• Welcome to Autism Forums, a friendly forum to discuss Aspergers Syndrome, Autism, High Functioning Autism and related conditions.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Private Member only forums for more serious discussions that you may wish to not have guests or search engines access to.
    • Your very own blog. Write about anything you like on your own individual blog.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon! Please also check us out @ https://www.twitter.com/aspiescentral

The Power Outlets

RubenX

Well-Known Member
Is this an Aspie thing? OCD maybe?

See... Power Outlets are always in the center of the wall. And that's exactly where you put the couch. The power outlet is always blocked by the couch and the OCD in me tells me that is not right. IMHO, the power outlets should be 2 per wall, closer to the corners. So you could place the couch in the middle and still have unblocked access to the power outlets.

It just makes sense to me. Having to move the couch every time is a pain and has no reason to be IMHO.
 
I can see how it might be a personal OCD-ish thing... on the other hand, by reading your post, I'm wondering if the houses built over here, do it differently with power outlets, since we don't have any outlets behind couches. A lot of outlets are on the corners of walls (or next to doors even). But this house is about 80 years old (at least), so perhaps new regulations call for other placement.

Onthe other hand; I do a lot with extension cords. I can't start to calculate the amount of outlets I need in my bedroom (computer, audio equipment, tv, coffeemachine and the list goes on), and I only have 2 outlets on my wall anyway. I don't mind a bit of clutter by cables either.
 
That drives my husband crazy. He loves designing houses and he's always like "I can't believe the way they designed this..."
 
I don't know about European systems but definitely here in the States there have been quite a few fires caused by overloading with extension cords. You might want to rethink that, King Oni, or at least have someone who knows about electrical systems look over your set-up. I'm paranoid about fire because I live in a mobile home and they go up real fast. I even had an electrician come in about 2 years ago and inspect my wiring as my home is getting up there in age. It was expensive but well worth the peace of mind.
 
I don't know about European systems but definitely here in the States there have been quite a few fires caused by overloading with extension cords. You might want to rethink that, King Oni, or at least have someone who knows about electrical systems look over your set-up. I'm paranoid about fire because I live in a mobile home and they go up real fast. I even had an electrician come in about 2 years ago and inspect my wiring as my home is getting up there in age. It was expensive but well worth the peace of mind.

Thanks for the heads up, however... overloading (even a slight surge) here usually causes one of the fuses to go out instead of catching fire (I'm aware a small spark is enough sometimes, but that can happen without cords as well). Over here we rarely (or I just never hear of them) have electrical fires. People having malfunctioning equipment or even a fault stove is more likely to cause fire here. As would lighting striking a house... that's more common here. I recall people having fires because they had their TV on stand-by... I once had a computer catch fire, but that's not because of wiring... that's faulty equipment.

From what I understand, at least over here, in The Netherlands, there are some regulations about fuseboxes. Which probably contribute to more safety. To be honest, I know only a few people that don't need to go extension cord crazy. Yet, there's a thing to be said about switching it all on.

We had someone over and just by an assessment of averages on what we have connected to each fuse group (we have it divided in 4 groups; 2 x kitchen, 1 downstairs and 1 upstairs)... I'd need way more power to blow it and have it be a risk. If anything, it's not cords that are the risk... wallsockets would be the same hazard.

As for fires; I'm in general not THAT paranoid about it. I let that go when I realized that me (or my room) causing fire is only one of many causes. My parents might wire their stuff wrong, neighbours might do as well. That's what gets me more paranoid even. Much like I'm still wondering if living in a flat/appartment is going to work for me, since I don't want to deal with the possibility of fire since people live next and eventually below and/or above me. It increases my paranoia 8 times.

But still, thanks for your concern :)
 
Is this an Aspie thing? OCD maybe?

See... Power Outlets are always in the center of the wall. And that's exactly where you put the couch. The power outlet is always blocked by the couch and the OCD in me tells me that is not right. IMHO, the power outlets should be 2 per wall, closer to the corners. So you could place the couch in the middle and still have unblocked access to the power outlets.

