Off-topic: danger of 120v mains?

[CHoaglin at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/2/01 8:52:34 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
harrybissell at prodigy.net writes:

<< Another major danger (usually forgotten) is arc damage.  Picture the 
toddler
 putting a hairpin, or paper clip, or piece of wire, across the 120VAC.  The 
arc
 
 could flame spray that metal into unprotected face, start a fire which 
finishes
 the
 job etc. >>

Toddler??? Me and a friend were doing that way back in 8th grade...Sitting in 
detention really bored, take a paper clip and bend it into a "U", then wrap 
with paper for insulation and use to ground one of the legs of the AC to the 
outlet plate...sparks ensued, a large burn mark appeared on the outlet plate, 
and the paper clip flew out of the outlet and shot across the room...so we 
did it again, naturally. It was the school, after all, so we didn't care too 
much about damaging it...


Chris