Are All Power Points In Spain Two-Pin?

[sandyRoe]

If so, does that mean devices plugged into them aren't earthed?
If we'd stayed in we could have pressed for more Brussels red-tape ordering a change to three pin which might have saved lives.

[sandyRoe]

But, then again, if we hadn't done it after 40 years it's unlikely we ever would.

[Old_Geezer]

If it is two pinned then correct, it won't be earthed. All appliances need to avoid having metal external parts.

[douglas9401]

There is an earth point, it just isn't a pin, it's on the outer edge of the plug with the corresponding tabs on the socket.

[Old_Geezer]

The EEC was supposed to standardise such things from the start. I recall that the UK had gone from two pin to three and changed again from round to rectangular pin with integral fuse, so fully expected Europe to follow our example. But of course nothing. They preferred their small unfused versions and didn't change. If they weren't in the spirit of standardisation up until now they weren't going to change at all. But we know the issues regarding trying to change the EU from within, already.

[douglas9401]

Sorry:

http://www.spainbuddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wiring-a-spanish-plug-01.jpg

[Old_Geezer]

Ah they use that sort do they. I guess it depends on whether you count the third connection as a pin. Strictly speaking not I suppose. But in normal speech I doubt they stress the difference.

[douglas9401]

The Spaniards may be lackadaisical as a group OG, but they're not collectively suicidal.

[Old_Geezer]

When I was young we had no earth wiring here. I don't know what other countries have now. I've seen some very dodgy setups when on holiday abroad. Not that I've been for a while.

[KARL]

How wonderful it would be if all countries, at least within Europe, used the same plug. Throughout Europe (not just the EU), earthed plugs have become the norm for as much as decades past. The so-called Schuko design or at least a close similarity appears to have very widespread favour, including in Spain. There are nevertheless different plugs in use and overall there is quite a variety on the go. The unearthed Euro plug is quite common all over for double earthed devices but sockets are generally earthed. The modern UK type is not in use anywhere else in Europe and worldwide use is basically limited to former and present UK colonies/possessions, but only some. Nobody else has seen the need for a fuse and there is no published evidence to suggest that by itself the UK plug has significant advantages (accidents, etc.) over for example the Schuko - but it is the most complicated. The sheer size of the UK plug is unnecessary and by comparison to the rest the plug is a pain from the consumer/user point of view. There are at least two different designs in use in Europe (earthed Euro and Ticino) which achieve earthing in a compact and user friendly design (and the Ticino is arguably more reliable and safer than all the rest). I read somewhere a good while back that attempts to standardise plugs in Europe date back to pre WWII - that has not come about due to obviously deliberate attempts of many countries to be different and thus reluctance against uniformity. Pretty much all the plugs being used do the job adequately, they just do it differently. To suggest that the UK plug should have been adopted elsewhere is quite unrealistic and always was very unlikely. One can get used to it but it is an unhelpful design.

[atalanta]

Did you know there was a move, many years ago now, by the EU (or whatever it was called then) , to get us to give up our plugs and our home wiring systems to go over to the European standards, which UK experts believed to be far less safe ?
It would have cost us billions, too. Thank goodness that blindingly stupid idea was abandoned for the idiocy it was.

[KARL]

Oops, should have been double indsulated, not "double earthed" - sorry :(

[KARL]

* insulated (good grief, what's happening today ?)