cross-posted from: https://lemmy.nz/post/28693796

Check the comments of the original post for the stupidity.

For those of you without an electrical background, the diagram shows the protective earth connected directly to phase, with phase and neutral also joined.

Correctly wired, this would be a three pin plug, with the earth wire connected to the earth pin in the plug, with the other end connected to the metal casing of the appliance. This is a critical safety feature, which will cause the circuit protection to trip in the event a phase wire contacts the metal of whatever this is connected to.

If this was actually done, the most likely outcome is it would trip a circuit breaker, but if the neutral was broken, it would connect phase directly to the casing, and likely electrocute someone.

  • viking
    18·
    6 months ago

    You’re correct, and people are morons.

    • Successful_Try543@feddit.org
      8·
      6 months ago

      It’s a plug, not a socket. By inserting the two shorted pins (white wire) into any socket, you would essentially short the live and neutral connectors of the socket.

      • SW42@lemmy.world
        3·
        6 months ago

        Oooh, yeah. Makes sense. Sorry, I had a brain fart. Of course it would short the outlet. Would definitely trip a breaker. Was thinking of an outlet for some reason.

      • viking
        14·
        6 months ago

        Correct, so you’d trip a breaker. You wouldn’t however electrocute yourself.

        • Successful_Try543@feddit.org
          8·
          6 months ago

          If this was actually done, the most likely outcome is it would trip a circuit breaker, but if the neutral was broken, it would connect phase directly to the casing, and likely electrocute someone.

          If the neutral wire is faulty, the live wire is still connected to the ground wire and subsequently to the casing of the device. Thus, if somebody would touch the casing, the current (maximum what the breaker permits without opening) would flow through that person.

            • Successful_Try543@feddit.org
              21·
              6 months ago

              Maybe the term electocute is questionable. Yet, it’s definitely not a nice feeling or even lethal to touch a live wire with running 120 or 240 volts.