Talk:3186: Truly Universal Outlet - Revision history

81.179.199.253: Undo revision 411172 by 2605:59C8:22E3:3E14:50DB:BE2C:AE66:724F (talk) Unsigned and apparently contextless. Nothing lost by deleting it

2026-04-26T17:19:37Z

Undo revision 411172 by 2605:59C8:22E3:3E14:50DB:BE2C:AE66:724F (talk) Unsigned and apparently contextless. Nothing lost by deleting it

2605:59C8:22E3:3E14:50DB:BE2C:AE66:724F at 15:05, 26 April 2026

2026-04-26T15:05:39Z

42.book.addict at 01:02, 20 March 2026

2026-03-20T01:02:28Z

81.179.199.253 at 19:53, 19 March 2026

2026-03-19T19:53:30Z

81.179.199.253 at 19:42, 19 March 2026

2026-03-19T19:42:48Z

Linus Xu at 08:01, 18 March 2026

2026-03-18T08:01:38Z

82.13.184.33 at 10:02, 6 January 2026

2026-01-06T10:02:58Z

82.13.184.33 at 09:59, 6 January 2026

2026-01-06T09:59:57Z

92.23.2.208 at 21:38, 5 January 2026

2026-01-05T21:38:28Z

23.234.83.181 at 20:37, 5 January 2026

2026-01-05T20:37:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:19, 26 April 2026
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	*And, though not so suitable for upload itself, there is the GIMP (.XCF) file that I used to compiled them all from (with varying changes), just in case the uploader notices an error and wants to have a go at correcting errors/omissions at source for themselves. Or deriving different styles of output.		*And, though not so suitable for upload itself, there is the GIMP (.XCF) file that I used to compiled them all from (with varying changes), just in case the uploader notices an error and wants to have a go at correcting errors/omissions at source for themselves. Or deriving different styles of output.
	Thanks, BTW, for reminding me. I'd started this back when the comic was first up, but had completely forgotten about it until various edits were made over the last couple of days. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253\|81.179.199.253]] 19:42, 19 March 2026 (UTC)		Thanks, BTW, for reminding me. I'd started this back when the comic was first up, but had completely forgotten about it until various edits were made over the last couple of days. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253\|81.179.199.253]] 19:42, 19 March 2026 (UTC)
−
−	~~tomb~~

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:05, 26 April 2026
Line 61:		Line 61:
	*And, though not so suitable for upload itself, there is the GIMP (.XCF) file that I used to compiled them all from (with varying changes), just in case the uploader notices an error and wants to have a go at correcting errors/omissions at source for themselves. Or deriving different styles of output.		*And, though not so suitable for upload itself, there is the GIMP (.XCF) file that I used to compiled them all from (with varying changes), just in case the uploader notices an error and wants to have a go at correcting errors/omissions at source for themselves. Or deriving different styles of output.
	Thanks, BTW, for reminding me. I'd started this back when the comic was first up, but had completely forgotten about it until various edits were made over the last couple of days. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253\|81.179.199.253]] 19:42, 19 March 2026 (UTC)		Thanks, BTW, for reminding me. I'd started this back when the comic was first up, but had completely forgotten about it until various edits were made over the last couple of days. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253\|81.179.199.253]] 19:42, 19 March 2026 (UTC)
		+
		+	tomb

