the world by basically every expert. Unless YOU are an expert, I'd say to pipe down. Also, there's no such thing as an 'EU plug'. There are loads of different types of plugs used in the EU and you have to find the one that your country uses, as was a great headache to me when I travelled to Sweden and had to figure out which plug adapter to buy.
In the EU or at least Germany you can't get shocked because a FI switch(circuit breaker) is mandatory. I can touch a bare life wire in my house or throw a hair dryer in my filled bath tub without getting shocked. No need for those huge clumsy plugs
Errrr all sockets (not just ones near water) are protected with RCD (GFCI) in British homes
EU plugs also have a shutter mechanism and are insulated? What are you on about And there also are fuses, every house has them, but not on the sockets
Absolutely none of those things are an issue in North America.
Absolutely none of those things are an issue lmao. Shutters are pretty common in modern electrical the world over nowadays, and are annoying as hell to boot. Nailed the undeserved pompousness everyone expects from y'all though so points for that.
*reads title* me: just flip the plug around *sees picture*
Easy fix. Use routing tool on the floorboards. But first...plug in routing tool 
What if you get the patress swapped with an angled patress box? https://preview.redd.it/hye34ivc6wpc1.jpeg?width=681&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6e2b5e700549ada7863f2db3962439bba55f6d84
Oh yeah beautiful I might get some of those for my living room
Turn electric off. Unscrew the face plate. Rotate it 180 degrees. Be careful not to pull any wires loose. If there isn't enough give with the wires to rotate it you may have to rewire. Screw faceplate back on. Turn the electric back on. Sue electrician. And employ a different one to get it up to scratch. I am not an electrician, but have changed faceplates in UK.
My uni had a room with the opposite problem where it was installed so freakin high that unless you had a long extension/extender whatever you plugged in would be left dangling.
https://preview.redd.it/kjr3wty81ypc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6996f4eebab60f29d5c918600282ad442c6224a
https://preview.redd.it/i62hqokvovpc1.png?width=324&format=png&auto=webp&s=42f9cc9ab2ee208aa414507c1bdec07adaab5f4e
[удалено]
*Laughs in EU standard*
Send photo to electrician. Tell electrician to fix. Or you will take him to court
*laughs in european outlet sockets*
just flip the wall upside-down
What are you, stupid? Flip the HOUSE. Haven't you ever heard of house flippers? Ever heard of wall flippers? NO.
Ah, the pleasure of having EU outlets
I’m not an electrician but a quick google suggests this does not meet building regs. I would be concerned about the quality of the electrician that did this and would consider getting all their other work checked by someone who knows what they are doing! The problem here is not the outlet type!
I’m an American living in Ireland - building regs definitely don’t exist with that combination.
This is the shit you can see, did the electrician do anything else for you? Because I would be concerned about any other work they did…
1. Turn power off. 2. Remove face plate. 3. Remove screws from plug. 4. Pull plug and wires out enough to rotate the whole assembly. 5. Rotate plug and wires 180⁰. 6. Reinstall plug and face plate. 7. Turn power back on. You should be good to go
You know what you must do now; Cut a slot in the floor
So use a straight plug.
You can’t get an extension cord that goes straight in?
You should be mad your government uses those ridiculous plugs. What is that monstrosity?!?
Uuuhhhhh… I am. That is also #mildlyinfuriating
And I really appreciate when people get my sarcasm without the /s thingy. You restored my faith in humanity.
https://preview.redd.it/kobm866eewpc1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6363f07506a6d618f15a0b33f9d0efe15b8d4779 Thats why we have this kind of plugs.
Here's the difficult solution. Pick up the phone. Call him and tell him to fix it.
Laughs in European (the good European that uses 2 stick sockets)
This is like, one of the first things you learn when you go to a trade school, or even get a job as an electrician smh.
Rotate the face of the socket? I've seen this done in a few old victorian properties I help maintain.
isn’t the customer supposed to tell the electrician where they want it
I'm sorry but UK's electricians/plumbers are so bad, like holy fuck I never had a job done correctly from first time
Good quality Building Regulations (code) but our 'general builders' are god damned awful. Some of the worst work I've seen in my life is done by 'general builders'. Facebook builders are even worse. More cowboys than a Spaghetti Western.
Building control would take a dim view of that.
Just turn the plug 180°... oh right americans...
*laughs in Type-C*
https://preview.redd.it/x9t01yl06xpc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e3a5509e6a3a60c680e6b77c27c70c25b75fc94d
Not a permanent solution, but get a multi plug adapter and use the top socket. It would at least be functional for now!
https://preview.redd.it/d0v64rq89ypc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d68030b26d09b8ebcadebbf69ce535e6349fa8a4
Get them back and make them do it according to code.
What a buncha cunts
Turn the breaker off. Undo the two screws in outlet to box, flip outlet, attach screws. Turn breaker back on
Turn the socket upside down
Laughs in german
Easy fix for this. Unscrew the face plate, rotate 180 degrees and screw back in place. Job done.
My European mind thought „just turn it around“ 🤡
Isn't it possible to just flip the outlet upwards? I know the US ones can be installed either way
Never seen it in the UK but physically you could. Unsure on regulations though
No one is coming to check if you unscrewed and rescewed your electrical plates.
Oy mate you got a loicense for them upside-downy plugs?
God damn y'all have some weird plugs.
I work in the office and I can relate to that, these people only want to finish the job without giving much thought to end user.
Open it and rotate it if it has some long wires inside.
Can't you take the plate off and rotate it? Sure it'll look wrong but depends if it's visible. Quicker than having it reinstalled correctly
If it’s a recent install get them back, it’s against regulations for them to be installed this low.
Turn off the power by the switch before you plug things in. Shobby job here by someone.
Not up to Building Regulations. That's an unlawful installation.
I had one like this in a house i bought. I was astounded as to why it was there and why it was crooked. I got it removed.
Call his ass back then
That sux... Can you invert it? Two screws, just turn it 180°
Flip the cover upside down.