Electrical Help

[scooterism]

Looking for advice from the community,

My 2 yr little fella likes to turn off power switches willy nilly.

I'm naturally concerned about his safety and also it's kinda frustrating to be working on the 'puter or watching a movie and flips the switch.

It's hard to police his actions, so I was wondering if there is a fitting or gadget I can fit to a power outlet that will prevent him from accessing the outlet?

Cheers

 

[Brewnicorn]

Haven't seen anything for on switches with appliances plugged in. Only the guards...
I'd say go have a look at Bunning's and see mate.
Quick google search gave me a few things that could help you: pics below of the switch cap and socket covers.

Good luck eh!

 

[manticle]

When I was a kid, I stuck my finger in a desk lamp socket and switched it on.

Tingled somewhat.

Not content with that, I stuck a spring of the exact diameter necessary to contact the output connectors in the lamp and switched it on again. A flash, bang and some smoke later and I was so worried about getting caught that I unplugged everything, sat in the opposite corner and read a book.

Not suggesting that placing fingers in anything is a good move forward - just that making young'un aware of potential consequences may be the way forward.

Maybe put your finger in by way of demonstr ...I mean explain carefully what could happen to dad if you were to be so silly so watch out little one. Electricity is both fun and scary..

And caps.
And circuit breakers and overload cutting power boards.

Failing that - cotton tie.

 

[Mayor of Mildura]

Put some clear sticky tape over the switch. Worked for my kids.

 

[wildburkey]

I'd agree with manticle that education is the best solution altho I do understand it's hard with a 2 yo. Maybe try flicking the tv off on the kid when he's enjoying watching something or reward him when he has not done it and explain he is getting icecream etc. for his corrected behaviour. Good luck, I reckon there'd be a lot of electrical safety vids on youtube.

 

[tj2204]

There is this sort of thing available: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/252385514764?lpid=107&chn=ps

We had a couple that we used when my daughter was a bit younger, they've since come off and been discarded.

 

[Dave70]

Not suggesting that placing fingers in anything is a good move forward - just that making young'un aware of potential consequences may be the way forward.

I've been surprised how ineffective that actually is, at least in my house. Their brains, its seems, just haven't been hard wired for consequences yet. Though now the young bloke makes his own toast, I'm making it as clear as I can if the toast gets stuck, call mum or dad - don't reach for the knife..
I'm actually surprised my kids don't think their names are don't.

The light socket anecdote reminds me of the time when at around ten years old, I found an extension lead in the old mans garage that had the female end missing and the wires exposed.
That gave me an idea.
I left, then returned shortly after with my Scalextric mini cooper in hand. I understood it was powered by electricity, but had no concept of amperage / voltage. So, in I plugged the lead, flipped the mini onto its roof, and touch the little braided contacts with the bare copper wires I did.
POP!!! BZZZZZT!!!! Loud enough to be heard by my parents in the kitchen, as it turns out.
Black hands, a ruined mini and the panic in my eyes meant no amount of lying was going to get me off the hook that day.

 

[bradsbrew]

Not electricity but I once put a half full lighter in the fireplace in the lounge room (Old colonial type house).................I then had to try and explain why the house rattled, the lounge was full of ash and all the pictures fell off the mantelpiece. I think coming up with " I don't know, maybe there was some gas stuck in the timber" was a fairly good comeback for a 12 year old. To this day i am unsure if my Mum believed me, 30 odd years later and I am still not going to ask.

I never did throw another lighter into the fireplace, but aerosol cans in open fires got a fair try out as well. As did brake fluid and.....never mind.

I don't think I am able to help....sorry.

 

[damoninja]

Put some clear sticky tape over the switch. Worked for my kids.

Works better when applied directly to child

 

[Airgead]

Problem solved.

 

[scooterism]

All the stories are coming out now, aren't they!

I have similar stories from when I was a kid, some even involve guns and fire. Might save them for another day.

I like that power outlet cover.

I agree with the education, but yeah it is hard with a 2yo, he's learning tho'.

 

[Zorco]

As an option for feeling the consequence of touching electricity, try using a muscle stimulator system.

Same thing going on but medically rated control circuits and current limiting as well.

I rigged a micro controller up to one for my thesis. Crazy drinking games with the pads attached to your forearms and set to a 400ms pulse!

All born from me putting 240V across my hand as a boy when I took the cover off dad's JVC amplifier!

No one asked my why the fuse blew and I said a fell off my bike to explain the sore hand!

 

[spog]

images (8).jpg

Problem solved.

GOLD !
Oh how at times I could get away with doing that to my 2 Grand daughters.
If only for a laugh, 50 mph tape is much kinder than a staple gun.

 

[spog]

Not electricity but I once put a half full lighter in the fireplace in the lounge room (Old colonial type house).................I then had to try and explain why the house rattled, the lounge was full of ash and all the pictures fell off the mantelpiece. I think coming up with " I don't know, maybe there was some gas stuck in the timber" was a fairly good comeback for a 12 year old. To this day i am unsure if my Mum believed me, 30 odd years later and I am still not going to ask.

I never did throw another lighter into the fireplace, but aerosol cans in open fires got a fair try out as well. As did brake fluid and.....never mind.

I don't think I am able to help....sorry.

In my job the gas powered Paslode nail gun is very handy.
On one job out of town,as the crew where sitting around the fire shooting the **** and drinking I held up one of the gas " tubes" ( which was empty and I'd punctured) and said **** do these go off with bang and threw it in the fire.
All of a sudden I was doing a George Thorogood and drinking alone !
Mind you I've never seen most of them move so fast before!

 

[bradsbrew]

Should of thrown some ramset charges on as well