Talk:3198: Double-Pronged Extension Cord - Revision history

76.180.39.133 at 05:49, 1 February 2026

2026-02-01T05:49:55Z

81.179.199.253 at 23:58, 31 January 2026

2026-01-31T23:58:20Z

Elizium23: How do we define "Trivia"?

2026-01-31T22:33:00Z

How do we define "Trivia"?

Elizium23: who am I to judge?

2026-01-31T21:02:01Z

who am I to judge?

MikeTheNewGuy at 16:47, 31 January 2026

2026-01-31T16:47:35Z

82.13.184.33 at 09:43, 27 January 2026

2026-01-27T09:43:55Z

This isn't a good name at 00:50, 27 January 2026

2026-01-27T00:50:28Z

213.55.233.114: short circuit doubts

2026-01-26T11:57:32Z

short circuit doubts

82.13.184.33 at 10:53, 26 January 2026

2026-01-26T10:53:37Z

82.13.184.33 at 09:41, 26 January 2026

2026-01-26T09:41:56Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:49, 1 February 2026
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	The top paragraph currently states that such cords would be "likely to cause a short circuit", but I think that this would only occur if the cable was plugged into two wall outlets such that live is connected to ground, which I believe to be unlikely to happen as such a setup wouldn't serve any purpose. I believe to have heard that the fire risk instead stems from overload by connecting too much christmas lights together, but I do not have enough knowledge of US christmas lights to edit the page myself. If anyone does, feel free to correct me or edit the page. [[Special:Contributions/213.55.233.114\|213.55.233.114]] 11:57, 26 January 2026 (UTC)		The top paragraph currently states that such cords would be "likely to cause a short circuit", but I think that this would only occur if the cable was plugged into two wall outlets such that live is connected to ground, which I believe to be unlikely to happen as such a setup wouldn't serve any purpose. I believe to have heard that the fire risk instead stems from overload by connecting too much christmas lights together, but I do not have enough knowledge of US christmas lights to edit the page myself. If anyone does, feel free to correct me or edit the page. [[Special:Contributions/213.55.233.114\|213.55.233.114]] 11:57, 26 January 2026 (UTC)
		+	: It also causes a short if the two lives have different phases. With a split phase system roughly half the sockets are on each phase so a random connection has 50% chance of a short. Some commercial buildings use three phases so a 66% chance of a short. And then there's those Canadian split receptacles ... . [[Special:Contributions/76.180.39.133\|76.180.39.133]] 05:49, 1 February 2026 (UTC)

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 :There is no reason to segregate part of the "Explanation" in a top-level heading, particularly one designed to collect "Trivia". I've integrated it into the explanation under a subheading. Does it require a heading at all? Who am I to judge? [[User:Elizium23|Elizium23]] ([[User talk:Elizium23|talk]]) 21:02, 31 January 2026 (UTC)
 :I do not see how you can define this as "Trivia". On the one hand, all explainxkcd Explanations are 100% trivia to begin with. On the other hand, the way the docs here seem to define "Trivia" for the Trivia section is, basically, meta-information or administrivia. Things that went wrong during posting. Typographical errors. Things that "break the fourth wall" in other words, rather than a related post, even on a tangent. It seems that the OP considers it "Trivia" because it's off a tangent, and "suggested" rather than directly connected? I would say that this is not in the definition. I would say that any links to other xkcd or Munroe publications are first-class parts of the explanation, even when tangential. [[User:Elizium23|Elizium23]] ([[User talk:Elizium23|talk]]) 22:33, 31 January 2026 (UTC)
 I've noticed that recently, these explanations start off very short and without the same humor that most explainxkcd explanations have, and almost appear to be written by AI, before being replaced by a longer explanation that seems more in the vein of this website. Could someone explain what's happening here, and if AI is being used? [[User:CreatorOfWorlds|CreatorOfWorlds]] ([[User talk:CreatorOfWorlds|talk]]) 15:32, 24 January 2026 (UTC)

