I have an outlet that is controlled by a lightswitch

[Father Heathen]

I knew (of) an paranoid lady who thought that electricity would leak out of any outlets that didn't have something plugged into them. She had plugs (not attached to a device) in all unused outlets in her house.

Edit: I hadn't seen the Thurber quote when I wrote that.

Just set buckets beneath the outlets to catch it, but don't let them set out too long or it'll spoil.

 

[Father Heathen]

Lucas makes their appliances.
And the typical British home....

I know very little about electrical work, but are two breaker boxes common?

 

[SalixIncendium]

You got fired from the staff? I hope they gave you severance pay.

That's one way RF really treats staff right. They pay severance pay at 50% of your tenure, which means having been on the staff 5 years, I get 2.5 years of severance pay at my full salary!

 

[Revoltingest]

I know very little about electrical work, but are two breaker boxes common?

Yes. They get added when one is full.

 

[exchemist]

Surely their wiring isn't that janky.

Wet hands , or water getting into a socket, are not a function of the wiring.

 

[Father Heathen]

Wet hands , or water getting into a socket, are not a function of the wiring.

It would take some serious negligence for that to be a significant risk.

 

[Rival]

Do the appliances themselves not have switches?

Yes but it's better to turn off at the mains.

 

[Alien826]

What's the Thurber quote?

See post #28.

 

[Revoltingest]

See post #28.

Thanx!

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Can you run the gas, water and electric all through the same conduit? Asking for a friend.

 

[Revoltingest]

Can you run the gas, water and electric all through the same conduit? Asking for a friend.

It's been done.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

The standard voltage for outlets in the U.S. is 120V, and are common in bathrooms for curling irons, blow dryers, etc.

120 volts though a wet hand or body can easily kill you.
In the UK we do not even have wall switches in most bathrooms we usually use pull switches. And double insulated shower controls.
In kitchens plugs and switches should not be within reach of the sink.

 

[SalixIncendium]

120 volts though a wet hand or body can easily kill you.

In most cases it won't. I've been knocked on my arse several times by a 120v circuit. I'm still here. Duration of the shock plays a role on the damage done.

Besides, it's the amperage that'll kill you, not the voltage.

 

[Mock Turtle]

The standard voltage for outlets in the U.S. is 120V, and are common in bathrooms for curling irons, blow dryers, etc.

As you probably know, we have 240v here - so as to ensure we do kill people properly when they mess about with electricity. But this failed to see me off, and at least twice.

 

[exchemist]

It would take some serious negligence for that to be a significant risk.

People often are, though. Children, people drunk, senile, or just stupid….

My father in law, a patriotic Frenchman who was an electrical engineer with EDF, thought the UK electrical standards were the best.

 

[Stevicus]

120 volts though a wet hand or body can easily kill you.
In the UK we do not even have wall switches in most bathrooms we usually use pull switches. And double insulated shower controls.
In kitchens plugs and switches should not be within reach of the sink.

Do you have garbage disposals in your sinks?

 

[Father Heathen]

Do you have garbage disposals in your sinks?

Garbage disposals, like AC units, are apparently uncommon in Europe.

 

[Revoltingest]

120 volts though a wet hand or body can easily kill you.
In the UK we do not even have wall switches in most bathrooms we usually use pull switches. And double insulated shower controls.
In kitchens plugs and switches should not be within reach of the sink.

We have ground fault interrupters (GFIs).

 

[Dan From Smithville]

It's been done.

Someone always has me beat. But at least I can revel in this proof of concept.

I think those guys were truly genius.

 

[exchemist]

Do you have garbage disposals in your sinks?

Good point. They are not prohibited though not popular. Usually they are activated by an air switch that actuates the electrical switch remotely, so wet hands do not touch the electrical switch.