Hmm...
'...what's this funny switch with numbers and V's on it on my PSU? Let's flick it!'

*pssht*

*sniff*
( Rookie You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 10:40, 13 replies)

I did this one Christmas Eve several years ago...
... and the next day unwrapped World of Warcraft and Half-Life 2.

I was gutted.
(CableDolt is on the mind of a girl near you on, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 11:47, closed)

In retrospect...
...probably saved your life? :P
( Rookie You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 11:52, closed)

heh
one guy was messing a bout in college last year with that switch and forgot to put it back onto 230v when the lesson started. Cue a bang, a blue flash from the back of the computer, a funny smell, and some panicked looks.
(tb2571989 dies at precisely, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 14:35, closed)

Classic techie fuckup
I knew what the switch was for, fuck it I spent most of my childhood in Europe but did morbid curiosity get the better of me one day.... oh yes.

Mine literally went BANG !
(TwinkleFuckingToes Has a ingrown toe nail, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 15:52, closed)

Done that quite a few times
At work (I'm in IT hardware support - you'd think I'd know better) we have often had PSUs delivered with the switch set to 110v. It's embarrassing blowing it up in the clients office then looking sheepish.
( gareth_alien will be human again at, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 16:14, closed)

Eh?
Would someone please explain what this means to the guy with no technial expertise to speak of?
(General_Manchego, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 16:38, closed)

.
A pc's power supply is a transformer that converts mains ac current to dc to power the components in the case. It has an switch to adjust the input dc voltage from ~230V (used in europe) to ~110V (Used in America, Canada, South America etc...)

Flicking it to the incorrect setting will cause it to explode.

Look at the back of your case beside the kettle lead for power and you will probably see it (it may be a red switch that needs a flathead screwdriver to adjust)

I've heard similar stories about ghetto blasters which had a switch for 9V DC (Batteries) or 230V AC (Mains) which had to be changed depending on the power source exploding due to people forgetting to switch it over
(tubeman trousers, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 17:10, closed)

Well
It probably wouldn't explode if you tried to run it on 110V when it was set to 230V. It just wouldn't work. The other way around though...

Ninja edit: Voltages wrong way around.
( MatJ LOOK, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 20:00, closed)

You mean
input AC voltage
( uberdeity Wondered why Owen Lars knew of the term "hell" on, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 23:03, closed)

In laymans terms,
Machine go pop and magic smoke escape.
( GigerPunk has, hopefully, slept since, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 19:04, closed)

Pfft!
I like this explanation better than the real one.
( Bob Todd whee, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 20:20, closed)

this always bugged me
It's essentially shipping a product with a built-in self destruct button; but one without the requisite "danger" notices. At least some suppliers have the decency to put a spot of hot glue onto the swtich, so you can't accidentally trigger it.
(The Incredible Sulk Finally remembered his password on, Mon 24 Aug 2009, 21:08, closed)

I did this
To my brothers computer when i was younger, and promptly blamed it on a power surge. As a result my parents bought surge protectors for all the computers in the house (may feel a little bad about this one)
(Buftoon posted this on, Tue 25 Aug 2009, 11:10, closed)