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 :I agree with you that it might be relevant, so I restored the trivia. Though I added text to clarify that it ''might'' be relevant. [[User:MikeTheNewGuy|MikeTheNewGuy]] ([[User talk:MikeTheNewGuy|talk]]) 16:47, 31 January 2026 (UTC)
 :There is no reason to segregate part of the "Explanation" in a top-level heading, particularly one designed to collect "Trivia". I've integrated it into the explanation under a subheading. Does it require a heading at all? Who am I to judge? [[User:Elizium23|Elizium23]] ([[User talk:Elizium23|talk]]) 21:02, 31 January 2026 (UTC)
 I've noticed that recently, these explanations start off very short and without the same humor that most explainxkcd explanations have, and almost appear to be written by AI, before being replaced by a longer explanation that seems more in the vein of this website. Could someone explain what's happening here, and if AI is being used? [[User:CreatorOfWorlds|CreatorOfWorlds]] ([[User talk:CreatorOfWorlds|talk]]) 15:32, 24 January 2026 (UTC)

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 I added a "Trivia" note that two days before this comic was posted, Randall had put up a YouTube video version of the ''What If?'' item about what would happen if someone's DNA all disappeared.  It was compared to the effects of receiving a massive dose of ionizing radiation.  The connection between this comic and Slotin's accident seemed relevant to me, at least enough for a "Trivia" item, but another editor disagreed and removed it.  Opinions? [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 15:03, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
 :I agree with you that it might be relevant, so I restored the trivia. Though I added text to clarify that it ''might'' be relevant. [[User:MikeTheNewGuy|MikeTheNewGuy]] ([[User talk:MikeTheNewGuy|talk]]) 16:47, 31 January 2026 (UTC)
 I've noticed that recently, these explanations start off very short and without the same humor that most explainxkcd explanations have, and almost appear to be written by AI, before being replaced by a longer explanation that seems more in the vein of this website. Could someone explain what's happening here, and if AI is being used? [[User:CreatorOfWorlds|CreatorOfWorlds]] ([[User talk:CreatorOfWorlds|talk]]) 15:32, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
 :"Any sufficiently advanced AI is indistinguishable from a lazy unimaginative human" -- Clarke's AI bot's Third Law [[User:Ralfoide|Ralfoide]] ([[User talk:Ralfoide|talk]])

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 I added a "Trivia" note that two days before this comic was posted, Randall had put up a YouTube video version of the ''What If?'' item about what would happen if someone's DNA all disappeared.  It was compared to the effects of receiving a massive dose of ionizing radiation.  The connection between this comic and Slotin's accident seemed relevant to me, at least enough for a "Trivia" item, but another editor disagreed and removed it.  Opinions? [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 15:03, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
+:I agree with you that it might be relevant, so I restored the trivia. Though I added text to clarify that it ''might'' be relevant. [[User:MikeTheNewGuy|MikeTheNewGuy]] ([[User talk:MikeTheNewGuy|talk]]) 16:47, 31 January 2026 (UTC)
 I've noticed that recently, these explanations start off very short and without the same humor that most explainxkcd explanations have, and almost appear to be written by AI, before being replaced by a longer explanation that seems more in the vein of this website. Could someone explain what's happening here, and if AI is being used? [[User:CreatorOfWorlds|CreatorOfWorlds]] ([[User talk:CreatorOfWorlds|talk]]) 15:32, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
 :"Any sufficiently advanced AI is indistinguishable from a lazy unimaginative human" -- Clarke's AI bot's Third Law [[User:Ralfoide|Ralfoide]] ([[User talk:Ralfoide|talk]])

