What would happen if...

jimbob200521

Diamond Member
Apr 15, 2005
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Ok, so say you have an standard 3 prong outlet, the kind all of you have in your houses. And you put a paper clip in one of the holes, what would happen?

Theoretically, it shouldn't do anything, as you are not making a circuit, correct? Or would it the electricity arc, or something weird like that?
 

HN

Diamond Member
Jan 19, 2001
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are you putting it in with barehands or telekinesis?
 

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
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If you're still holding it when you contact the outlet, then you might become the path to ground which would be a bad thing. Otherwise no, if it's just sitting there only touching one contact, nothing would happen. 120V is nowhere near high enough voltage to arc through the air any significant distance.
 
Nov 5, 2001
18,366
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nothing

*edit* oops...thought you meant the ground prong hole.

If you put it in the pos side, you may get shocked if you complete a circuit to ground. If you're on the neg side, nothing.
 

Demon-Xanth

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
20,551
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Depends on which holes, how it's being inserted (by fingers or insulated pliers), and if the person inserting it is grounded or not.
 

Electric Amish

Elite Member
Oct 11, 1999
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Originally posted by: Heisenberg
If you're still holding it when you contact the outlet, then you might become the path to ground which would be a bad thing. Otherwise no, if it's just sitting there only touching one contact, nothing would happen. 120V is nowhere near high enough voltage to arc through the air any significant distance.

Yup, it depends on if you choose the hot side of the outlet or not and if you're grounded.
 

jimbob200521

Diamond Member
Apr 15, 2005
4,108
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Originally posted by: Electric Amish
Originally posted by: Heisenberg
If you're still holding it when you contact the outlet, then you might become the path to ground which would be a bad thing. Otherwise no, if it's just sitting there only touching one contact, nothing would happen. 120V is nowhere near high enough voltage to arc through the air any significant distance.

Yup, it depends on if you choose the hot side of the outlet or not and if you're grounded.

It shouldn't matter what you stick it in as long as you only stick the clip in one hole. The key here is not making a circuit.
 

Paperdoc

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
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Theoretically it wouldn't do anything - you are right there. However, of the three holes, one (the round one) is a true ground, and NOTHING can happen there. One flat one is "neutral" return, and in many North American systems this line is grounded back at the power supply transformer, so it has relatively low voltage on it at the outlet. But you cannot bet your life on that! The dangerous one is "hot", the other flat slot. If you push the paper clip in there AND if you were perfectly insulated yourself, there would be no circuit and no current flow. BUT usually there is some high-resistance connection from your body to ground and you could get a bad jolt. In practice, some older electricians used to make use of this - I've even done this myself - to test exposed wires to find the "hot" lead. Make sure you're NOT grounded as best you can, then "swat" your finger over the exposed wire, not trying to keep contact - only touch and brush past. If you feel the jolt of electricity, you found the hot lead! If not, your might risk trying again. Or, if you get a BIG jolt, you have BIG trouble! Not really recommended. But it does illustrate that you can get a shock even though you might think you have not made a complete circuit.
 

slpaulson

Diamond Member
Jun 5, 2000
4,414
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Only one way to really find out :).

If you get zapped it shouldn't be too bad unless you're standing in water or something.

I recommend touching a ccfl inverter like I managed to do last summer. You'll smell burning lol.
 

Sukhoi

Elite Member
Dec 5, 1999
15,346
106
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A guy in my high school put a paper clip in the hot slot, a paper clip in the neutral side, and then dropped a paperclip across both. I heard it blew the socket out.
 

LordSnailz

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 1999
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what's the difference between putting it in the negative terminal and ground? Actually, why is it 3 pronged versus 2 pronged, the positive side the gnd side?
 

CraKaJaX

Lifer
Dec 26, 2004
11,905
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Originally posted by: Sukhoi
A guy in my high school put a paper clip in the hot slot, a paper clip in the neutral side, and then dropped a paperclip across both. I heard it blew the socket out.

Umm.. I wouldn't expect anything less. It's conducting like it should :p
 

Sukhoi

Elite Member
Dec 5, 1999
15,346
106
106
Originally posted by: CraKaJaX
Originally posted by: Sukhoi
A guy in my high school put a paper clip in the hot slot, a paper clip in the neutral side, and then dropped a paperclip across both. I heard it blew the socket out.

Umm.. I wouldn't expect anything less. It's conducting like it should :p

I figured the circuit breaker would just trip.
 

Rastus

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
4,704
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Paper clips don't carry current well. Someone where I worked tried to use them as jumpers in power supplies he was building. They have a tendancy to go out in a violent way when overloaded.
 

ttown

Platinum Member
Oct 27, 2003
2,412
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I put a U-bent paperclip in each slot once in college

There was a flash maybe 5" in diameter, an audible "pop", and the paperclip was gone!