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 :I'm American, and British plugs and sockets seem huge and clunky to me. I've also heard that (some?) Brits think US plugs are alarmingly flimsy. I'm sure that a big part of the differences of opinion is what we grew up with, and I'd love to hear a physics/engineering/UI/UX-based evaluation of which one is *actually* better. -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 19:38, 26 December 2025 (UTC)
 :: I am an American (soon to be a Gileadian after we will rename our nation to the Republic of Gilead  ——  ¡ChrisoFascism sucks!); so now I do not have a dog in this fight, but the [http://wikipedia.org/wiki/europlug | EuroPlug ] looks very space efficient, unlike the bulky American plus & sockets, & the ridiculously enormous UK-plugs.
-::I am also an American and I agree with the sentiment that British plugs/sockets seem huge and clunky, but it depends on the plug and socket in the US how flimsy they are. I have found some sockets where plugs will literally fall out of them, and other ones where it is hard to pull them out. But American plugs are dangerous from the lack of protection against contacting power and neutral at the same time while they're live. {{unsigned ip|2601:441:4b7c:7c6a::1009|03:15, 27 December 2025}}
+::I am also an American and I agree with the sentiment that British plugs/sockets seem huge and clunky, but it depends on the plug and socket in the US how flimsy they are. I have found some sockets where plugs will literally fall out of them, and other ones where it is hard to pull them out. But American plugs are dangerous from the lack of protection against contacting power and neutral at the same time while they're live. {{unsigned ip|2601:441:4b7c:7c6a::1009|03:15, 27 December 2025 (UTC)}}
 :I've heard this sentiment before, but I have no idea where it comes from. British plugs are ridonkulously huge and not exactly easy to use. From safety perspective, I find it odd only a handful of (European) socket types are recessed. [[Special:Contributions/81.94.52.186|81.94.52.186]] 22:07, 26 December 2025 (UTC)
 ::British plugs are just the right size for a hand (assuming you don't have ''very'' small hands, when you probably shouldn't be messing about with them<!-- Mr President -->) ''and'' the direction the cable emerges is much more convenient (e.g. handy for sockets behind furniture, outlets for worktop equipment in a kitchen or in server racks). At least that's my assesment, having had to use both US and UK systems in all cases. ;) [[Special:Contributions/92.23.2.208|92.23.2.208]] 22:47, 26 December 2025 (UTC)
@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 Came here expecting at least ''a'' comment saying "Biblically accurate outlet", but I'll gladly be the first to make that joke instead [[Special:Contributions/163.116.181.28|163.116.181.28]] 07:59, 29 December 2025 (UTC)
-Surprised that only the voltage differences have been mentioned as issues that would need to be addressed in such a "universal" socket.  No one has mentioned the frequency differences (50Hz vs. 60Hz) and the issues that could cause? {{unsigned ip|136.226.98.180|20:01, 5 January 2026}}
+Surprised that only the voltage differences have been mentioned as issues that would need to be addressed in such a "universal" socket.  No one has mentioned the frequency differences (50Hz vs. 60Hz) and the issues that could cause? {{unsigned ip|136.226.98.180|20:01, 5 January 2026 (UTC)}}
-I've actually seen outlets that look like this in new building construction (especially hotels) in China.  Oh also, if you visit Japan/China, bring a 3-to-2 prong adapter, or only bring two prong (non-grounded) cables. {{unsigned ip|23.234.83.181|20:37, 5 January 2026}}
+I've actually seen outlets that look like this in new building construction (especially hotels) in China.  Oh also, if you visit Japan/China, bring a 3-to-2 prong adapter, or only bring two prong (non-grounded) cables. {{unsigned ip|23.234.83.181|20:37, 5 January 2026 (UTC)}}
 Ventured adding the table as requested in the incomplete tag. I also found https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country#Identification_guide which has all the plugs’ photos under either public domain or CC BY-SA 3.0, both of which ''should'' be compatible here. I just don’t know how exactly to add them in-line in the table. [[User:Linus Xu|Linus Xu]] ([[User talk:Linus Xu|talk]]) 08:01, 18 March 2026 (UTC)

