| Author | Message | ||
     Midknyte |
Here's a fun mid-winter project that everyone can chip in on... In this ever increasingly dangerous era that are living in, let's take a common invention in every day use and try to imagine how it would look if one were tasked with its' creation today. I submit, the lowly electrical outlet:   My gawd, it's the equivalent of a fire breathing dragon, tempting, daring, asking for you to stick your un-sheathed dual blade swords into it's gaping mouth without regard for the consequences to self or village. Seriously. You can't now buy a single stupid one and half volt bearing plastic toy without screw secured battery door. I have rather an amount of respect for the toy makers who design their doors such that they still slide or snap shut, not necessitating the [disposable] screw. These tend though to be the cheapest, third world variety toys we're supposed to be most protected against in the first place. Go figure. No, don't... Yes. I'm yammering. That's what I get for sitting on the can and looking over at the wall... I don't have any suggestions, not yet anyway. But we've got all sorts of ingenious, self sufficient, tool wielders surely capable of cranking out an aircraft quality billet plug if the need arose. So, let's pretend the need is now. Or not. Have fun making suggestions or thumbing your nose at me. Your choice.  Counting the days till spring | ||
| Cataract2 |
wtf?  | ||
| Blackbelt  |
ok i missed the point here, what is wrong w/ electrical sockets? Help me out here Midnyte.... THROW ME A BONE! you do or don't like the screw terminals? or what? I AM CONFUSED....! | ||
| Gentleman_jon  |
Brad, You are absolutely correct!! This device is an antique, obsolete, and dangerous holdover that is probably at least 75 years old, ( in the ungrounded version). Like the poppet valve engine, it is theoretically unsuited for the job at hand, but has been in service so long, that the cost of the changeover seems to outweigh any possible benefits. On the other hand, your brilliant observation, overlooked by the vast majority of the inhabitants of this planet, suggests that you have a. a very advanced case of "no ride" fever and perhaps b. just a wee bit too much time on your hands:-) If I may take the liberty of making a suggestion that has proven extremely efficacious in the past for me it would be this: a. make a list of projects for your bike b. start putting the parts together c. order the shop manual and parts book d. buy some bike stands e. get to work I have done over twenty little projects on "yellow peril" my XB9S and I might encourage you to check out my profile, as well as those of other more active modifiers like Misato,Trenchtractor among others, to see if any of them appeal to you. In other words, think global, act local. Just my .02¢ Hope that helps:-) | ||
| Blublak  |
Hmmm.. I got the gist of this one.. Let’s see.. First off, we'll need a national registry for anyone that wishes to utilize such a device, with of course, the required releases and indemnities for each device utilized. Then, you need to ensure that each is more securely mounted. I propose a composite box, set in hardened ballistic lexan. The composite box should have a permanent key/combination lock mounted to unlock the outer access panel. Instead of the traditional 'dangerous' metal prongs protruding from the 'plug' they should use a shielded counter set slide lock system with internal pins. Such a plug should also be fitted with a double child proofing locking mechanism to secure it to the power socket. I'm sure there are some other items that need to be addressed still, but that should be the basic building block, I'll let the electrical gurus here work out the wiring and what not.. And the mechanical types do the design.. Good Luck Midnyte.. | ||
| Midknyte |
Jon, you got it. How would you, in todays litigous society, propose to safely deliver 120 pulsating volts of potential death. Blublak, I've got an idea that possible even eschew child-proofing issues. Instead of having a single cord on let's say, a lamp, you would have two cords. Each with only one conducting wire. Likewise, each electrical outlet in a the room will have only one hole instead of two slots. A complete electrical circuit would be formed by inserting one cord into each socket on opposite walls in any given room. No-one with an armspan short of Shaquille Oneil ought to be able to electrocute themselves. Children, given that they have even shorter arms, could even be left completely alone in rooms to play once again with just a little forethought and planning (that is, to be sure that you do not allow enough children to occupy a room such that they could hold hands to bridge the gap between the outlets). Wait, that would require adults with the ability to count... Hmmm, potential problem after all for a certain percentage of society. Natch! Darn, I thought I was on to something. I've got PMS. I've got it bad. | ||
| Rek  |
uhum, I believe w/ today's advanced technology we'd better be thinking about a wireless system w/ no plugs or ports. Rob | ||
| M1combat  |
