this post was submitted on 27 May 2026
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hmmm

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For things that are "hmmm".

Rule 1: All post titles except for meta posts should be just plain "hmmm" and nothing else, no emotes, no capitalisation, no extending it to "hmmmm" etc.

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[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 172 points 1 month ago (19 children)

That piece of gas flex has become the only neutral current path for the electrical service to the house. This occurs when the electrical service's neutral conductor fails, and there is no good bonding of the gas service at it's entrance point, and the water service to the building is plastic.

[–] billwashere@lemmy.world 68 points 1 month ago (4 children)

This makes total sense but how does this not go boom? No oxygen in the gas line?

[–] Sludgehammer@lemmy.world 64 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] Bazoogle@lemmy.world 28 points 1 month ago (1 children)

So you're saying you should poke a hole in the line?

[–] InputZero@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago

That would just make a jet fire. Which may eventually result in the catastrophic failure of the pipe but if you really want to see a house jump cut a slot. Much more area for gases to mix. It's only 1psi probably so a hole may not be enough.

[–] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 13 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (4 children)

Autoignition temperature of natural gas is above 500c. Need a spark, or enough heat, there could even be a leak and this not be enough heat to ignite.

[–] billwashere@lemmy.world 21 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I’m pretty sure if it’s red hot it’s close to if not over 500°C but I guess it depends on the metal.

At least according to this Wikipedia article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_heat

[–] monotremata@lemmy.ca 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

My understanding is that it doesn't really depend on the metal much. It's just the blackbody radiation associated with that temperature. So basically anything glowing red from heat is probably over 500°C.

"As the object increases in temperature to about 500 °C (773 K; 932 °F), the emission spectrum gets stronger and extends into the human visual range, and the object appears dull red."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-body_radiation

[–] brucethemoose@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (3 children)

The intensity does depend on the emissivity of the material, and emissivity is a bit counterintuitive:

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/emissivity-coefficients-d_447.html

But less than you’d think, given the extreme coefficient, as human perception of brightness is nonlinear. An object twice as bright as another looks pretty similar to the eye.

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[–] tunetardis@piefed.ca 13 points 1 month ago (3 children)

So electrician/plumber/HVAC/gas co/exorcist? What are we looking at here?

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[–] deranger@sh.itjust.works 146 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Just preheating the gas a bit, it’s for better thermodynamics.

[–] JohnWorks@sh.itjust.works 138 points 1 month ago (3 children)

It's concerning that there's more than 1 image of this happening

[–] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 88 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (4 children)

It’s common, this picture essentially explains why building codes exist, and why you don’t hire the cheapest contractor, since they probably aren’t licensed.

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[–] TheGoldenV@lemmy.world 37 points 1 month ago

I’m wondering if we’re at a safe distance?

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[–] silverchase@sh.itjust.works 78 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] neuracnu@lemmy.blahaj.zone 35 points 1 month ago

Forbidden red vines

[–] Darkard@lemmy.world 72 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I'd recommend turning off the power before someone goes from blue to well done

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[–] thatkomputerkat@lemmy.blahaj.zone 60 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Yeah, imma go turn off the main breaker in the panel and just gtfo and go sit in my car down the street while I calm the fuck down for an hour. Lol fuck that. Gat damn electrified gas line what the fuck.

[–] LogicalDrivel@sopuli.xyz 37 points 1 month ago

Holy shit thats a gas line? I thought it was some wild water pipe or something. Yeah thats a GTFO now moment for sure.

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[–] binux@sh.itjust.works 59 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Good news: The water heater is working

Bad news: The water heater is working

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[–] rockerface@lemmy.cafe 56 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Oh hell yeah, you guys got the Gamer Tank™ with RGB lighting!

[–] youcantreadthis@quokk.au 18 points 1 month ago

Well r at least

[–] laranis@lemmy.zip 45 points 1 month ago

That's not a "take a picture" moment.

[–] RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world 28 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Well that is ... sub-optimal.

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[–] thagoat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 27 points 1 month ago
[–] slazer2au@lemmy.world 25 points 1 month ago

Early example of a Cyberpunk water heater

[–] strop@lemmy.ml 23 points 1 month ago

Kinda hot ngl

[–] AccoSpoot1@lemmy.world 23 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Water heater operating at 110% efficiency.

[–] KingGimpicus@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 month ago

100% water, 10% heating. Its like in floor heating but faster. Direct atmospheric transfer of heat so you can heat while you heat so your heat puts you in heat.

[–] mrfriki@lemmy.world 21 points 1 month ago

Vaporwave water heater.

[–] dohpaz42@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago (8 children)

Back when I was married, I would not have been surprised if my water heater line looked like this when my (now ex-) wife took showers. That woman would take insanely hot showers. 😅

As an aside, she also had an insane sense of smell too.

Come to think of it, maybe she is an X-Men mutant.

Which means my kids are going to be X-Men.

Oh boy.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 18 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] Sabata11792@ani.social 21 points 1 month ago (1 children)
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[–] HeyJoe@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Wow same with mine! Super long, super hot. She would do the same with our kids and get annoyed that we couldnt all bathe (excluding me since im a morning shower person) and have enough hot water for everyone. Hmmm i wonder why... explaining this was just met with eye rolls and that it shouldnt be that way. I just made the plunge for divorce as well so I just keep thinking of all the things that will be normal again. This, plus not needing 30 packs of toilet paper every month alone will probably save me a fortune and thats just the tip of the ice burg.

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[–] Hiro8811@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago (1 children)

How the hell is that pipe holding up the pressure

[–] nomecks@lemmy.wtf 20 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Residential natural gas is like 1 psi.

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[–] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 16 points 1 month ago

I submitted this photo to chatgpt and it said my toaster was improperly wired.

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 16 points 1 month ago (1 children)

STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT!

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[–] the_riviera_kid@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago

I'm sure it's fine don't worry about it.

/S

[–] ozoned@piefed.social 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Lick it. See if it tastes like strawberry. /s Please don't actually do it. :D

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@thelemmy.club 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You are not my supervisor.

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[–] Etterra@discuss.online 13 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (7 children)

I'm reminded of my friend's old condo. Somebody had used steel branding to strap the outlet for the mounted microwave directly to the gas line.

[–] filcuk@lemmy.zip 12 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Microwave: 'If I fail, I'm taking y'all with me'

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[–] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (2 children)

So it is an air heater and water heater.

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[–] Ceruleum@lemmy.wtf 10 points 1 month ago

That's how lightsabers are made.

[–] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 9 points 1 month ago

Good think that is not a gas line or anything.....

[–] Etterra@discuss.online 9 points 1 month ago

Well that ain't supposed to happen.

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