@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 Ventured adding the table as requested in the incomplete tag. I also found https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country#Identification_guide which has all the plugs’ photos under either public domain or CC BY-SA 3.0, both of which ''should'' be compatible here. I just don’t know how exactly to add them in-line in the table. [[User:Linus Xu|Linus Xu]] ([[User talk:Linus Xu|talk]]) 08:01, 18 March 2026 (UTC)
-'''I have files''' that might be useful to anyone who wants to upload them. Packaged them up [https://filebin.net/hfq3s38bv7e95zpm here] (expires in 6 days, but I should be able to reupload again if you've missed it and ask nicely). Within are the images of the comic's 'socket plate' with various Types (and sub-types, and orientations) showing where plug-pins are fitted. (Colour coded as Red=Live/Line, Blue=Neutral, Green=Earth/Ground.) Also created two 'cummulative' images, one with all permetations that are "Live Left", one for "Live Right". All those images so described are lower resolution, enough to read (including the highlit type-letters 'inn use') but not too large to fit in the table-column, though some rows have multiple examples (opposite polarity, if not national and/or historic variations). Further, there should be an animated GIF (full resolution) that ticks through every combination every two seconds. And, though not so suitable for upload itself, the GIMP (.XCF) file that I compiled all of them from (with varying changes), just in case errors/omissions need correcting.
+'''I have files''' that might be useful to anyone who wants to upload them. Packaged them up [https://filebin.net/hfq3s38bv7e95zpm here] (expires in 6 days, but I should be able to reupload again if you've missed it and ask nicely). Within are:
-<br/>Thanks, BTW, for reminding me. I'd started this back when the comic was first up, but had completely forgotten about it until various edits were made over the last couple of days. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 19:42, 19 March 2026 (UTC)
+*Images of the comic's 'socket plate' with various Types (and sub-types, and orientations) showing where plug-pins are fitted, at a resolution small enough to be handy but large enough to read the writing.

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:42, 19 March 2026
Line 52:		Line 52:

	Ventured adding the table as requested in the incomplete tag. I also found https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country#Identification_guide which has all the plugs’ photos under either public domain or CC BY-SA 3.0, both of which ''should'' be compatible here. I just don’t know how exactly to add them in-line in the table. [[User:Linus Xu\|Linus Xu]] ([[User talk:Linus Xu\|talk]]) 08:01, 18 March 2026 (UTC)		Ventured adding the table as requested in the incomplete tag. I also found https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country#Identification_guide which has all the plugs’ photos under either public domain or CC BY-SA 3.0, both of which ''should'' be compatible here. I just don’t know how exactly to add them in-line in the table. [[User:Linus Xu\|Linus Xu]] ([[User talk:Linus Xu\|talk]]) 08:01, 18 March 2026 (UTC)
		+
		+	'''I have files''' that might be useful to anyone who wants to upload them. Packaged them up [https://filebin.net/hfq3s38bv7e95zpm here] (expires in 6 days, but I should be able to reupload again if you've missed it and ask nicely). Within are the images of the comic's 'socket plate' with various Types (and sub-types, and orientations) showing where plug-pins are fitted. (Colour coded as Red=Live/Line, Blue=Neutral, Green=Earth/Ground.) Also created two 'cummulative' images, one with all permetations that are "Live Left", one for "Live Right". All those images so described are lower resolution, enough to read (including the highlit type-letters 'inn use') but not too large to fit in the table-column, though some rows have multiple examples (opposite polarity, if not national and/or historic variations). Further, there should be an animated GIF (full resolution) that ticks through every combination every two seconds. And, though not so suitable for upload itself, the GIMP (.XCF) file that I compiled all of them from (with varying changes), just in case errors/omissions need correcting.
		+	<br/>Thanks, BTW, for reminding me. I'd started this back when the comic was first up, but had completely forgotten about it until various edits were made over the last couple of days. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253\|81.179.199.253]] 19:42, 19 March 2026 (UTC)

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:01, 18 March 2026
Line 50:		Line 50:

	I've actually seen outlets that look like this in new building construction (especially hotels) in China. Oh also, if you visit Japan/China, bring a 3-to-2 prong adapter, or only bring two prong (non-grounded) cables. {{unsigned ip\|23.234.83.181\|20:37, 5 January 2026}}		I've actually seen outlets that look like this in new building construction (especially hotels) in China. Oh also, if you visit Japan/China, bring a 3-to-2 prong adapter, or only bring two prong (non-grounded) cables. {{unsigned ip\|23.234.83.181\|20:37, 5 January 2026}}
		+
		+	Ventured adding the table as requested in the incomplete tag. I also found https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country#Identification_guide which has all the plugs’ photos under either public domain or CC BY-SA 3.0, both of which ''should'' be compatible here. I just don’t know how exactly to add them in-line in the table. [[User:Linus Xu\|Linus Xu]] ([[User talk:Linus Xu\|talk]]) 08:01, 18 March 2026 (UTC)

