This will make sense if you read this.

And when the switch (that controlled the switched outlet) went on, nothing happened. The volatage was at about 20, not enough to arc through a pickle. So we turned the knob to a higher number (significantly higher, not something wimpy like 21). The pickle glowed for about .1 second and then smelled really bad. We turned the knob too high. (Something to note: these pickles were about 2 inches long (they wern't my pickles (they were our mutual friend's pickles (he is Jewish, do Jewish people like little pickles more?))) So we repeated the process only turning the knob to a lower number from the inital number. And the pickles glowed (and smelled rancid simultaneously).

Please excuse the use of a Part 2. I felt the story needed a bit of artificial climaxation. Thank you.