Stupid things you did when you were a kid

I watched my father inserting a tester into an electrical socket to examine its connection. The tester's head lit red every time he inserted it. I was curious as well.

I couldn't find his tester, so I had to make do with what I had. And that turned out to be a little iron rod used to clean the stove. I got upon the table, inserted the iron rod, and turned on the plug, hoping to see the top of the rod light up red like the tester.

"Reality struck through my body," is the only way to explain how I felt. 😵‍💫I was thrown off the table.
I gathered myself, half dazed, staring at the iron rod still in my grasp, wondering why it didn't glow red.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? 😜😄

So what's your story?

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ArishMell · 70-79, M

Apparently I nearly electrocuted myself and blew the fuses when very young, by the too-accessible cables on the electricity meter.

I had another go, I am told, using some sort of poisonous berries growing in the garden.

Over the years, accidents like those electrical ones culminated in industry standards that ensure you can't easily poke things into the live terminal of a mains socket, nor as 2cool4school relates, short-circuit the terminals of a plug.

How?

Very simply and ingeniously!

The standard 240V 13A plug's uninsulated earth-pin is longer than the live and neutral pins, and those are insulated for about half their length from the plug face.

The socket has an internal shutter operated by the plug's earth-pin.

The earth contact is made first while the pin opens the shutter. The live and neutral pins do not touch their contacts until inserted far enough for their insulation to be inside the holes. The remaining gap is now only 6mm or so wide, too small for fingers, and exposing no live metal.

Double-insulated items not needing their own earthing (e.g. most 'phone chargers) have moulded plastic earth pins for the above function.

I have no idea who invented this mechanism, nor when (1950s perhaps?) but they do deserve public credit.