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This may be a stupid question, but stupid > dead anyday, so I'll go ahead and ask.

I have a schuko socket and a non schuko plug similar to the link.

enter image description here enter image description here

The only thing keeping me from sticking the power plug in the schuko plug is the broad sides on the plug, not fitting in the schuko plug. Would it be unsafe to simply cut off the sides of the plug, so it would fit? If yes - why?

thanks!

Transistor
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Jakob
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  • Where is the earth contact on the plug? I can't see it. – Transistor Aug 16 '17 at 21:12
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    @Transistor - no earth on either plug or socket (the earth contacts in the power strip are probably just there to make space for 3 pin plugs) – Jakob Aug 16 '17 at 21:12
  • Same as always. If you know what you are doing, why and what dangers you expose yourself to - it's perfectly safe. If you don't - it will bite you in the end. – winny Aug 16 '17 at 21:14
  • That's what I thought. Throw it away. If someone plugs in something that requires an earth for safety then they have no protection. Don't use it. – Transistor Aug 16 '17 at 21:15
  • @Transistor - say we were not talking about things that require earth, but simply a plug round plug like the one on the power strip that goes into the schuko socket? – Jakob Aug 16 '17 at 21:17
  • cutting up the plug is likely to be no worse than replacing the plug with an aftermarket schuko plug. but I can't say if it's wise to connect that device to a schuko outlet. – Jasen Слава Україні Aug 16 '17 at 21:19
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    If it's not earthed it shouldn't take earthed plugs. Why would you risk someone's life in future for €5? It sound's like you want someone to tell you that it's OK. That shouldn't happen. – Transistor Aug 16 '17 at 21:20
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    Don't give people access to a power strip with no earth as you won't always be there to check - that's how people get hurt... – Solar Mike Aug 16 '17 at 21:21
  • for own use ok, otherwise label as ungrounded sockets – Tony Stewart EE75 Aug 16 '17 at 21:22
  • thx guys, but if I have a power plug w/o earth, that does not take earthed plugs, but still does not fit in the schuko socket? – Jakob Aug 16 '17 at 21:23
  • @Transistor: There are these things called ["europlugs"](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europlug) that plug into schuko outlets. They have no ground pin, but it is perfectly fine to use them in an outlet with a ground. – JRE Aug 16 '17 at 21:23
  • @JRE: I know. But I also know that there are two-pin sockets for those that won't take a plug that requires an earth. See https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2-pin_power_strip.JPG. – Transistor Aug 16 '17 at 21:28
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    The problem here is that the socket strip will accept schuko plugs, but does not have a ground on it. This defeats the safety ground on equipment that expects to be grounded. An electrical fault in the device becomes a serious danger. I know that German electrical codes don't allow replacing a schuko plug with a euro plug. If you do that, and it causes a problem, it is your ass in a bind. I expect the same would apply to using anything else that defeats the safety ground. – JRE Aug 16 '17 at 21:28
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    You have a swedish socket strip that expects to be used with ungrounded equipment. Make your life safer and get a socket strip that matches the sockets and outlets and equipment where you are. – JRE Aug 16 '17 at 21:32

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Jakob, the big problem about that master/slave extension cord is not its plug. It's its sockets. They accept the Danish Type K earthed plug which means you can put earthed devices into them.

The manufacturer of these devices with earthed plugs use them by purpose. Their equipment has no double insulation and when a fault between live and the metal case happens, they need the earth wire to trip the circuit breaker immediately. So you are safe.

But your master-slave socket does not have an earthed plug. It does not have an earthed wire to trip the breaker. That means a fault at a device plugged in will electrocute you.

This master/slave socket you have there is inherently unsafe and should have never been produced.

You can turn it into an electrically safe device by either rewiring it to all-earthed (replacing the cable and most likely also the wiring inside) or stuffing the holes intended for earthed plugs permanently (securing plastic prongs plugged into the earth holes e.g. with 2-component epoxy) so noone could ever plug in devices which need an earth connection in there. Then you may also cut the plastic of the plug so it can be placed into a schuko socket.

I would instead send this insane piece of shit to the local RAPEX official along with information who sold it. So they can seize the whole charge. And hopefully no one gets electrocuted until then.

Janka
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  • Thank you! I Think I get it now. So cutting the master slave with earth input would be hazardous, but cutting this type http://www.efi-esbjerg.dk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/e/l/elworks_stikd_se_med_ledning.jpg would have been safe since there is no earth in (or it is at least blocked)? – Jakob Aug 17 '17 at 05:14
  • @Jakob You still want to make an unearthed extension cord that accepts schuko male plugs and fits into a schuko female wall socket. It is as unsafe and illegal as cutting your first candidate. I wonder have you the same enthusiasm to find excuses to walk on an autobahn? –  Aug 17 '17 at 08:17
  • Alright - would that apply even if the wall socket does not ground, but only accepts europlug? – Jakob Aug 17 '17 at 08:29
  • @Jakob The cutted extension cord itself is illegal because one day someone can plug it into an earthed wall socket. If you fill the outputs of the extension cord so that only those flat europlugs can be connected to it, then there's no protective earthing broken. If you leave other plugs possible to connect you cause a danger. –  Aug 17 '17 at 15:46
  • FYI: Danish plug/socket lunacy, Fig. 7: http://www.plugsocketmuseum.nl/Danish1.html – Janka Aug 17 '17 at 17:35
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I'm guessing you live in Denmark. You probably had somewhat similar rules as in Sweden pre-1994. The rules then was that a round non schuko should be used in a room where there are no possibilities to ground the connected device. Every outlet in that room should be of the non schuko type. A kitchen as a contrary usually had only grounded schuko outlets.

The old design requirements for a device using connectors without protective earth (PE) was not as strict as it is now. The reason being that the room (with no PE outlet) didn't have anything you could touch and be grounded through.

I you were to cut the plug, you risk that if something goes wrong with your device and the casing becomes "230VAC live" (the power cord or anything connected to it) you might bridge it with your own body and something in the room that is connected to ground. And you will probably die.

Nowadays the devices without PE plugs are usually Euro-type with a higher level of protection against electrical hazard. Dual insulation etc.

Hint: Checkout Conrad.se/de for a smiliar device with grounded plug

Dejvid_no1
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Electric systems are generally designed to stand one fault without giving fatal voltage to your hands. By making the cut and using it in a chuko needing environment you neutralize the effect of protective earth.

Have a faulty (= leaking the mains electricity) device that has by hand touchable metal parts, you have the mains voltage also in your hands. If you happen to stay alive you can well get sentenced because you had intentionally offered the same danger for others.

Protective earth is the last resort which shorts off the leaked electricity if it is in use.

  • I'm from the banana republic of Denmark. None of the plugs in my power strip in question have earth, the sockets in my wall are not earthed either, so I won't get far with a earth plug. My problem is that the europlug for some reason has a round end, that wont fit into the schuko, which the normal europlug (without a stupid round plastic extension) would. – Jakob Aug 16 '17 at 21:41
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    @Jakob You gave 2 photos. The upper is earthed wall socket and the lower is unearthed extension cord. It is unsafe and illegal to make them fit. This is the situation in the northern Europe. It is not safer in eastern or manjana Europe but there people probably have more urgent problems in the field of staying alive. –  Aug 16 '17 at 23:27