The Light Switch of Doom

This pic really does have a fresh surprise in it each time you come back to it. [via JWZ]

1. [strider_mt2k]

   It’s an imperfect world.

   That is such a wacky space that it needs to be done better, since the eye will be drawn there.
   I’d like to see it in context with the space it’s in too. If this is a closet then big deal.

   I really kind of like it, except for the switch plate.
   It invites customization, although unfortunately that invitation appears to have been declined.

2. [Marshall]

   My personal favourite LSOD that I encountered in Thailand:

   http://www.flickr.com/photos/lifeontheedge/2862826800/

3. [yer_maw]

   You are right. Its the fail that just keeps on giving.

4. [Enochrewt]

   The secret switch on the right had better turn on something really cool.

5. [MrScience]

   #1: I’d love to see the closet this would belong to!

6. [Lea Hernandez]

   Power On FAIL Test.

7. [Anonymous]

   Perhaps someone could kindly enlighten those of us that are less than familiar with the work electricians as to why the set-up pictured is filled with an overabundance of fail?

8. [gadgetophile]

   I can’t stop looking at it.

   #7 the Fail is abundant. From the question of whether the wall or switch was placed incorrectly to require the cutout, through to the mystery fifth switch.

9. [Frogbeater]

   #7 Thorough to the inability to get screws in the faceplate past the first two toggles.

   My guess is that all the switches were there and the wall was added. Once the wall (with the cutout) was in place, the faceplate didn’t fit anymore so the four toggle was used, but the cutout makes it impossible to get any more screws in it.

   Of course it’s possible that the maintenance person just couldn’t find/didn’t have a 5 toggle switchplate cover and just went with what (s)he had. It could have been like that before the wall…

10. [AirPillo]

    This is a very subtle, yet nuanced, collection of fail.

11. [OLAF9000]

    the 5th switch opens the sekrit door to the batcave!

12. [Walt Guyll]

    When I was a kid my family moved to a farm that had the fuse box mounted over the bathtub. Splashing was kept to a minimum.

13. [Anonymous]

    Sorry, I don’t see what merits tales of perceptual eyes of fail opened even wider on each repeated viewing, because it is fairly obvious as soon as you see it that the placement of the switch, or the wall nearby, is askew, and the switchplate doesn’t cover all the switches, and one could possibly be sticking their fingers into live wiring possibly if this was a light switch. This is all obvious to most on the first view.

    Did some of you not realize all of the above on the first look?

    What exactly ARE the FRESH surprises on repeated viewing? I’m not willing to invent much more narrative to keep it fresh myself.

    Hey, there is a light switch inside the shower at my home!

14. [E0157H7]

    I remember when I was a kid you had to unscrew the front bezel and stick a screwdriver into a light switch to get electrocuted, and you liked it, dammit! Kids these days have it so easy, we just hand them their electrocutions.

15. [Anonymous]

    I worked in the trades for years. I’ve seen worse. Ugly and definitely not to code, but could be worse. Points for ganging an odd number of switches, though, so you can’t actually cover them all.

16. [Nasty]

    I don’t get it.

17. [Daniel Rutter]

    See also the This Old House Home Inspection Nightmares, and the Naval Safety Center Photo of the Week.

18. [Daniel Rutter]

    I hadn’t checked out the Naval Safety Center one for a while, so started paging back, and soon reached this amazing tableau.