Protects the user from any potential fault condition which may result in electrocution.
NEVER remove the grounding pin from an electrical cord.
Yes, you can.
No, it is not ok, it is potentially very dangerous because the two-wire cable has no earth with it. The earth wire is an important safety component that comes with a three-pin plug. An exception can be made for certain low-power appliances that have double insulation. This includes TV sets, radios, and table lights provided the mounting is plastic and not metal. These appliances are commonly sold with a twin-wire cable but often with a three-pin plug on the end of it. The three-pin plug in this case often has a plastic 'earth' pin and it is safe to replace it with a two-pin plug.
The earth pin is called the equipment grounding conductor. The National Electric Code requires this conductor to be the first to make contact with the receptacle and the last to break contact with the receptacle, the way manufacturers comply with this requirement was to make the pin longer.
3-pin plugs are used in different forms throughout the world and most of them have one live pin, one neutral pin and one earth pin. The current flows through the live and neutral pins via the load (e.g. tv, kettle etc.), while the earth pin is there for safety connected to an electrical 'earth' but not directly to the supply. Then if the tv, kettle etc. develops a fault inside, with the live wire accidentally touching the case, enough current will flow to blow the fuse and prevent any injury if anyone should happen to touch the case. All appliances must have a 3-pin plug except certain low-power items with double insulation inside.
UK answer only: Yes but you need a three-pin to two-pin adaptor. Alternatively fit a three-pin plug to the light and leave the earth pin disconnected. This can only be done if the lamp already has a two-wire cable fitted to it, anything else is potentially dangerous.
On a British plug it is the earth pin connected to the earth wire. This is safety feature to stop electric shock
Double-insulated electrical appliances, such as electric drills, only require two connections -a line and a neutral- to the supply. An earth (ground) connection is unnecessary. In the UK, all electric socket outlets have shutters that blank off the line and neutral terminals when there is no plug inserted. These shutters are operated by the earth pin of the plug. As double-insulated appliances don't require an earth connection, a plastic earth pin is moulded into the plug in order to open the socket shutters in place of a normal metallic earth pin.
On a UK three pin plug the two smaller prongs are Live (brown) and Neutral (blue). The Larger pin is for the Earth wire. This can prevent you getting an electric shock
Yes, you can.
Same as the UK 3 pin : )
Standard UK three pin
The earth wire.
The ground pin or earth pin is the uppermost pin on your plug. It's purpose is to provide a safety barrier between you and the supply in the event of an overload or in case of an accident.
No, it is not ok, it is potentially very dangerous because the two-wire cable has no earth with it. The earth wire is an important safety component that comes with a three-pin plug. An exception can be made for certain low-power appliances that have double insulation. This includes TV sets, radios, and table lights provided the mounting is plastic and not metal. These appliances are commonly sold with a twin-wire cable but often with a three-pin plug on the end of it. The three-pin plug in this case often has a plastic 'earth' pin and it is safe to replace it with a two-pin plug.
The earth pin is called the equipment grounding conductor. The National Electric Code requires this conductor to be the first to make contact with the receptacle and the last to break contact with the receptacle, the way manufacturers comply with this requirement was to make the pin longer.
The third pin usually on the bottom is the pin that goes to the ground/earth.See Sources and Links below.AnswerIt really depends on what type you plug you are using. From your use of the word. 'earth' (rather than 'ground'), you may be referring to the plugs used in the UK, Ireland, and places like Malta, Cyprus, and the Gulf States? If so, then the earth pin is the longest of the three, and located at the top of the plug. Some European plugs don't use an earth pin at all -in Germany, for example, they use a pair of contacts located in the moulded recesses located on each side of the plug.
it gives you an electric shock