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 FWIW, it is notable that this plug is officially not a [[:category:Cursed_Connectors|cursed]] connector. --[[Special:Contributions/2001:A62:572:F601:905B:6D6D:6686:E863|2001:A62:572:F601:905B:6D6D:6686:E863]] 00:14, 27 December 2025 (UTC)
-These already exist outside of this comic: https://diyhardware.ph/cdn/shop/files/YAE0838_800x.webp?v=1686379936
+These already exist outside of this comic: https://diyhardware.ph/cdn/shop/files/YAE0838_800x.webp?v=1686379936 [[Special:Contributions/2605:C740:90:F41:842D:1EC2:FEB9:2B80|2605:C740:90:F41:842D:1EC2:FEB9:2B80]] 04:16, 27 December 2025 (UTC)
 : You can also [https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_2160,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fgrounding640-9ed51722fe5c6fcb6a336b5bbfa005e3.jpg find them on airplanes].
@@ Line 34: / Line 33: @@
 : (That travel plug also has "universal" prongs for ''plugging in'' to various different outlets, selected by those sliders on the side.) —[[User:Scs|Scs]] ([[User talk:Scs|talk]]) 06:00, 27 December 2025 (UTC)
-The comic doesn't actually specify *anything* about the internals of the universal outlet, it just says to cut holes in whatever outlet you have.  I find this the funniest part of it.
+The comic doesn't actually specify *anything* about the internals of the universal outlet, it just says to cut holes in whatever outlet you have.  I find this the funniest part of it. [[User:Rorrison|Rorrison]] ([[User talk:Rorrison|talk]]) 13:07, 27 December 2025 (UTC)
 :That was my thought as well. "You can definitely 'plug' your device into this outlet, no promises on whether your device will be able to receive appropriate electrical power from it though."[[Special:Contributions/57.140.28.16|57.140.28.16]] 16:49, 29 December 2025 (UTC)
 ::Looking through the various usages of the standards, there's not even any guarantee of correct polarity (even for those systems that ''do'' have a correct polarity, rather than don't seemto care, e.g. type C ungrounded and ''both'' subtly different type-L groundeds - and ''very'' interesting to read about the dual-metering situation behind that, BTW).

