Round pin sockets

[trey]

I did a quick search and found an explanation for their origin but not an answer to this:

Why would you choose a 13A FSU -> 15A unswitched round-pin socket rather than the same but to a 13A unswitched standard socket?

Is it just to limit what someone might plug in? The places I've seen them used (in photos on here) are kitchens. But asking any tom, dick or harry to cut the sealed 13A plug off their new dishwasher and fit funny looking 15A because the kitchen socket is that shaped seems a bit daft.

 

[davelx]

To prevent someone using a non-RCD protected socket to run equipment outside.

 

[Steve]

If the appliance's socket is not accessible (behind said appliance), it makes mroe sense to have the point of failure (FUSE) above the worktop. A 15A plug has no fuse. But allows the appliance to be easily removed (unlike a flex outlet).

 

[plugwash]

True, on the other hand how often does a plug fuse fail without there being some other issue that needs to be fixed? Afaict virtually any repair on a white goods appliance will mean pulling the thing out from under the working surface anway.

Preventing a non-rcd socket for a freezer being used for other purposes (under the 17th all socket outlets 32A or under that are "intended for general use" must be RCD protected, under the 16th it is outlets reasonablly expected to supply equipment outside the equipotential zone) is a good reason to use such a socket other than a BS1363 though (and if you want a socket with a nice low profile that isn't a standard BS1363 then afaict your main choices are a BS546 or the MK 13A socket with T shaped earth pin).