Breaking off the 3rd prong on a plug?

AUSyTyIN

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Seriously, who does this? I did it once when I was 8 just as an experiment, but that was on a cheap extension cord. It seems like 1/2 of the games I buy have it broken off. I know the game functions fine without it, but are there really that many people out there who think it's pointless?
 
Seriously, who does this? I did it once when I was 8 just as an experiment, but that was on a cheap extension cord. It seems like 1/2 of the games I buy have it broken off. I know the game functions fine without it, but are there really that many people out there who think it's pointless?

This is a pet peeve of mine. If I buy a game with a broken ground plug (and it does seem like MOST of them!) I replace it instantly.
 
Ops in older buildings with out the 3rd ground prong on the outlets.

Also easy to break off if you just happen to step on the plug. :eek:
 
Seriously, who does this? I did it once when I was 8 just as an experiment, but that was on a cheap extension cord. It seems like 1/2 of the games I buy have it broken off. I know the game functions fine without it, but are there really that many people out there who think it's pointless?

Unfortunately, this happens in actual arcades with properly grounded outlets. Staff unplug games improperly, kids push games around and knock into the plugs, kick the plugs, etc. The ground pin will usually break unlike the other pins, as the others will usually just bend.

So, while it sucks (and should be repaired with an inexpensive hardware store plug end), it's usually not intentional on the part of an op these days.

(To be clear, I have games I know for a fact to be new as of four years ago - I helped uncrate them! - at a location where I have had to replace ground plugs).
 
Yeah, going to say very common. When I picked up my Space Shuttle pin, it's the same way...pin snapped pretty much clean off. And my machine had tax stickers on it for years up to 1987, so who knows how long that thing sat in people's houses/garage without a ground plug. I still haven't fixed it. I can feel voltage on the siderails though because it's not grounded....

Freaks me the hell out sometimes, to be honest. :|
 
A lot of the places that had arcades in the '80's were in buildings built in the early '70's and earlier. There weren't a lot of 3 prong grounded outlets back then. The solution was to buy those 3 prong adapters or break off the ground plug (which was easier). Yes I have broken a few in my time, usually on an extension cord, when I couldn't find an adapter (before rewiring the house with an actual grounding circuit)
 
I don't have grounded outlets either. So if I replaced the broken off pin, I'd just end up using an adapter (which theoretically you're supposed to connect the little ground tab to the box, but if the box isn't grounded, it's not doing anything anyway). 2 of my games had the grounding pin broken off when I got them, the other one only had a regular 2-prong plug on it.
 
These are easier to break off than you make it sound. Moving machines around and having the plug laying on the ground unplugged has resulted in a lot of broken third prongs. The pain in the ass is when the plug is either soldered to the power brick or the end housing of the plug is a unique shape/design just for that game. The latter is more annoying because you wind up losing a unique, but minor, piece o a dedicated machine. But who is going to look and make a big deal over a plug?
 
i get surprised when i get a game with a ground prong on it. but yeah, i replace the plug if the prong is missing and the whole line cord if it's got cuts in the wiring.

as far as moving games around, i usually throw the cord over the top of the cabinet and tie it off on the joystick or let it hang. that way no broken ground prongs.
 
Japanese candy cabs don't even have 3 prong plugs. There's a seperate earth post on the back of the cabinet. First thing I usually due when I get one is to wire up a new power cord.
 
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