Posted: 2/24/2003 10:12:43 PM EDT
| What's the damn point? I have a couple of these automatic power-fail lights that plug into a standard wall socket. I wanted to put two in one outlet, but the damn things have polarized plugs! What, for fvcks sake, is the point of these troublesome things? Any qualified electricians here? Is it another "save me from myself" type of thing (like "must apply brake before shifting from Park in a car, etc.), or is there a REAL use for them? |
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yeah. The smaller of the two is the "HOT" port and the larger is the "NEUTRAL" port. Problem is that now with appliances and computers, it is important that you have the outlets wired correctly so that the device being plugged in is proper. Ha, electricians STILL manage to screw that one up. I have had these new dishwashers not work right because of miswiring. look at it this way: 1.HOT WIRE...ON/OFF SWITCH...LIGHT SOCKET...NEUTRAL 2.NEUTRAL...ON/OFF SWITCH...LIGHT SOCKET...HOT WIRE If you were working on a light socket, wouldnt you want to shut the power off first? Well if the wiring was backwards (example #2), doesnt matter if the switch is off, your socket still has live poswer going to it. |
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Quoted: Hmmm...this is something I should know already, but I hafta admit I did not. Do I understand correctly, that the reason it matters is so that when you throw the breaker, there is no "hot" wire? And does this necessarily mean that the neutral won't bite you?? It Shouldnt. Then again I have seen some FUNKY wiring in homes that I leave NOTHING to chance. The volt meter and/or Hot stick are my best friends! Case example: We were working on circuit and I told my assistant to hold the leads of the meter on the wiring as I turned off the circut breaker. When I flipped one of the MANY unmarked breakers I hear "YOU GOT IT!!" I go back into the kitchen and take the meter out of his hands and go to test it. He says "What you dont trust me??" I said "No offense but when it comes to electricity, I trust NO ONE" he does one of these [rolleyes] and when I double check... sure enough, its LIVE" He about shit himself feeling stupid. |
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In the time of the wayback machine when things were made of steel. A metal drill or toaster for example the neutral would be connected to the steel chassis of drill. Now if it is wired improperly then the chassis becomes the hot and the other becomes the neutral/return leg. So while running the drill in a puddle of wather or touching metal that was grounded you would get a buzz. Toaster touch it and then touch water pipe and buzz. Later tools added a third wire which is the safety ground that if wired properly would take the current in the case to safety ground and not shock the owner if the drill windings shorted to case. Of course farmers cliped all those damn third prongs off. Now with most equipment being double insulated there is nothing of metal to connect the third wire safety ground to, so when the third pin safety ground is not on the plug the polarized plug keeps them correct. Take a touch lamp. 2 wires center pin of the lamp is the hot. Outer base is the ground. Switch controls the center contact of the buld. Plug in backwards and the lamp base is hot and touch grounded metal while touching lamp and it's shockeriffic. |
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I can see no functional point nor safety point for them being on a totally isolated and insulated item like a plastic rechargable flashlight. You can always take a file to the wider blade and make it narrow. If it smokes or shocks you I could not explain it then. |