A new role for our moderators

Background:

One of our members, Lightfire, is quite young. I suspect there are some others in his age group too. Lightfire is obviously inquisitive, bright, and he has asked some probing questions. His question on whether to switch the positive or negative line of a DC circuit comes to mind as an example.

He has also gone into areas of obvious danger. In the third post of his very first thread (http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showpost.php?p=283491&postcount=3) he asked,

A florescent bulb will work (voltage is about 220 to 240)? But, if I will touch the wire (wire of my generator) it might I grounded?

Another thread, "Wattage,Voltage," led to quite a discussion: http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showpost.php?p=344987&postcount=1
In the end, he asked,

OK, guys, for example, my two fingers got touched the two terminals of a 240 volts line. :O: 000____0000... What would happen? Is it possible for me to die quickly because my body will short-circuit?

DDDDDDDDDD

To which a member replied:
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showpost.php?p=345455&postcount=24

Briefly touching 240v (or even 120v) AC terminals with your fingers is extremely unpleasant. Most folks will jump or jerk, just like touching a hot stove. It's not likely fatal for most people most of the time - I've done it and am here to tell of it.

And finally there is a current thread about lead-acid batteries:
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showpost.php?p=346180&postcount=1

The comments are innocous enough until this question about submerging the
battery in a river:
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showpost.php?p=346232&postcount=7

Bill Marsden added an appropriate caution, but who knows where that
discussion will eventually end?
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showpost.php?p=346255&postcount=8

Comments:

1) Participaton of young members has a positive impact on the forum and should be encouraged. I find it quite gratifying to see the successes of Magnet18, for one. I am sure there are several others.

2) We have adopted safety guidelines, and our leaders are in the process of evaluationg new guidelines related to high voltage.

3) There is a class of question, such as, "will this kill me if I do it" or, "will it explode" that seems to fall outside any reasonable safety policy for a site that also needs to remain interesting for older and/or more experienced members. Such questions are usually quite obvious and are not limited to just the two examples.

Suggestion:

When questions from very young members as described in Comment #3 occur, the Moderators should take control. Other members should be discouraged from answering, and the thread should be locked early on.

There may be other and better options. I don't know what options the Moderators may have, but if there were a way to limit the thread to only the OP, Moderators, and moderator-reviewed posts by others, I think that would be preferrable to putting the entire weight of responsibility for responding on the Moderators.

John

 

Yeah, I've noticed Lightfire. I've been keeping an eye out for him, and letting other member know who they are talking to so they can rein in some of their ... ideas.

Truth is I like this guy, he is 11 years old. He's one of those kids I would love to find a way to get a 300 in 1 projects kit, it would keep him busy for maybe a month. All of this is even more impressive in that he is learning English, he leans on Google translators. I figure he is much smarter than average, which means he will be getting into more trouble than most. If he were local and in DeMolay I would be giving him parts to destroy and make things with.

Wookie has been helping out, probably more than me.

He is the reason we have been pushing safety, he is just a face for the policies.

I don't see moderators as the answer, all of us need to keep an eye out for him. He is very enthusiastic. Did I mention I like this guy?

 

Lightfire is motivated like a moth to a flame. Sometimes he's rather persistent in wanting to try unwise things - like the discussion of using plugs/sockets designed for 220vac 50hz mains power for his 12v battery experiments; which I had a bit of trouble discouraging him from attempting.

It is too bad that he's so far away, on the other side of the planet from me. I simply hope that he will ask enough questions before trying something, and listen to advice given. He does seem to be doing that, which is good. I certainly don't want him (or anyone else for that matter) to become injured performing unwise experiments.

Not going into things I tried as a youngster his age, but I'm surprised I'm still alive...

 

Like said to you, suggest something to occupy his time, something safe. Model rockets perhaps?

 

1) Participaton of young members has a positive impact on the forum and should be encouraged. I find it quite gratifying to see the successes of Magnet18, for one. I am sure there are several others.

Hey, thats me!

and about that thread you were referring to, should the fact that impure water is conductive and that hydrogen and oxygen (bad mojo, especially for someone his age) can be produced be pointed out to the lad, or would that just give him ideas?

 

Hey, thats me!

and about that thread you were referring to, should the fact that impure water is conductive and that hydrogen and oxygen (bad mojo, especially for someone his age) can be produced be pointed out to the lad, or would that just give him ideas?

That is exactly my point.

If someone asks whether an electric shock can kill him, the answer is yes. One doesn't need to point out that more than 99% of the time -- that percentage is just made up -- you won't be killed by an electric shock.

John

 

That is exactly my point.

If someone asks whether an electric shock can kill him, the answer is yes. One doesn't need to point out that more than 99% of the time -- that percentage is just made up -- you won't be killed by an electric shock.

John

Exactly why I posted here, rather than on the original post.
and 70% of statistics are made up on the spot

Also, his posts have the repeated theme of bringing up a backup lighting system or something similar, what is the power regulation in the Philippines? and with the water thing, flooding? I can't think of any other reason to bring that up. Unless he just wanted to hide them in a stream or something.