On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 13:42:31 +0100, Rob
wrote:

I think if forced, under considerable duress and on pain of death, you
could (on a good day) guess what was meant :-)

Am I allowed to say Wh - would that be ambiguous?

wH are fine, though KwH are more usual.

In article ,
Rob wrote:
One of the few (obviously!) things I remember from physics at school is
that you should use the appliance switch if it has one to avoid damage,
rather than the socket switch or pull the plug. Is there any truth to
this?

I take it your physics teacher had a degree in physical education? Because
it's basically rubbish. Although some devices like projectors have cooling
fans which are meant to run after powering down, but I'll bet he wasn't
thinking of those.

--
*The longest recorded flightof a chicken is thirteen seconds *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:40:31 +0100, Rob
wrote:



One of the few (obviously!) things I remember from physics at school is
that you should use the appliance switch if it has one to avoid damage,
rather than the socket switch or pull the plug. Is there any truth to
this?

Rob

It depends. If the appliance switch is simply turning off the incoming
mains (the traditional way to do it), then pulling the plug or
switching off at the socket is exactly equivalent. If the appliance
switch works through some electronic function, then it isn't.

But whatever the case, there should be absolutely no danger of damage.


???

You never seen a wall socket with one hole a bit bigger than the other, with
blackened edges....???

On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 00:22:20 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:40:31 +0100, Rob
wrote:



One of the few (obviously!) things I remember from physics at school is
that you should use the appliance switch if it has one to avoid damage,
rather than the socket switch or pull the plug. Is there any truth to
this?

Rob

It depends. If the appliance switch is simply turning off the incoming
mains (the traditional way to do it), then pulling the plug or
switching off at the socket is exactly equivalent. If the appliance
switch works through some electronic function, then it isn't.

But whatever the case, there should be absolutely no danger of damage.


???

You never seen a wall socket with one hole a bit bigger than the other, with
blackened edges....???



Errrrmmmm..... No.

d

--
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

Don Pearce wrote:
On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:40:31 +0100, Rob
wrote:

Trevor Wilson wrote:
"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...
I would suggest that our domestic consumption is typical, even lower than
average as our children have left home, so if more people turned off stuff
on standby, the power saving would be very considerable. There is the
anecdotal evidence that equipment left on standby or permanently on seems
to be more reliable, but I'm happy to take that chance.
**A common misconception. The killer for most permanently powered items are
capacitor failures. Turning stuff off and on as required does several
things:

* Capacitors last longer.
* The product is shielded from unnecessary spikes on the mains.

I always turn stuff off (except for the obvious stuff, with clocks) unless I
actually want to use it.

One of the few (obviously!) things I remember from physics at school is
that you should use the appliance switch if it has one to avoid damage,
rather than the socket switch or pull the plug. Is there any truth to this?

Rob

It depends. If the appliance switch is simply turning off the incoming
mains (the traditional way to do it), then pulling the plug or
switching off at the socket is exactly equivalent. If the appliance
switch works through some electronic function, then it isn't.

But whatever the case, there should be absolutely no danger of damage.

d


That's grand - thanks.

Rob

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Rob wrote:
One of the few (obviously!) things I remember from physics at school is
that you should use the appliance switch if it has one to avoid damage,
rather than the socket switch or pull the plug. Is there any truth to
this?

I take it your physics teacher had a degree in physical education? Because
it's basically rubbish. Although some devices like projectors have cooling
fans which are meant to run after powering down, but I'll bet he wasn't
thinking of those.


No, she (it was a 'she', Dave, and not a 'he' - Ms Lyons, class 3C, BVGS
Birmingham 1976) was/is a physics graduate although she didn't have a
PhD - or at least she didn't use the title 'Dr' (most of the other
staff did). I'm afraid I can't remember if she was a member of any
chartered or similar organisation - sorry.

I was trying to remember last night - I asked her 'why?', and I'm pretty
sure the answer had the word 'surge' in it, and tailed off into a 'this
doesn't apply to everything but as a rule you shouldn't switch a
switched device on or off at the mains. Device first, mains second'. I
tried it with my system - 3 valve amps, TT and CD, and left them
switched on at the appliance and just flip the switch at the mains.
Mighty convenience, but hell of a thump at the speakers when it's
switched on, fine when switched off.

