this post was submitted on 28 May 2025
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Pull the tab off of a pop can. Turn off the switch on the power bar that the teachers computer is plugged into. Unplug the computer, slip the pop can tab over the live+neutral prongs, plug it back into the still off power bar and wait.
The teacher goes to use their computer, finds it's not turning on and looks at the power bar.
Switch flips, 'BANG', scream, lights go out (breaker popped).
That escalated quickly.
"Hey, any more fun pranks?"
"Well here's how I got into arson"
Na, the aluminum acts as a fuse and breaks the circuit almost immediately. It makes a bright flash and a loud sound, but it's over in a second with no real harm.
That's not to say I'm recommending this at all, it's definitely a pretty stupid prank; just that it doesn't cause nearly as much damage as you might think.
Kids have lots of stupid ideas and saftey isn't exactly the first thing they consider...
At least I never heated the handles of the tool cabinets with the blow torch in shop class. Had two separate classmates pull that 'prank'.
Did you go to school in a mad max film?
Just a small Canadian town with very little else to do...
This school used to put students on detention in the office where the secretary + principal could keep an eye on them (so the teachers actually got a break instead of classes then detention supervision). For some reason the room they'd put you in also had a display for all the cameras in the school, just slowly flipping between each one.
Just meant all the school bullies, pranksters, and general troublemakers knew exactly where to stand so they weren't caught on camera XD
That is horrible advice and could start a fire. Remember that children and idiots are reading.
To act as a fuse, the tab needs to reach 660 degrees celsius, and if the breaker pops, that means the breaker acted as the fuse.
I can tell you from experience; both occur.
Such a thin piece of aluminum across 120vac super heats so quickly that it basically vaporizes, faster than the breaker can react. That metal vapor allows an arch to form still passing excess current which is what finally trips the breaker. (standard breakers take time to trip, longer than fuses in many cases; this is intentional design. GFCI breakers are a different story.) Sometimes this arc doesn't form and the breaker doesn't trip; but it usually does.
Once tripped, the vapor has time to dissipate so the short clears and the breaker can be turned back on.
None of this is advice. Someone asked about dumb pranks I've pulled in school. I'm just discussing the past; not making recommendations for the future.
No it would make contact before the computer is even switched on. Edgelord over here is making shit up. I bet he's wearing a fedora too.