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If you reverse the polarity of lots of things, you get a fire starter.
...and likewise, many things stop working during a fire, making them rudimentary fire-detectors.
AC goes brrrrrr
I'm no electrician, but attaching the hot and neutral wires of an end appliance to the opposite wires of the power supply shouldn't be a problem on a lot of bare bone, electromechanical hardware that don't have logic units. Please correct and enlighten me, if you're more knowledgeable! :D
swapping hot and neutral typically isn't a problem - its alternating current anyway. However, most DC Appliances are sensitive to reverse polarity. Ever tried connecting a electrolytic capacitor the wrong way around? On the other hand many customer appliances have some kind of protection against reverse polarity.
Thanks! You just nudged me down a fascinating rabbit hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eflB18WmbjM
that's great to hear!
Something as simple as an incandescent light bulb works either way. LED lights are picky about electricity.
Individual LEDs, yes; the rectifiers in most LED "bulbs" shouldn't care.
Twisted...
Hey hey hey!
I'm the fear addicted
Home smoke detector, yes. Fire alarm, no.
What if i want a Grass-Starter, or even a Water-starter? The first gym is tough with the Fire-starter.
No Iceing conditions without warning.?
If you lick the wires first.
this post was submitted on 06 Apr 2026
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Showerthoughts
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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.
Here are some examples to inspire your own showerthoughts:
- Both “200” and “160” are 2 minutes in microwave math
- When you’re a kid, you don’t realize you’re also watching your mom and dad grow up.
- More dreams have been destroyed by alarm clocks than anything else
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- A good place for politics is c/politicaldiscussion
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If you made it this far, showerthoughts is accepting new mods. This community is generally tame so its not a lot of work, but having a few more mods would help reports get addressed a little sooner.
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