110V Electric outlet sockets

[beeza]

In the UK they use 240V and a three square pin plug which hardly ever give any trouble.

My experience with the adopted US system of 110V and the flat blade plug leads me to think that this system is very dangerous, especially with the risk of fire.

I have had no end of problems with equipment failing purely due to bad connections in the outlet. As the voltage is lower which is supposed to be non-lethal, the current consumed by each apparatus is doubled as a result. This puts excessive strain on any weak points in the circuit, usually the socket. Then arcing occurs and a fire can then ensue. Good job most houses are made out of concrete and steel!

I can only assume that the electrician who wired up my house scrimped on the quality of the outlets which have already claimed a high end amplifier, almost a microwave oven and melted the plug on a portable A/C unit.

What is a quality brand of 110V outlet sockets that are available here? And where can I buy them?

[bienamor]

dont know if the sockets are your problem, but the wiring sure is. any good quality plastic socket should be ok, as long as its wired into correctly. Never had any problem with any I have bought here, but any of the hardware stores should be able to help you , cuesta hache, americana

[beeza]

The sockets definitely are the problem. For example when my microwave stops working, I wiggle the plug, a lot of sparking goes on inside the socket and then the microwave starts working again.

I've disassembled a few of these sockets and they are of very poor design. There is basically a small copper tang that makes contact with the plug blade. There is very little mechanical tension keeping the contacts together, which causes the arcing.

[bienamor]

The sockets definitely are the problem. For example when my microwave stops working, I wiggle the plug, a lot of sparking goes on inside the socket and then the microwave starts working again.

I've disassembled a few of these sockets and they are of very poor design. There is basically a small copper tang that makes contact with the plug blade. There is very little mechanical tension keeping the contacts together, which causes the arcing.

maybe as you said who ever put them in found a deal, but not normally a problem. check the hardware stores and don't buy chinese

[bienamor]

If 220V were running to the normal outlets in the US, I think Americans would be terrified! (220V is used for some items like dryers) LOL

It isn't the voltage itself that is causing the issue, it is either the incorrect wire gauge being used or poor quality connections in the outlets (tomacorrientes) as you already suspect. Cheap Chinese [email protected] See if you can find Leviton products.

try running american 220 on those little bitty wires they use in europe, burnt in a heart beat. lots of amp difference in the 220's

[SantiagoDR]

Be careful of the extension cords also.
They look big and fat, but the wire inside is small and skinny.

I was amazed at how small the actual copper wire was when I cut the plug end off to wire the cord onto something else I needed.

Good thing I had my reading glasses handy so I could see the wire.


Don ♥ SantiagoDR

[rubio_higuey]

You can make your own extension cords. In ferreterias they sell all kind of wires... For example, a Bocina wire (speaker wire) is quite thick and can support quite a load. At 8 pesos a foot they are inexpensive. They also sell the orange or yellow heavy duty extensions, they are VERY good. As a last resort you can also buy a cable used for charging the batteries, at 40 pesos a foot, this is a multi-wire cable, about 1cm thick in diameter. Connect your open plugs and there you go. I used this batteries cable to make my own jumpstart cables for my car. The jumpstart cables they sell here a just a pure laugh - thick, but 9/10 of that is the rubber shielding.