Why plug is polarized in the US? What are the benefits?
With a polarized plug, it is perfectly safe to have a single-pole switch there-- one just makes sure it interrupts the "live" contact; With a non-polarized plug, one either has to put a more expensive double-pole switch, or to accept that half of the time, powered-off power strip would present a shock hazard. Neither of these options is very good.
safety - Why are some AC outlets and plugs polarized? - Electrical ...
For example, if a lamp is properly wired with a polarized plug into a polarized outlet, and it is turned off, you could stick your finger in the lamp’s bulb socket without getting a shock. If the lamp is improperly wired, you would get a shock, even though the lamp switch is off.
ac polarity - What is the point of polarized plug in home AC ...
Jun 11, 2022 · Upgrading to polarized prevents this, again so long as the socket and extension also are polarized and correctly connected. Old-school hot chassis, vintage light strings or modern lamps, the polarized plug provides improved safety as long as the plug and socket is wired correctly and it isn’t defeated by a bogus cord or adapter.
plug - Why AC socket polarity is important? - Electrical …
It's also backward-compatible with older non-polarized plugs that have two narrow blades, however newer plugs that are polarized are not compatible with older receptacles (barring the improper use of tin snips). Edit: As kabZX points out, when one side of the line is switched or (most importantly) when one is fused, it should be the hot side only.
power - Can an unpolarised (C7) plug be used safely in place of a ...
Aug 30, 2023 · Short answer: No, an unpolarized C7 connector (rounded on both sides) should not be used in place of a polarized one (square-shape on one side), even though it fits. The polarized version of the C7 connector is non-standard and was not designed to be interchanged with the unpolarized version nor was it designed to prevent doing so.
connector - What is the name of this plug, and which side is line …
Jul 12, 2023 · As pointed out in a comment by jonathanjo, the polarized C7 is not part of the IEC 60320 standard, and the wikimedia image has been alternating between square is neutral and square is line. Finbarr has pointed out in a comment that the non-polarized C7 plug will fit into a polarized socket, and that polarized to non-polarized cables are ...
Why is this power cable sometimes polarized and sometimes not?
May 22, 2018 · The non-polarized plug allows the user to swap orientation in case of a difference in high frequency noise (buzz) that can sometimes be unbalanced or have inputs that are unbalanced such that swapping leads of the unintended conductor or receiver can reduce interference in audio systems.
My strands of LED Christmas lights are not polarized, and I don't ...
Nov 29, 2020 · Here's a possible circuit diagram, including the tiny fuses usually inside the plug, and the AC daisy-chain wires. The LEDs, being diodes, will only rectify half the AC waveform anyway, so this will still work if neutral is on the top or bottom wire here. Fuse and resistor values are notional, and depend on the number and type of the LEDs.
Does it matter which way you plug stuff into the wall socket
Why are some AC outlets and plugs polarized? Quoting the accepted answer: Some systems will employ switches and fuses and such in the input power, and this is best handled by the live connection, not the neutral, so a polarized plug helps ensure this. There are also grounding and 'commoning' issues to be taken into consideration. -Majenko
Aren't non-polarized plugs a little dangerous? Why still use them?
Aug 6, 2014 · Take a look at obvious toaster example: If you live in Europe and have non-polarized plug and a toaster (a bad one without double-pole turn off) - you have a 50% chance of touching the hot wire (via the heating elements or even bread if you're unlucky) if you plug it in the wrong way, so that the off switch turns off just the neutral wire.