Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

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KellyBass
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by KellyBass »

That's cool, Tom. Thanks for sharing. I'm gonna implement this on a current build.

A discussion of bleeder resistors is always a good thing.
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flood
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by flood »

i've made it a point to use a bleeder resistor on EVERY amp i build now. no bleeder, no power up. got shocked (by AC though) a couple of times, didn't enjoy it at all.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am Animal Factory Amplification.
Andy Le Blanc
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by Andy Le Blanc »

Bleeders are good thing, setting up a little current flow goes a long way to
provide better regulation in a PS, as well as preventing surprises.
lazymaryamps
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billyz
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by billyz »

That is one reason I do not like to work on amps while someone else is around. I cannot carry on a conversation and chew gum at the same time. It always happens when I am distracted.
jmohr58
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by jmohr58 »

alanp wrote:I've been told the way to grab an electric fence to test it is with the back of your hand -- use the front, and your hand will automatically contract if it is live, around the wire.
The "Farm Boy" method is to take a long blade of GREEN grass, hold it at one end between your fingers, lay the other end of it over the electric fence wire so it is at the opposite end of blade of grass, then start moving the other end you are holding closer to the wire.
(It is important that the grass is green and full of moisture and makes constant contact with the wire.) It is like a variable resistor or rheostat, as you get closer to the wire with your hand you should start feeling the pulse of the fencer unit mildly. The closer you get the stronger the pulse of electricity gets.
Or if you were a devious country boy, and a visiting city boy was around, get him to pee on the wire.
This method would:
1. Give you a loud audible alert that the electric fencer was turned on!
2. Give the city boy an important lesson in electricity! That is the more impurities in water, the better the conductor it makes.
3. And some good exercise, from the city boy, once he regained the ability to chase you.
And I can assure you, you would never be able to get that specific city boy to pee on an electric fence ever again!
The blade of grass trick really works.
I never did this second method to anyone, but my older brother did.
I don't think the poor city kid was ever the same after that!
Andy Le Blanc
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by Andy Le Blanc »

the farmer next door to me just plugs his fence in to the 120 ac,
see it siting there sizzling in the high grass, don't want to even stand near it

High tension AC is no joke, take precautions, practice safety...

I found a bad PT the hard way a couple seasons back, woke up on my back
it threw me a yard or so, I made an assumption and scabbed up a two wire ac cord

Third wire is a life saver, if the ground is know good.

bleeders make for a better PS and help keep you safe.

make sure the unit is unplugged for service, make sure the PS caps are discharged.

Make sure you take measurements safely, it only takes one assumption
to be the last assumption...
lazymaryamps
jmohr58
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by jmohr58 »

I knew of a cop in a small town I lived in about 15 years ago that did the same thing in his back yard to keep his dog in the fence. He electrocuted his dog. But small town cop, and a dog back then, no one said anything about it.
I am not sure about the city or state regulations but this should be illegal.
All it takes is for some kid to grab ahold of the wire with his hand, his hand muscles will contract around the wire and he will be stuck, he won't be able to let go. It will not be a good situation all the way around. The parents will be having a funeral for the child.
At least with a fencer unit, it sends a low current high voltage signal thru the wire for approx 1 or 2 seconds then cancels the signal for one or two seconds then repeats. (The units back then where ajustable as far as time on and off and voltage level, but I'm pretty sure the current was fixed at a safe non-lethal level.)
This allows you and/or any animals that comes in contact to get a jolt then get away, and if you were to grab the wire with your hand when the pulse stops you can break free of the wire. Plus the amperes are very low.
Where I grew up in the country I don't know of any farmer who didn't use properly maintained fencer units. Cheaper and safer than killing someone or your livestock. Even if one of your cows got somehow tangled in the fence wire it would survive. Wouldn't be happy about it but it would live.
Not so with your next door farmer. He probably won't care until he is on the 6 Oclock News in a special report. And sitting in a jail cell.
Yes, I agree with you. I wouldn't go anywhere near it, especially if its raining or has rained recently. Not even on a dry day. Less than half an amp can kill you and he's feeding probably the normal 15 Amp circuit off the breaker panel.
Does he even have a warning sign posted every say 25 to 50 feet around the perimeter of his death trap?
Please be careful and I hope you don't have kids nearby.
And good advise, be vigilante and careful.
Shouldn't have to tell the folks here that deal with high voltage tube amps on a daily basis.
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