Electric Shock

[Barkseh]

Can you get an electric if you un plug a plug that is turned on at the wall?

Just curious. I was always told you could and have always had a bit if a fear of it. One of my children did it the other day and I wen berserk and my Mrs thought I overreacted.

[Triz]

I'm no electrician, however I don't think it's possible, most plugs (for the parts you hold it with) are made from plastic, so it's probably more chance that it would be static electric, which is not harmful at all.

Depending upon what you're unplugging then it could be a small capacitor connected across the AC mains to suppress noise; If you unplug the appliance when the AC voltage is at its peak, the capacitor is charged, and can hold its charge until you touch the pins.

Unless you manage to pull out the plug and touch the pins whilst their still connected to the wall outlet.
I can't say I've ever turned off a socket before unplugging it from the wall.

[FlyingJesus]

You'd have to have a very very improbable chain of events going on for it to cause a shock. There would have to be some sort of conductive connection all the way through (which there won't be unless you're in the habit of attaching exposed cables to the plug casing or everything is under water) and even then the grounding pin and the socket for it would have to be seriously faulty. There are also insulated shutters which you might notice close up when the plug is pulled, so that would also need to be broken. Basically UK plugs are the safest around, so as long as your kids aren't jamming a series of metal poles into them it'll all be fine

[-:Undertaker:-]

i just yank them out and i'm here to tell the tale

[Barkseh]

Right ok so she is right then, as usual haha. To be fair I still don't think it is a good idea for a 4 year old to be playing with a socket so I am taking this one.

[FlyingJesus]

Oh yeah teaching them not to fuck about with the mains is a good plan, just don't lose any sleep over it :P

[-:Undertaker:-]

you can get baby covers for sockets have you seen them

its like a plug that goes in with a white plastic face that a kid can't pull out

[scottish]

you can get baby covers for sockets have you seen them

its like a plug that goes in with a white plastic face that a kid can't pull out

Don't get these.

UK sockets already have a shutter system which blocks live/neutral which the socket protectors can break by turning the socket protectors upside down which then unblocks live/neutral.. so they break the built in protection that's already in our sockets