I’m going to disagree with most of these comments. They don’t protect the prong so much as they protect the cord or other objects in the cords vicinity (painted surfaces, fragile surfaces, etc). The little plastic cap that covers tire stems on cars and bikes , while keeping it clean when installed, are primary to prevent chaffing issue on the inner tube whike shipped and stored; same thing with this prong shroud. They have holes in them as to not retain moisture I imagine.
Long story short, the prongs are metal and have corners. They are the strongest, “sharpest” thing in the box. The plastic isn’t protecting the prongs from us, it’s protecting us from the prongs.
You commonly get plastic protectors like that with UK plugs which have squarish metal pins with hard corners - example - but I don’t remember ever seeing any such things coming with EU plugs, of which there are two two types but both with all pins having round tips - example.
This is consistent with the explanation that those plastic covers are to protect everything else from the plug pins, hence why they come on plugs whose pins have tips with hard corners that more easilly perforate or shred things but not on those with tips which are rounded.
In the specific example of this post, two of the pins are have hard corners and although the other does not, the plastic protector covers all 3 probably because it’s just a more stable fit (and it looks better) if it slots in all 3 than in only the more dangerous 2 even if it’s not doing much for the round pin.
I’m going to disagree with most of these comments. They don’t protect the prong so much as they protect the cord or other objects in the cords vicinity (painted surfaces, fragile surfaces, etc). The little plastic cap that covers tire stems on cars and bikes , while keeping it clean when installed, are primary to prevent chaffing issue on the inner tube whike shipped and stored; same thing with this prong shroud. They have holes in them as to not retain moisture I imagine.
Long story short, the prongs are metal and have corners. They are the strongest, “sharpest” thing in the box. The plastic isn’t protecting the prongs from us, it’s protecting us from the prongs.
This answer rings truest to me as well.
ah, same vibe as “I’m not locked in here with you, you’re locked in here with me”
Why not both?
Primarily for not scratching surfaces, but with a side benefit of not needing to be packed as carefullly.
Exactly.
You commonly get plastic protectors like that with UK plugs which have squarish metal pins with hard corners - example - but I don’t remember ever seeing any such things coming with EU plugs, of which there are two two types but both with all pins having round tips - example.
This is consistent with the explanation that those plastic covers are to protect everything else from the plug pins, hence why they come on plugs whose pins have tips with hard corners that more easilly perforate or shred things but not on those with tips which are rounded.
In the specific example of this post, two of the pins are have hard corners and although the other does not, the plastic protector covers all 3 probably because it’s just a more stable fit (and it looks better) if it slots in all 3 than in only the more dangerous 2 even if it’s not doing much for the round pin.