ventodue Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 [quote user="Adrian"] I do have a couple of questions: what is meant by 'single pole' and 'bi-pole'.[/quote] It's the terminology used to describe the circuit breaking arrangement of a switch. In a single pole switch (unipolaire en français), only the phase conductor is broken = disconnected. In a double (or bi-) pole switch (bipolaire en français), both phase and neutral are disconnected.HTH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 I'm still not quite clear, ventodue. Is this in relation to the "inline" switches that people typically have on table lamps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ventodue Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 [quote user="Adrian"]I'm still not quite clear, ventodue. Is this in relation to the "inline" switches that people typically have on table lamps?[/quote]Yes and no. You're right: those little table lamp switches are normally (but not always [:)]) single pole. However, if I'm allowed to generalise, any switch could theoretically be either single or two pole. But in practice ...A disjoncteur divisionnaire* is always 2-pole. It has to be: it wouldn't be much use if it didn't cut both the neutral and the phase circuits. On the other hand, a téléruptuer - the relay that you use to switch a light on from more than one point using push switches - has to be single pole.* English: MCB = 'Miniature Circuit Breaker'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 So, when Steve says "Be careful with UK table lamps that have single pole switches on the cable - change them to bi-pole", he is referring to the 'in-line' switches which, if I understand correctly, are typically single pole in the UK, whereas in France it is advisable to buy 2-pole in-line switches?Sorry to sound so thick, but DIY never was a strong point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Yes, he meant those :) but also the ones with the switch in the bulb holder. You don't have to change them, but you must bear in mind that a pin in the bulb holder may be live even when the light is switched off at the switch.We have friends who lost a little girl in the 1950s in just such an incident, feeling for the switch when someone had removed the bulb.Regarding the use of UK/French adapters, particularly for lower powered items that have a thin flex, I would argue that to use an adapter and keep the moulded on correctly fused UK plug in place is safer than fitting a French plug. My Freesat boxes for example draw 0.052 amps through 10 amp rated adapters.The protection of the 3 amp fuse in the UK plug isn't as comprehensive as it would be in the UK because it may end up being on the neutral wire, but it will give protection against overloading (fire) in a situation where a RCD (if you have one) or the main 20A fuse may not.In addition, the plug has not been changed for a French plug of dubious quality (IMO) by someone who may or may not have their mind on what they're doing.Whether you take the advice here or not, at least some of the things to watch out for have been highlighted.Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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