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 I try not to be nationalistic or jingoistic about anything, but I'm sorry—British plugs are simply the best plugs. Strong, easy to use and safe—fits snugly into the socket, can't expose live or neutral outlets without first connecting to earth, no overly sharp pins. I don't like myself for saying this, but I honestly think the rest of the world would be better off switching to our plugs.[[Special:Contributions/109.149.114.159|109.149.114.159]] 18:00, 26 December 2025 (UTC)
 :I'm American, and British plugs and sockets seem huge and clunky to me. I've also heard that (some?) Brits think US plugs are alarmingly flimsy. I'm sure that a big part of the differences of opinion is what we grew up with, and I'd love to hear a physics/engineering/UI/UX-based evaluation of which one is *actually* better. -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 19:38, 26 December 2025 (UTC)
 :: I am an American (soon to be a Gileadian after we will rename our nation to the Republic of Gilead  ——  ¡ChrisoFascism sucks!); so now I do not have a dog in this fight, but the [http://wikipedia.org/wiki/europlug | EuroPlug ] looks very space efficient, unlike the bulky American plus & sockets, & the ridiculously enormous UK-plugs.
 ::I am also an American and I agree with the sentiment that British plugs/sockets seem huge and clunky, but it depends on the plug and socket in the US how flimsy they are. I have found some sockets where plugs will literally fall out of them, and other ones where it is hard to pull them out. But American plugs are dangerous from the lack of protection against contacting power and neutral at the same time while they're live. {{unsigned ip|2601:441:4b7c:7c6a::1009|03:15, 27 December 2025}}
 :I've heard this sentiment before, but I have no idea where it comes from. British plugs are ridonkulously huge and not exactly easy to use. From safety perspective, I find it odd only a handful of (European) socket types are recessed. [[Special:Contributions/81.94.52.186|81.94.52.186]] 22:07, 26 December 2025 (UTC)
 ::British plugs are just the right size for a hand (assuming you don't have ''very'' small hands, when you probably shouldn't be messing about with them<!-- Mr President -->) ''and'' the direction the cable emerges is much more convenient (e.g. handy for sockets behind furniture, outlets for worktop equipment in a kitchen or in server racks). At least that's my assesment, having had to use both US and UK systems in all cases. ;) [[Special:Contributions/92.23.2.208|92.23.2.208]] 22:47, 26 December 2025 (UTC)
 : British plugs do not even meet their own design specs.  This is why there is an internally different, but externally identical (apart from markings) BS 1363-2 plug for EV charging.  This exists because if you draw the continuous rated current from a standard socket it is likely to melt.
 : British wiring has many problematic aspects.  Ring final circuits, undersized wiring for the protective fuse, too many devices on the same circuit, too few outlets so people stack extenders for the one socket in the room and run extensions cords under the rug, excessively tolerant ground fault detectors.  Most of the supposed safety features of British plugs are trying to compensate for other design flaws.  Not to mention mechanically identical sockets with different continuous current ratings.[[Special:Contributions/76.180.39.133|76.180.39.133]] 23:20, 26 December 2025 (UTC)
 : I‘ve also seen this claim before, and ever since, I‘ve wanted to defend Switzerland‘s (type J) plug as I believe it is equivalent in many aspects and superior in some. The current-carrying prongs are plastic sleeved like the British plugs, in addition to the socket being recessed, everything is GFCI-equivalently protected, the plug lies with the prongs parallel to the floor, extension cables have doors in front of the holes, but I think the biggest advantage is the size, as one place in the wall fits three sockets (or one and a light switch). I might not have every argument present at the moment, and I am certainly biased as a Swiss person ofc. [[Special:Contributions/212.186.158.218|212.186.158.218]] 19:44, 28 December 2025 (UTC)
@@ Line 38: / Line 32: @@
 : You can also [https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_2160,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fgrounding640-9ed51722fe5c6fcb6a336b5bbfa005e3.jpg find them on airplanes].
 : You can also [https://www.epickatech.com/products/ta-105-universal-travel-adapter buy them for traveling].
-: (That travel plug also has "universal" prongs for ''plugging in'' to various different outlets, selected by those sliders on the side.)
+: (That travel plug also has "universal" prongs for ''plugging in'' to various different outlets, selected by those sliders on the side.) —[[User:Scs|Scs]] ([[User talk:Scs|talk]]) 06:00, 27 December 2025 (UTC)
 The comic doesn't actually specify *anything* about the internals of the universal outlet, it just says to cut holes in whatever outlet you have.  I find this the funniest part of it.
 [[User:Rorrison|Rorrison]] ([[User talk:Rorrison|talk]]) 13:07, 27 December 2025 (UTC)
-::That was my thought as well. "You can definitely 'plug' your device into this outlet, no promises on whether your device will be able to receive appropriate electrical power from it though."[[Special:Contributions/57.140.28.16|57.140.28.16]] 16:49, 29 December 2025 (UTC)
