Why the heck do U.S. plugs have holes in them?

boing
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Originally published at: Why the heck do U.S. plugs have holes in them? | Boing Boing

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I feel like this could be explained in a sentence, without HAVING to watch a 20-minute video to learn the answer?

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So what’s that sentence then?

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A wizard did it.

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I haven’t seen this one yet, but Technology Connection usually is very enjoyable.

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That’s kind of the format for the channel and the ones I’ve watched I’ve found worthwile. Most of the other videos are longer. Elsewhere I saw this video posted and there were people swearing up and down it was to grip more firmly (I doubt they had watched it). So it seems like his long-winded debunking was necessary.

It’s an optional part of the spec for alignment in manufacturing.

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tl;dr: They used to be there because they helped keep cords plugged in back in the 1930s by providing a detent, but now they are just there because they are expected to be there (and they are marginally cheaper because of less material).

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I’d just tweak the prongs to stick out more if it didn’t want to stay into the plug in.

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So there’s nothing on tv tonight ans we’re playing YouTube roulette, so far the coolest thing was Drew Barymore’s first Johnny Carson interview when she was 7. But…

The hole in the plug video was on the home page. Looks like we’re not the only ones playing on YouTube this evening.

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I’ll need you to click through 40 pages, first.

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Technology Connections is a favorite channel of mine.

Lots of good stuff by someone who has a deep interest in how things work.

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plug assembly

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No one knows because the aliens we stole the spec from didn’t explain it to us.

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“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.“

Wait, what was the topic, again?

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I finally got an answer to my long-standing question of “why is the highest fan speed right next to off?” from watching one of his videos.

(tl;dr, it’s because older EM motors were less likely to start at lower voltages and that created a fire hazard, so the highest level being first ensures that the fan gets enough juice to start spinning.)

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I learned how to properly use a dishwasher from his videos…unfortunately exactly one day after I flooded my kitchen with soap suds because I couldn’t find the dishwasher detergent.

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Makes sense to me. Flip a switch and prongs inside the socket lock the plug in place.

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Flip a switch and prongs inside the socket lock the plug in place.

Yikes! I’ve been in several situations in which the only way to avoid a huge problem was to yank the plug out of the socket.

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Which is probably why it’s no longer a thing.

Not that I can’t understand why anyone would want that.

I’d want it for keeping my electronics plugged in. A lathe or drill press, not so much.

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I appreciate your blurring it for those who hate spoilers.

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