It's possible that their information is incorrect and that they've quoted schuko stats.
I wouldn't trust BS1363 with 16A loads I've seen far too many slightly burned sockets despite the sturdy pins the sockets contacts don't appear to give a lot of surface area and the pins can get warm, particularly on cheapo sockets where they loosen up with use.
Regardless how high quality the plug is no one can be sure what kind of socket it's being plugged into.
I also suspect that as schuko 16A plugs are fully recessed and do not need sheathed pins that the surface area of the pin used to make contact could be signifigantly larger than BS1363 which has most of the pin shrouded in plastic and only makes contact when the plug is inserted very deelply into the socket.
Keeping the pins completely out of reach has a lot of advantages. The smaller Europlugs only carry tiny loads so the shrouding doesn't really matter. I notice that many heavier class II appliences, eg vacuum cleaners use contour plugs that keep the pins out of reach while inserting too... same as schuko just witout the ground contacts.
Similar principle used by Ceeform (CEE 17) too except the plug is "recessed" rather than the socket allows for quite a lot of contact area on the pins.
Recessing BS1363 at this stage would be impossible as there is no standard plug shape. They're all slightly or even substantially different ranging from square to contoured.
[This message has been edited by djk (edited 03-20-2004).]
