The current Israeli standard have 2 disadvantages :
- The plugs/sockets are rated 16A, but their performance above 10A is questionable (the socket contacts in most sockets make too weak connection to reliably hold 16A)
- The plug is polarized, which lets the appliance manufacturers (and electricians etc) expect to have Phase and Neutral in specific positions. When the positions are not known (as in the European plugs), this forces the appliance manufacturers and electricians to treat both poles as live, which leads to safer work practices
That's debateable. If you have a non-polarised plug, then you have to switch both poles, which while theoretically a good idea means that double pole switches would have to be used everywhere, as switching the neutral and not the live is not a good idea
This adds expense which many manufacturers would not be over-keen on implementing, and if they did it would increase costs both to them and the end user.
I much prefer a polarised plug. You shouldn't be working on an appliance which is plugged in anyway.
I
always treat any wires I can see as live, until I can prove them otherwise. The average end user will not.