It just makes sense to me. Having to move the couch every time is a pain and has no reason to be IMHO.

I don't know if its an OCD or aspie thing. But I think it makes sense, I am all the time having to move stuff or climb over something to plug something in.
 
Is this an Aspie thing? OCD maybe?

See... Power Outlets are always in the center of the wall. And that's exactly where you put the couch. The power outlet is always blocked by the couch and the OCD in me tells me that is not right. IMHO, the power outlets should be 2 per wall, closer to the corners. So you could place the couch in the middle and still have unblocked access to the power outlets.

It just makes sense to me. Having to move the couch every time is a pain and has no reason to be IMHO.

I agree! Has anyone ever had a home with outlets in the middle of the floor? That makes me nervous!
 
I lived in a home like that in Pittsfield, NH it was the first home built in the town early 1800's it had stained glass windows, tin ornate ceiling
and several rooms had outlets 5-7ft from the wall in the hardwood floor.:eek:
 
I'm cannot comment based on the experience you had. However, I did have a fascination when I learn different countries have different outlets, voltages and amperage. This was very useful information when I traveled to Europe for the first time.
 
My take on it is that outlets are an eye sore. I've done anything and everything to cover my outlets. When I first moved in I bought a whole bunch of artificial plants and even a tree to cosmetically cover the outlets in every room. If a plant doesn't cover the outlet then a piece of furniture does. (I definitely don't want anyone to see what's behind the TV!) I also use extension cords that are not able to be seen and match the surroundings of the area.
 
Ha! My house had 9 outlets when I moved in. I remodeled and rewired everything. Over 40 plugs now! One every six feet just because darnit.
TV plug, I even put in 5 counter top outlets and 3 in one bathroom 2 in the other. I also installed 9 plug circuits total in a 1200 square foot house.

I am an electrician and I made certain any future needs were anticipated and provided for.
 
I live in the UK, can't say I've ever noticed that kind of illogical power outlet placement, but it would bother me too.

My house doesn't have this problem, the outlets are all logically positioned, except the random one that's 5ft off the ground for some reason (never understood that). I'm not aware of any that are covered up with furniture.

Maybe I just never noticed when they were covered up with furniture in other people's houses because I couldn't see them?
 
except the random one that's 5ft off the ground for some reason (never understood that).
The high outlets are usually for a clock or TV, but it may be a non sequitur plug? :)


As a safety comment, avoid running extension cords under carpet, it can cause frayed wires and fires unless you have arc fault circuit interrupters. Still, always be careful with extension cords and how far you run them.they are NOT a substitute for a plug when using high power consumption equipment.
They usually have tiny wires inside of them, these extension cords.
Can confirm. I am an electrician, and I'm going to take my National Electrical Code test tonight.
 
The high outlets are usually for a clock or TV, but it may be a non sequitur plug? :)


As a safety comment, avoid running extension cords under carpet, it can cause frayed wires and fires unless you have arc fault circuit interrupters. Still, always be careful with extension cords and how far you run them.they are NOT a substitute for a plug when using high power consumption equipment.
They usually have tiny wires inside of them, these extension cords.
Can confirm. I am an electrician, and I'm going to take my National Electrical Code test tonight.
Right. Basically the person need to check the grade of the cord and see if it can support the wattage and amperage. Wish North America had 240V as the main outlet compare to the 120V we use here.
 
The high outlets are usually for a clock or TV, but it may be a non sequitur plug? :)
I never knew clocks that you plug into the mains actually existed until now (Depsite having seen one on Angry Beavers), but the TV thing makes sense too. I think we may have had a TV there when I was too young to remember it clearly. But I don't remember clearly enough to be absolutely sure ;)
 
I would love an outlet high on the wall! I'd want one in every room, and I'd put a nightlight in it so I wouldn't accidentally injure myself on midnight excursions to the bathroom or kitchen and I sound like a drunk when I'm hunting the light switch. The outlets low to the ground cast too many shadows around furniture and stuff when a light's plugged in, it looks like an old Nintendo game with all the "platforms" on the floor.
 

New Threads

Top Bottom