Yeah those things are DANGEROUS... I think I figured that out after about the 40th time I stuck a pair of paper clips into one. I think the reason it took so long is because I didn't generally remember doing it. I would just wake up lying on the floor of the hallway with my hands smoking and birds flying around my head (How'd they get in here anyway?). After that it was generally back to running with scissors, jumping on the bed and riding my bicycle with no helmet (I even did jumps and wheelies that way). So anyway... My parents told me ONCE to not put things into the wall outlet or I would get hurt. It worked, I never did. Where exactly is the safety issue again? If you do come up with something though, I recommend you donate a good portion of the money to the airfence fund and to a Buell contingency  . In case you were wondering... This is more of a thumbing my nose at you. If I did know how to build a better mouse trap, I most likely wouldn't just post my theory on the web. | ||
| Outrider  |
Wonder what the ratio of motorcycle related deaths are to those of an electrical outlet? If it is a child safety issue, there are a lot of products on the market to protect them. If it is an adult safety issue, all I can do is laugh. The funny thing is Midknyte lives in ChicagoLand where a good percentage of the electrical outlets are installed horizontally for additional protection. I somewhat understand the theory behind it, but allow me to digress. Having to make electrical plug-ins (like night lights, etc)with a rotating plug really was a PIA and added considerably to the cost, even when imported from China. Not to mention, they aren't as safe as the non-rotating ones. Additionally, Milwaukee was a little strange in this area as well. For quite some time, three prong grounded outlets were installed upside down. The concept being anything that would drop into the gap between the plug and the outlet would hit the ground, not the AC terminals and Voila no more picture wire electrocutions or fires. FYI, they stopped doing that a long time ago. Then again, having met Midknyte, he is a deep thinker and I can't wait to see what his idea is. | ||
| Outrider |
Whoops...Sorry Brad, I missed your idea. I think I was suffering from some form of OldTimer's. Sounds good for two prong stuff, if a three prong, wouldn't one or both of the lines include the ground? If yes, I would think the one carrying the ground would be just as hazardous. I ain't no electrician but for some reason that makes sense to me. | ||
| Loki  |
Rek wants to turn us into dead bugs! Want to take a long nap? Pick up a copy of the National Electrical Code! I get to deal with one of the ultimate outlets 5 days a week. A recessed twist lock which points down. Thus.... -shielded from most spills from above. -no power until the plug is seated and rotated -rotated plug is locked in -just to darn impractical for home use.... -does not eliminate the trip hazard though. I always hated the jobs that involved older(real old) houses. Just because you were apt to find sections of active knob and tube wiring. Let alone some romex spliced to it for that extra outlet of death. | ||
| Light_keeper |
Just make sure you also invent an adaptor to use the new plugs in the old wall plug fittings and while you are at it make sure there is an adaptor to go the otherway..... around sort of um well oh f... Ah um time for feeding again I hear them comming down the hall really I do. Now if I can just find the irradicator gun I can make them go away they wont go away everyone pretends they cant see them but I know better oh yes I do. Ah um oh ah anyway the system must have adaptors for it. | ||
| 2k4xb12  |
Loki -- the plug you're describing sounds like a Meltric... http://ildpower.com/plug.html On another note -- anybody notice anything wrong with the illustration in Midknyte's original post? Not that the plug appears to be upside down -- that's actually the correct orientation. The way a three prong receptacle is usually installed is actually upside down. The ground prong is intended to be on top. No, the actual problem with the illustration is that the hot and neutral wires are on the wrong sides. The wire position would be correct if the orientation of the face were rotated 180*. | ||
| Norrie |
Move to the U.K. We sorted this problem out a long time ago. 3 pin plugs and sockets with child proof holes to prevent anybody sticking anything in them. Norrie.   | ||
| Ted  |
'That's what I get for sitting on the can and looking over at the wall... " Some Bran Flakes would resolve these ponderings. | ||
| Charlieboy6649  |
Yea, another moment of clarity whilst sitting on the throne LOL! I was going to suggest gates on the wall outlet, then Norrie posted. Those Europeans took my idea!  | ||
| Swampy  |
Gads! I still remember the feeling and wondering why some one would hit me on the back of the arm with a baseball bat while I was unplugging my Daisey Indoor BB Gun Trap. The plug blades were very tight in the extension cord and I inadvertantly put my fingers across the blades bridging the gap. I can't understand why anyone would want to change that design. I also remember a cult somewhere that used to have a group of the followers hold hands forming a line, the person on the end would hold one wire and the person on the opposite end would hold the other, and then someone would plug them in! The failthful followers bearing the load. The story goes that the followers would drop out one at a time and the one or two left holding on would be the big Kahunna for the day. | ||
| Midknyte |
Now them's some circle jerks! |
