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A comment on A toaster from 1949 is still smarter than any sold today. Parent comment

Re:A toaster from 1949 is still smarter than any sold today by will0 on Thursday November 25, 2021 @04:56PM (#29345349)
Without a polarised plug it means current can 'flow' the 'wrong' way through the toaster, backwards through the heating coils.

Which is to say when the toaster is plugged in but off, the heating coils could still be live, and touching them would shock you.

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Re:A toaster from 1949 is still smarter than any sold today by t0mas88 on Saturday November 27, 2021 @07:11AM (#29359567)
Ah, European standard plugs don't have that. I guess that makes it mandatory to have the power switch interrupt both wires, at least that's what lamps here tend to have.
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