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 curses, im too early on the scene for an explanation of what he's gonna do with the items in the titletext; such are the woes of being one of the people writing the explanations that you have to actually ''understand'' the comics - [[User:Vaedez|Vaedez]] ([[User talk:Vaedez|talk]]) 02:15, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
+:Same [[User:This isn&#39;t a good name|This isn&#39;t a good name]] ([[User talk:This isn&#39;t a good name|talk]]) 02:17, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
-Same [[User:This isn&#39;t a good name|This isn&#39;t a good name]] ([[User talk:This isn&#39;t a good name|talk]]) 02:17, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
+:: Same what? [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 09:41, 26 January 2026 (UTC)
-: Same what? [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 09:41, 26 January 2026 (UTC)
+:::I was too early for the page to have an explanation of what was going on [[User:This isn&#39;t a good name|This isn&#39;t a good name]] ([[User talk:This isn&#39;t a good name|talk]]) 00:50, 27 January 2026 (UTC)
+:::: Ah. In that case, you needed to indent your reply - like so. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 09:43, 27 January 2026 (UTC)
 This is the third comic to reference the Demon Core experiment, after [[1242]] and [[2593]]. [[User:Soupgirls|Soupgirls]] ([[User talk:Soupgirls|talk]]) 02:21, 24 January 2026 (UTC)

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:57, 26 January 2026
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	This is the third comment that references the fact that this is the third comic that references the "demon core". [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33\|82.13.184.33]] 10:53, 26 January 2026 (UTC)		This is the third comment that references the fact that this is the third comic that references the "demon core". [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33\|82.13.184.33]] 10:53, 26 January 2026 (UTC)
		+
		+	The top paragraph currently states that such cords would be "likely to cause a short circuit", but I think that this would only occur if the cable was plugged into two wall outlets such that live is connected to ground, which I believe to be unlikely to happen as such a setup wouldn't serve any purpose. I believe to have heard that the fire risk instead stems from overload by connecting too much christmas lights together, but I do not have enough knowledge of US christmas lights to edit the page myself. If anyone does, feel free to correct me or edit the page. [[Special:Contributions/213.55.233.114\|213.55.233.114]] 11:57, 26 January 2026 (UTC)

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:53, 26 January 2026
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	This is the third comic that references the "demon core". What's the standard here for "enough pages to justify a tag"? [[User:BunsenH\|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH\|talk]]) 05:02, 26 January 2026 (UTC)		This is the third comic that references the "demon core". What's the standard here for "enough pages to justify a tag"? [[User:BunsenH\|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH\|talk]]) 05:02, 26 January 2026 (UTC)
		+
		+	This is the third comment that references the fact that this is the third comic that references the "demon core". [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33\|82.13.184.33]] 10:53, 26 January 2026 (UTC)

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 Same [[User:This isn&#39;t a good name|This isn&#39;t a good name]] ([[User talk:This isn&#39;t a good name|talk]]) 02:17, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
 This is the third comic to reference the Demon Core experiment, after [[1242]] and [[2593]]. [[User:Soupgirls|Soupgirls]] ([[User talk:Soupgirls|talk]]) 02:21, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
 : >"''Demon Core experiment''":  [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon_core Demon Core]No, I don't understand either --[[User:PRR|PRR]] ([[User talk:PRR|talk]]) 03:26, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 Regarding "50 lithium batteries": the comic doesn't specify 50, but a pun has slyly been inserted here: {{w|Voltaic pile}} (there are other, somewhat relevant, types of piles as well!) So a "pile" may weigh in less than 50. But there are myriad dangers with lithium-ion batteries. They have many failure modes. So it may not be helpful to focus in on just one of them. I mean, clearly some kind of mischief is going to be wrought, but we really don't know what shape it will take without a list of accessories that are directly related to the "pile of batteries". [[User:Elizium23|Elizium23]] ([[User talk:Elizium23|talk]]) 14:32, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
 The correct way to use multiple power sources in case of emergency would be through an appropriate design such as the use of a multi-input UPS with an acid-lead battery for a buffer. This approach could possibly entail the use of "double-pronged" cords in an ill-designed home-made setup. {{unsigned ip|2001:861:3f07:a020:c61f:2d42:ade8:f326|23:24, 25 January 2026}}