+:That was my thought as well. "You can definitely 'plug' your device into this outlet, no promises on whether your device will be able to receive appropriate electrical power from it though."[[Special:Contributions/57.140.28.16|57.140.28.16]] 16:49, 29 December 2025 (UTC)
-:::Looking through the various usages of the standards, there's not even any guarantee of correct polarity (even for those systems that ''do'' have a correct polarity, rather than don't seemto care, e.g. type C ungrounded and ''both'' subtly different type-L groundeds - and ''very'' interesting to read about the dual-metering situation behind that, BTW).
+::Looking through the various usages of the standards, there's not even any guarantee of correct polarity (even for those systems that ''do'' have a correct polarity, rather than don't seemto care, e.g. type C ungrounded and ''both'' subtly different type-L groundeds - and ''very'' interesting to read about the dual-metering situation behind that, BTW).
-:::For practical examples, type-I in Australasia has Live and Neutral one way round (enforced by the Earth connector ''and'' the pin-angles), but the type-I as used in Argentina respectively has Neutral and Live (for the same enforced orientation). And I think Brazil (type-N) already has its own local issues of the same sockets potentially being L/N (plus Earth pin) ''or'' +~/-~ as antiphases (with third pin acting as baseline Neutral) to effectively give double the (AC) potential.
+::For practical examples, type-I in Australasia has Live and Neutral one way round (enforced by the Earth connector ''and'' the pin-angles), but the type-I as used in Argentina respectively has Neutral and Live (for the same enforced orientation). And I think Brazil (type-N) already has its own local issues of the same sockets potentially being L/N (plus Earth pin) ''or'' +~/-~ as antiphases (with third pin acting as baseline Neutral) to effectively give double the (AC) potential.
-:::Then there's the case of expectations of voltages from 120 to 250, frequencies of at least 50-60Hz (for equipment not smart enough to handle such differences already), and you'd have to have the whole socket rated to at least 16A (even though an ungrounded Europlug/type-C shouldn't ever be drawing more than 2.5A).
+::Then there's the case of expectations of voltages from 120 to 250, frequencies of at least 50-60Hz (for equipment not smart enough to handle such differences already), and you'd have to have the whole socket rated to at least 16A (even though an ungrounded Europlug/type-C shouldn't ever be drawing more than 2.5A).
-:::Some of that might be sorted by the socket, a kind of 'smart detection' of what electrical contacts are being made. As per [[Memo Spike Connector]]?) to then feed the right flavour of voltage accordingly. But leaves open how to work out that identical prongs are expecting a particular subset of phase(s) or neutral without 'tickling' the device with various voltages to try to establish what it's happiest with, without actually damaging it or harming its users in the process.
+::Some of that might be sorted by the socket, a kind of 'smart detection' of what electrical contacts are being made. As per [[Memo Spike Connector]]?) to then feed the right flavour of voltage accordingly. But leaves open how to work out that identical prongs are expecting a particular subset of phase(s) or neutral without 'tickling' the device with various voltages to try to establish what it's happiest with, without actually damaging it or harming its users in the process.
-:::Also, this isn't ''quite'' so universal... There are plenty of NEMAs (beyond the basic sub-types 1 and 5, that are A and B here), and I'm particularly intrigued by the twist-to-lock (multi-phase) variations that would need a bit more hole-drilling still... [[Special:Contributions/82.132.246.87|82.132.246.87]] 22:17, 29 December 2025 (UTC)
+::Also, this isn't ''quite'' so universal... There are plenty of NEMAs (beyond the basic sub-types 1 and 5, that are A and B here), and I'm particularly intrigued by the twist-to-lock (multi-phase) variations that would need a bit more hole-drilling still... [[Special:Contributions/82.132.246.87|82.132.246.87]] 22:17, 29 December 2025 (UTC)
 [[927:_Standards|Oh boy there are 15 different plug types, better create a universal outlet that covers everyone's use cases!]] [[Special:Contributions/2A02:3100:8698:AA00:7DEE:9693:120D:56C|2A02:3100:8698:AA00:7DEE:9693:120D:56C]] 14:58, 27 December 2025 (UTC)

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:37, 5 January 2026
Line 57:		Line 57:

	Surprised that only the voltage differences have been mentioned as issues that would need to be addressed in such a "universal" socket. No one has mentioned the frequency differences (50Hz vs. 60Hz) and the issues that could cause?		Surprised that only the voltage differences have been mentioned as issues that would need to be addressed in such a "universal" socket. No one has mentioned the frequency differences (50Hz vs. 60Hz) and the issues that could cause?
		+
		+
		+	I've actually seen outlets that look like this in new building construction (especially hotels) in China. Oh also, if you visit Japan/China, bring a 3-to-2 prong adapter, or only bring two prong (non-grounded) cables.