Candle Power

[snopes]

Comment: I got this from a friend a few days ago.
There was no elaborate message with it, just a note from one of the people who forewarded it saying how does this work???
It is an obvious fake, but my uncle fell for it and I always tell him to "go to snopes to check things out before forewarding it", but it's not here...
The rest is self explanatory

[Auntie Witch]

I'd guess that when it cuts away to the "rub the magnet on the nail" bit, they're swapping out some candles with nails that are wired to a power source hidden under the table. It would be very easy to hollow out the inside of the candle, run a wire to the nail, and run it back behind the table where the candle blocks the view.

[Missie]

There's definitely some shenanigans going on here. IIRC, you can't "magnetize" a nail by rubbing it with a magnet that briefly. It takes many strokes, all going in the same direction (ie, not back-and-forth the way it showed) to magnetize an iron magnet.

I'm also fairly certain that wax is an electric insulator. I'm with Auntie Witch, the candles are likely hollowed out and have a wire running through them to the nails.

I also notice that whenever the second candle is lit, or the candles are blown out, the person in the video has their hand down between their legs, out of view under the table - probably hitting a button or switch to turn on whatever power source is REALLY powering the things connected to the candles.

[Not_Done_Living]

it's an open circuit. I think that basically solves the issue.

Originally Posted by Not_Done_Living

it's an open circuit. I think that basically solves the issue.

Indeed. Even with batteries in the candles, it still wouldn't work. The easiest and almost certainly correct answer is that the candles conceal leads that go through the tabletop, connecting to a battery and switch mounted underneath.

Which is a pity, because it'd be so much cooler if they had a large Tesla coil just outside the frame.

[RichardM]

Also, one observation - with the light bulb, it comes on full bright almost instantly even before the second candle is burning brightly.

[WonkoTheSane]

Originally Posted by JFB

Indeed. Even with batteries in the candles, it still wouldn't work. The easiest and almost certainly correct answer is that the candles conceal leads that go through the tabletop, connecting to a battery and switch mounted underneath.

No need to even gimmick the candles up... there are four leads, one of each color for the candles for show and one of each color for the real hookup down below. Both leads drop off the table and come back up, the ones that come back up are not the same ones that go down.

Also, notice how his hand seems to need to be under the table when lighting the second candle.

Yeah, and the whole physically impossible bit, too.

Pretty weak.

Wonko

ETA: Ah, OK, missed the end bit, showing the wires. So the hookups run either through the table or down behind the candles. Still pretty lame

Given I spent approximately 5 years of my life (aged 8-13) trying to magnetise various bits of metal I feel I can speak with some authority when I say that you can't just rub a nail a couple of times with a magnet, and instantly have a magnetic nail.

I'm confused as to what scientific principle is supposed to be at work here. Why magnetise the nail? Why candles? Why light them? Why electricity?

Horribly horribly lame. You can see him reaching for the switch every time. He needs a dolly bird to create some misdirection.