Why do hotels have the old fashioned plug outlets

LeinsterDub

As above why do hotels have the old fashioned plug outlets with the round pins and small plug. They mainly use them for lamps it would seem?

colm_mcm

Usually because theyre connected to the light switch.
Quite common in houses too for the same reason. You don't want to be plugging other stuff in by accident.

sconhome

Isn't there an ampage difference in the circuits too? 5amp in the light circuit and 13amp in the sockets or have I that wrong?

12Phase

The lamp sockets are connected to the lighting circuits and could be 6 or 10amps max. They're also potentially dimmable so, definitely don't use them for anything else.

Increasingly hotels in Ireland also install a Schuko (European earthed) socket.
The main reason that's done is because European plugs will almost fit Irish sockets (without connecting the earth) but that the sockets can become damaged as the pins aren't the same shape.
The full sized 16amp European plugs can be forced in but will wreck the contacts in the socket.

The smaller, flat Europlug found on small appliances and mobile chargers will usually go in ok but it's not advisable either as the socket could easily be on a ring circuit and protected at 32amps.

So, in hotels it actually ends up being a maintenance issue where you've had people ramming round pins into square holes (bypassing the pin shutters with a pencil).

Apparently just installing at least one Schuko socket cuts out a lot of damage to the fittings and keeps your guests happy and avoids tons of calls to reception looking for adaptors.

Back until the 1960s or so, continental style 16amp Schuko was an alternative socket type used in Ireland. You can very rarely still find them in some buildings here.

No idea when they stopped installing them, but they were definitely used once upon a time. They still appear in ESB documents as an alternative standard.

The older British round pin sockets and plugs are still a recognised standard here too, they're just not intended to be used for normal purposes. You can get square pin 13amp plugs with keyed pins too to prevent people shoving plugs in to sockets on UPS circuits, lighting circuits and so on too.

Actually, if Brexit happens, it could really screw up appliance distribution channels in Ireland and a lot more stuff may have to come from the continent directly which will mean probably seeing a lot of things with European plugs again. Could actually be an argument for adopting the de facto European standard here rather than the British one if we no longer have access to the UK market for supplies as easily.

LeinsterDub

Thanks all

jerryqu

The majority of hotel rooms have abysmal lighting, the only descent lights are in the bathroom or over the door.
I've been tempted to go out and buy a 100 watt bulb so I can read in the room but is that safe?
Bulbs are never standard size anyway...

I have to bring an extension lead with me so I can charge my phone by the bed as well.
Where are the hotels coming from in this.

12Phase

Ive never understood that lack of sockets at the bedsides in a lot of Irish and British hotels.
It's actually really infuriating.

The Sidewards Man

12Phase wrote: »

Ive never understood that lack of sockets at the bedsides in a lot of Irish and British hotels.
It's actually really infuriating.

Starvation, bring an extension lead.

12Phase

The Sidewards Man wrote: »

Starvation, bring an extension lead.

Not always practical to carry one if you're travelling light.