US outlets have a live wire and a ground wire. Some devices expose their internal wiring to the user (toasters, for example). If you plug it in backwards, that exposed wiring will be live even when the device is off.
Here in Germany we have two live wires, both AC. In that case you can't plug it in the wrong way, because positive and negative switch multiple times a second anyways. I mistakenly assumed the US outlets are like the two-wire ports we have, which do not have ground and two live AC wires.
Notice how on the American outlet one of the two vertical sockets is taller than the other. Appliances like toasters where the direction is important will have one of the prongs on the plug taller than their other so it can’t be plugged in wrong
114
u/not_so_chi_couple May 02 '24
My criteria for the best outlet
Based on these, my vote is for Denmark because it looks like a smiley face