Difference between pulling the plug and switching off

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For example, I have a stand fan in my bedroom and I wanna be able to turn it on and off via a switch on my side table (it doesn’t come with a remote, unfortunately). The fan will be set on a specific fan speed and I’ll just have to turn it on or off. Are there gonna be any bad effects to the fan with this setup?

Also, can this be applicable to other small appliances like TVs?

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7 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Pulling the plug while something is powered on is less desirable. It runs the risk of causing an arc between the socket and the plug, which can damage either. This is less true for smaller electrical loads (like your fan), but you should probably still avoid it, if for no other reason than the plug is probably not expected to make it through as many insertions/removals as your on/off switch is expected to be able to cycle.

Anonymous 0 Comments

For simple devices, like fans and such, there is no risk of damage to the appliance by pulling the plug.

For digital devices like computers and modern smart TVs, voltage spikes can potentially damage sensitive electronics.

The main problem with pulling the plug on electrics is causing a spark, so you know just be sure to have nothing flammable near by. (yikes)

Your best option will be to plug the TV into a surge protector and turn the surge protector on and off. Or connect the switch between the wall socket and surge protector.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Especially with more smart appliances it is highly recommended that you use the proper shut down process before disconnecting the plug.

As you pull the plug from a working appliance that draws significant power, it creates a spike in the outlet but also in you home circuit. In most cases, it is not harmful, as there likely is some surge protection, it is still a risk, it is also increases the risk of a spark and an electric shock.

In smart appliances specifically, there is a certain risk that they are running some background update that might mess the appliance up when you pull the plug.

Anonymous 0 Comments

In general:

When you disconnect or connect an electrical circuit under load there is alway a small electrical arc. It doesnt matter if its low or high voltage, the arc is always there just different in size.

When an arc is established, there is always a spike in the voltage. The free electrons charge up the surrounding air, the arc starts to creep and when it connects all that charge from the surrounding air is discharged at once.

Thats why you usually have to connect/disconnect everything switched off.

A switch is designed to handle those arcs, plugs are not.

And fun fact: on tvs the power button on the tv disconnects the ac input. So even if the switch is well designed, there is a spike. So the proper way to disconnect a TV is:

1. Switch off using the remote. Its switching off most of the DC side of the circuit.
2. Switch off the power button on the tv. It disconnects the AC side of the circuit.
3. Pull the plug.

Properly connecting everything is the other way around.

Sorry for any grammar mistakes. English is only my second language.

Anonymous 0 Comments

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Anonymous 0 Comments

for fans specifically, it does matter. at least it can.

fans use a very simple electric motor that’s not great at starting itself. the reason your fan starts at high is so that, when you first turn it on, it has as much power as it can get to push itself from a standstill. once it’s moving, it actually gets better at pushing itself.

so if you put it on a switch and power it on from a low setting, it may not have enough power to start moving. and that’s *really* bad. it’s still using power, but instead of converting that power into motion, it’s converting it into heat. likely leading to damage or even a fire.

your standing fan may even warn you against putting it on a switch for this very reason. they’re sometimes on a tag around the wire, or printed into the body of the fan near the controls or somewhere inconspicuous like the bottom of the base.

Anonymous 0 Comments

A shutdown is a sudden loss of AC voltage resulting in internal DC voltages slowly dropping to zero. An outage is a sudden loss of AC voltage resulting in internal DC voltages slowly dropping to zero.

All power offs look same to hardware. Pulling a plug (an outage) is only a threat to unsaved data. Then a system might restore an older copy of that data on a next power up.

Only wild speculation says a pulled plug creates a spike. No such spike exists. And that spark means less voltage is going to the appliance. Obviously massive voltage is not created on a 120 volt appliance when disconnected by its plug. Wild speculation somehow becomes fact.

Surge protector has a let-through voltage. Typically 330 volts. That means it does absolutely nothing until 120 volts is well above 330. Since many are educated by intentional advertising lies, then somehow that yanked plug is created a voltage that is approaching or exceeding 1000 volts.

That surge protector can also make surge damage easier. Compromise (bypass) what is superior protection inside electronics. But again, many are easily duped by advertising lies. Automatically believe any lie they are first told. Do not learn how to separate lies and scams from technical facts and honesty. Honesty comes with numbers.

That arc is an electrical conductor (plasma) that is less conductive than a wire. So voltage into an appliance is less during that arc – not more.

One demonstrated basic electrical knowledge; not knowledge from fear. He says:
> When you disconnect or connect an electrical circuit under load there is alway a small electrical arc.

An arc always exists when current is disconnected – even inside a switch. Arcs that causes no appliance damage – electronics or motorized. Only creates electrical noise.