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Forums - General - Whats the difference between those 2 types of power cord?

ironmanDX on 18 October 2013
NiKKoM said:
No.... 'll try to keep this a simple as possible:

3 prong power : the third hole is for the ground lead.. The ground lead is typically connected to a metal chassis, and is safer path should a short occur..

2 prong power: is mostly double insulated and gives another type of protection from a short...

Switching the cables isn't advice cause when a short occurs you and you touch the device it can kill you

Not sure why the thread just didn't end here!  



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shloob on 18 October 2013

Yes the center hole is simply where the ground would go. The neutral is more or less also a ground so there is no need to use the center slit. You will be fine if use it. Unless you plan on bear hugging it during a short and never letting go 120v won't kill you, Just simply give you a little tingle.  Typically there is a hot, neutral, and ground. You can touch the hot all day and never get shocked as long as you arent touching the neutral or something else that is grounded. It is when the two are together that you will get 120. On a two prong one is simply a hot and a neutral. On a 3 prong it is simply a hot a neutral and a ground. The neutral is in fact actually a ground, and the ground is actually a back up for safety purposes.



JEMC on 18 October 2013
KylieDog said:
JEMC said:
KylieDog said:
JEMC said:
I guess the third one is the ground (positive, negative, ground).

I don't think you should have any problem with it.


There is no negative in wiring.

In, out and ground. Better?

@Rest. Thanks for clariying that.


That isn't right either, a light switch has ins and outs of the same wire, sockets have ins and outs of all three wires.

I was just going with what most people think, you know, 1 cable for the current to go in, another for it to go out and the third one for ground.

Just let it go!



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thranx on 18 October 2013

I got curious and searched, this explains it all pretty well.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/question110.htm



Porcupine_I on 18 October 2013
KylieDog said:
JEMC said:
KylieDog said:


That isn't right either, a light switch has ins and outs of the same wire, sockets have ins and outs of all three wires.

I was just going with what most people think, you know, 1 cable for the current to go in, another for it to go out and the third one for ground.

Just let it go!


The other wire is neutral.

I'm an electrician.  This is serious business to me.

Hey, i'm an electrician too! *performs the secret handshake*



“It appeared that there had even been demonstrations to thank Big Brother for raising the chocolate ration to twenty grams a week. And only yesterday, he reflected, it had been announced that the ration was to be reduced to twenty grams a week. Was it possible that they could swallow that, after only twenty-four hours? Yes, they swallowed it.”

- George Orwell, ‘1984’

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JazzB1987 on 18 October 2013
thranx said:
I got curious and searched, this explains it all pretty well.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/question110.htm


Î was more talking about the other side of the cord.   Both "wall-plugs" look almost the same  just the end that goes into the electronic device is different.

I still am confused wether to use it or not.

What is the name for those plugs anyway? I guess its 2 prong power cord? Or well I might just google  360 2 prong power cord.

So since both cords have L+N  but the 2 prong cord lacks E  does that mean I can use the 3 prong cord for a device that has no E pin?

I hope humanity would be smart enough to not come up with something so similar that allows you to fit a 3 prong cord into a 2 pin device that will result in grilled hardware.



soulfly666 on 18 October 2013

3rd hole is the ground.



JoeTheBro on 18 October 2013

Just because it technically works, that doesn't mean you should do it.



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