Things some idiot got wrong and now can't be put right

[wheresthetorch]

OK...let me put it another way

Long, long ago, the hour was invented. Everyone stood around looking at the hour and thought it was great. But then some wiseguy piped up "Hey, what if I want to boil an egg or something, those hour thingies are useless for that"

So everyone stood around wondering what to do until a bright spark said "I know what we'll do, let's split the hour up into bits". There was much discussion as regards how to split the hour up. Finally a clever maths type dude said "How about 60 bits? That way you can easily get 1/2 an hour, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/6, 1/10, 1/12, 1/15, 1/20, 1/30 of an hour"

"I like it" said the guy who wanted to boil an egg. And thus, the minute was created as 1/60 of an hour. The End

But an egg takes 3 minutes.

 

[subaqua]

Alright, I can see the sense in making Earth look different, but I still don't think Live should be brown, and Earth yellow and green. Why not make Earth brown and green, because that would be like earth with some grass growing on it. Then you could make live red, which is the colour of blood, so easy to remember. You have to be pretty colour blind to mistake blue with red, and if you can't make out a brown and green wire then maybe you need more light. At present I remember Live is brown by thinking, if I touch that it will turn me brown. I remember yellow and green in Earth by thinking grass grows on earth. Those aren't very good mnemonics.

No one's arguing in favour of electrons being negative.

Easy way to remember how to connect a BS1363 plugtop.

The 2nd letter tells you where the colour goes

bRown right
bLue Left
sTripy Top.

It was decided on those colours by a large committee of clever folk....

 

[Dayvo]

I'm quite scared now.

If you see this kid, RUN like f*ck! Although it's probably too late.

 

[Piemaster]

^^that - plus the path the current took through the body. In one hand out the other takes it right across the heart and maximises risk. In right hand, out right leg keeps it further away from the heart. Old-school electricians had a mantra about keeping your left hand in your pocket when first touching a wire.

Which is why in a lightening storm some advise to get on all fours with your arse in the air as the highest point, the theory being the electricity will then take shortest route to ground which is via your thighs, thus avoiding the vital bits.

Anyhow, ship systems are different to shore based ones. They don't have a neutral, which a lot of elecs seem to have difficulty with when they first encounter it, or in some cases seem incapable of grasping the concept at all. It doesn't matter which way the brown/blue go in the plug. Lots of countries use 2 pin plugs that can be put in the socket either way round anyway.

 

[KEEF]

Took your advice cycle chatters

 

[swansonj]

... It doesn't matter which way the brown/blue go in the plug. Lots of countries use 2 pin plugs that can be put in the socket either way round anyway.

It doesn't matter - IF you have a system that is designed for not mattering. We have a system that is designed for them being the right way round - single pole switching and fused plugs - and it very much does matter with our system to get blue and brown the right way round.

 

[subaqua]

Which is why in a lightening storm some advise to get on all fours with your arse in the air as the highest point, the theory being the electricity will then take shortest route to ground which is via your thighs, thus avoiding the vital bits.

Anyhow, ship systems are different to shore based ones. They don't have a neutral, which a lot of elecs seem to have difficulty with when they first encounter it, or in some cases seem incapable of grasping the concept at all. It doesn't matter which way the brown/blue go in the plug. Lots of countries use 2 pin plugs that can be put in the socket either way round anyway.

Isolated earth systems have them . IPS in hospitals

Dipstick sparks don't get it. Real ones do. Very similar to the 110V construction site power ( that's centre tapped to earth giving 55v to earth on each live)

 

[Piemaster]

Anyhow, ship systems are different to shore based ones. They don't have a neutral

It doesn't matter - IF you have a system that is designed for not mattering. We have a system that is designed for them being the right way round - single pole switching and fused plugs - and it very much does matter with our system to get blue and brown the right way round.

Hence the 'ship systems'

 

[ufkacbln]

When it comes to electrickery

MY favourite was the point where there were to companies in the US, Westinghouse and Edison

One was using DC and one Ac, and arguing about efficiency, safety etc


Then up came the Electric Chair..... the devious and Machiavellian steps each company took NOT to get the contract and have their system seen as lethal is brilliant

Link

 

[classic33]

OK...let me put it another way

Long, long ago, the hour was invented. Everyone stood around looking at the hour and thought it was great. But then some wiseguy piped up "Hey, what if I want to boil an egg or something, those hour thingies are useless for that"

So everyone stood around wondering what to do until a bright spark said "I know what we'll do, let's split the hour up into bits". There was much discussion as regards how to split the hour up. Finally a clever maths type dude said "How about 60 bits? That way you can easily get 1/2 an hour, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/6, 1/10, 1/12, 1/15, 1/20, 1/30 of an hour"

"I like it" said the guy who wanted to boil an egg. And thus, the minute was created as 1/60 of an hour. The End

Now the same for Metric Time!

 

[classic33]

But an egg takes 3 minutes.

Imperial Time.

 

[subaqua]

Yes I have used foil as a very short term repair on a lifesafety critical supply

 

[Drago]

The 350A fuse pictured there reminds me of my favourite childhood pastime...putting rounds in my Dad's vice and whacking them with a hammer.

 

[classic33]

View attachment 353102


Yes I have used foil as a very short term repair on a lifesafety critical supply

Used the 1500 amp slow burn a few times.

 

[subaqua]

The 350A fuse pictured there reminds me of my favourite childhood pastime...putting rounds in my Dad's vice and whacking them with a hammer.

I couldn't possibly comment on a public forum ......