Crispy Monitor Surprise
One day at work I managed to accidentally plug a 110V monitor into a 240V outlet. These were large, high-res colour monitors, and very expensive (this was some time ago). There was an unpleasant fizzing noise, and the monitor - while amazingly still working - from that moment on showed everything in a nasty shade of wobbly purple while generating an unpleasant smell.

Sheepishly I admitted to my boss what I'd done, and luckily he wasn't pissed off at me. "Those monitors are supposed to be bullet proof, call the supplier and see if they'll replace it."

So, I called the tech support line. At first they refused to listen, claiming that these monitors were indeed indestructible, and I can't possibly have damaged one. I had visions of having to pay ££££s out of my own pocket.

I insisted that all I'd done was what I'd described, and eventually the guy said, "Right, I'll go and try it myself, you'll see." There were some noises off, then I heard a very distinctive unpleasant fizzing noise.

"Erm, yes, they do, don't they? I'll get a replacement on its way..."
(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Fri 11 Feb 2011, 16:58, 8 replies)

Genuine curiosity
How come you've got both 110v and 240v outlets? Is it some industrial thing? (Serious question, I'm not trying to Badger you about your amusing and nicely written story.)

*click*
( Scrumper, Fri 11 Feb 2011, 17:12, closed)

see below

(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Fri 11 Feb 2011, 17:34, closed)

Double victory
You got your replacement. And fried the doubter's kit in the process!

The question should perhaps be: If you are going to have 110V and 220V outlets, why in god's name make the plugs interchangeable?
( Ugi , it's a game of give and cake, Fri 11 Feb 2011, 17:28, closed)

To answer both your question and the one above
The kit was destined to be installed in a 110V environment. We had indeed thought about plugs; there is even a standard for 110V UK-style plugs: they have the pins rotated 90 degrees, so that the big earth pin is "sideways" and the live/neutral pins are "up/down". All very sensible.

[Aside: also great fun, as the average person won't spot this difference. Swap their plugs and they'll spend ages wondering why an apparently normal plug won't go in, until they are questioning their sanity!]

Yes, sensible people with sensible, non-interchangeable plugs. So how had I managed it? Well, the sensible people had mandated the plugs at the end of the cable, but not at the monitor itself - it was the same, standard "kettle" plug for both monitors. So I'd unplugged my existing, 240V monitor, grabbed a replacement, and simply plugged the same cable into its rear.


FZZZZZTT!
(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Fri 11 Feb 2011, 17:34, closed)

Just as you think you've made it foolproof....
... as they say.

Edit - I've seen one of those plugs BTW, but I don't remember where and it was out of context so I didn't know what it was for. I do remember thinking that it looked odd and taking a few moments to work out why.
( Ugi , it's a game of give and cake, Fri 11 Feb 2011, 17:37, closed)

Just found 'em.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets#U.K._Walsall_Gauge_plug
( eXOBeX, Sun 13 Feb 2011, 17:26, closed)

Only a guess...
But I would say plugs aren't but cables are -- i.e. They're "kettle leads". Though I am also curious as to how this happened.
(Edit: Aha! I was right about the leads. The explanation is even more plausible than I imagined.)
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Fri 11 Feb 2011, 17:36, closed)

Easily done!
Many moons ago, a chap I worked with at Marconi's had been waiting for a 1553 Bus Controller from the 'States.

It duly arrived (on loan), was plugged in, and exploded. The capacitors inside had made a break for freedom.

As the smoke cleared, all we heard him say was "Oh, it's 240 Volts, not 120, isn't it."

That certainly won the "Wally of the Week" award.
(Kliper Filllets Getting noticed by twats on the internet since, Mon 14 Feb 2011, 13:10, closed)