Rob

In article ,
Rob wrote:
I take it your physics teacher had a degree in physical education? Because
it's basically rubbish. Although some devices like projectors have cooling
fans which are meant to run after powering down, but I'll bet he wasn't
thinking of those.


No, she (it was a 'she', Dave, and not a 'he' - Ms Lyons, class 3C, BVGS
Birmingham 1976) was/is a physics graduate although she didn't have a
PhD - or at least she didn't use the title 'Dr' (most of the other
staff did). I'm afraid I can't remember if she was a member of any
chartered or similar organisation - sorry.

I was trying to remember last night - I asked her 'why?', and I'm pretty
sure the answer had the word 'surge' in it, and tailed off into a 'this
doesn't apply to everything but as a rule you shouldn't switch a
switched device on or off at the mains. Device first, mains second'. I
tried it with my system - 3 valve amps, TT and CD, and left them
switched on at the appliance and just flip the switch at the mains.
Mighty convenience, but hell of a thump at the speakers when it's
switched on, fine when switched off.

That's rather different as there's no way you could switch all the devices
simultaneously except at the socket.

But I'd be worried if a valve power amp produced a thump at the speakers
when powered up.

--
*60-year-old, one owner - needs parts, make offer

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 00:22:20 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:40:31 +0100, Rob
wrote:



One of the few (obviously!) things I remember from physics at school is
that you should use the appliance switch if it has one to avoid damage,
rather than the socket switch or pull the plug. Is there any truth to
this?

Rob

It depends. If the appliance switch is simply turning off the incoming
mains (the traditional way to do it), then pulling the plug or
switching off at the socket is exactly equivalent. If the appliance
switch works through some electronic function, then it isn't.

But whatever the case, there should be absolutely no danger of damage.


???

You never seen a wall socket with one hole a bit bigger than the other,
with
blackened edges....???



Errrrmmmm..... No.



Errrrmmmm..... Really?

I have on a number of occasions.

How about seeing a flash when pulling a plug out? (Like even through the
white plastic?)

"Rob" wrote in message
news
Don Pearce wrote:
On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:40:31 +0100, Rob
wrote:

Trevor Wilson wrote:
"Serge Auckland" wrote in message
...
I would suggest that our domestic consumption is typical, even lower
than average as our children have left home, so if more people turned
off stuff on standby, the power saving would be very considerable.
There is the anecdotal evidence that equipment left on standby or
permanently on seems to be more reliable, but I'm happy to take that
chance.
**A common misconception. The killer for most permanently powered items
are capacitor failures. Turning stuff off and on as required does
several things:

* Capacitors last longer.
* The product is shielded from unnecessary spikes on the mains.

I always turn stuff off (except for the obvious stuff, with clocks)
unless I actually want to use it.

One of the few (obviously!) things I remember from physics at school is
that you should use the appliance switch if it has one to avoid damage,
rather than the socket switch or pull the plug. Is there any truth to
this?

Rob

It depends. If the appliance switch is simply turning off the incoming
mains (the traditional way to do it), then pulling the plug or
switching off at the socket is exactly equivalent. If the appliance
switch works through some electronic function, then it isn't.

But whatever the case, there should be absolutely no danger of damage.

d


That's grand - thanks.


Except that it's not (see my posts alluding to burnt sockets).......

Also, do not be tempted to plug in a 'kettle lead' with the mains end
already plgged in - I've done that many times in the past, but had a little
'pop and flutter', once or twice recently.....

On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 11:13:57 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 00:22:20 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:40:31 +0100, Rob
wrote:



One of the few (obviously!) things I remember from physics at school is
that you should use the appliance switch if it has one to avoid damage,
rather than the socket switch or pull the plug. Is there any truth to
this?

Rob

It depends. If the appliance switch is simply turning off the incoming
mains (the traditional way to do it), then pulling the plug or
switching off at the socket is exactly equivalent. If the appliance
switch works through some electronic function, then it isn't.

But whatever the case, there should be absolutely no danger of damage.


???

You never seen a wall socket with one hole a bit bigger than the other,
with
blackened edges....???



Errrrmmmm..... No.



Errrrmmmm..... Really?

I have on a number of occasions.

How about seeing a flash when pulling a plug out? (Like even through the
white plastic?)


Maybe when unplugging something really meaty - but never anything like
a Hi Fi.

d

--
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com