Darwin Award Candidate

[Judy G. Russell]

So this gardener in Germany was just infuriated at the moles who were chomping their way through his garden. Nothing he tried worked to even slow them down, much less stop them. So he decided it was time to escalate the battle. ("Surge" in modern terminology.)

He wired metal posts to a 330v power supply and tapped the posts into the ground all over the garden. He was positive he would end up with fried mole. He finished putting in all the posts, flipped the switch, and died.

He was of course standing on the wired field.

The moles survived.

[lensue]

>He was of course standing on the wired field. The moles survived.<

Judy, wow, that could have easily been me--no moles but a problem with woodchucks and rabits! Regards, Len [g]

[Jeff]

A couple of days ago I caught about half of a half hour pgm on the Discovery channel about various gardeners doing battle with squirrels. As survivors cockroaches have nothing on them.

- Jeff

[Judy G. Russell]

wow, that could have easily been me--no moles but a problem with woodchucks and rabits!Just remember: don't stand where the ground is electrified!

[Judy G. Russell]

A couple of days ago I caught about half of a half hour pgm on the Discovery channel about various gardeners doing battle with squirrels. As survivors cockroaches have nothing on them.Tell me about it. I have some fuzzy-tailed rodents who are long-term tenants in my attic and I have occasionally been tempted to hire a machine gunner....

[Lindsey]

This guy (http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070112/NEWS0101/701120385/1075) was trying hard to make the Darwin Awards list, but fell a bit short.

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

This guy (http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070112/NEWS0101/701120385/1075) was trying hard to make the Darwin Awards list, but fell a bit short.Yeah but hey... he killed the bees!

[Lindsey]

Yeah but hey... he killed the bees!
At least he did manage to do that, yes!

--Lindsey

[rlohmann]

Line voltage in Germany is 220 volts.

Has the source of your information explained where the extra 110 volts came from?

IMWKT

[Judy G. Russell]

Line voltage in Germany is 220 volts. Has the source of your information explained where the extra 110 volts came from? IMWKTMy guess is it was some kind of generator.

[earler]

In fact, the standard voltage in europe is 240 volts. However, for industrial usage 360 is available.

[rlohmann]

In fact, the standard voltage in europe is 240 volts. However, for industrial usage 360 is available.To the best of my knowledge, the standard line voltage in Europe is 220 VAC. With an appropriate transformer, you can output pretty much whatever voltage you want, but...

"The French don't care what they do, actually, so long as they pronounce it properly."

--
Heinrich von Higgins

[earler]

The standard is 240v. In fact, it is often only 230v. But, the standard is 240v.

[James Day]

Please explain why you believe that the CENELEC document HD 472 S1 does not apply to Europe, even though tolerance for non-conformance has been extended until 2008?

Please explain why you believe that Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 3021 is not UK law. To quote from it and its explanatory note:

'In paragraph (1) of regulation 30 (declaration of phases, frequency and voltage at supply terminals) for the words "240 volts" there shall be substituted the words "230 volts".'

'These Regulations amend regulation 30 of the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 ("the 1988 Regulations") to require every supplier of low voltage electricity to consumers to supply, unless otherwise agreed between the supplier and the consumer, at 230 volts (reduced from 240 volts) between the phase and neutral conductors at the supply terminals, or at a voltage not exceeding ten per cent above (increased from six per cent) or six percent below that voltage. These amendments implement the first transitional stage for European harmonisation of nominal voltages and voltage tolerance ranges proposed in CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation) harmonisation document HD 472 S1: 1988'

It appears that the standard is 230v but there may be local deviations from it for historic reasons until 2008.