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

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

Post by Tonegeek »

Its the third time on this build. I was unclipping a test lead from the V1a filter cap and WHAMo! Damn Radio Shack cheap ass clip. one strand of wire was poking out of the connection between the clip and the wire. Fortunately the current went through the same hand which was touching the chassis. I got shocked last week by the same test clip and thought I had it fixed but it got me again. Better to use the molded clips. My hand still smarts after an hour. I will be inspecting all my test clips now...
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Andy Le Blanc
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by Andy Le Blanc »

I got knocked real good in the past year, don't make any assumptions.
I've a wood bench and wood floors, a very old PT failed but the circuit completed
itself through the grounded case of the power strip thats across the front of my bench.
No fun getting blasted, especially when it really does bite you in the arse.
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M Fowler
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by M Fowler »

This is a good thread for not only newbies to read but all of us to remember to drain those caps and for ToneGeek to repair his cap stick. :D
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Colossal
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by Colossal »

M Fowler wrote:This is a good thread for not only newbies to read but all of us to remember to drain those caps and for ToneGeek to repair his cap stick. :D
Agreed Mark! As a safety precaution, I include bleeder resistors in every power supply so the caps bleed to ground after powering down. I still measure the voltage on the PS caps regardless to make sure they have drained down before diving into the amp.

That said, I blasted myself <i>really</i> well a couple of years back. It was a helluva surprise and felt (and even sounded...if that makes sense to those who have also had the not-so-fun experience of shocking the &$%@ out of themselves ;-)) like being in a small car wreck. I had it coming, being too cavalier about what I was doing. I am doubly careful now, have a plan and execute it...carefully, slowly and methodically (as applicable). As many of you have said, it's not if...but a matter of <i>when</i> you get hit. The trick is not to kill yourself when it does happen :lol:
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Structo
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by Structo »

Man I hate getting shocked!

I got it good about six months ago in my right hand.
Stupid mistake but that's all it takes, a moment of carelessness.

Be Safe!
Tom

Don't let that smoke out!
dcribbs1412
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by dcribbs1412 »

Colossal said:
I still measure the voltage on the PS caps regardless to make sure they have drained down before diving into the amp.
this is smart advise and I practice this after burning a small hole in my finger
and feeling the shock up to my shoulder not to mention the numbness in my
arm for a while...(took a few beers to shake that one off :lol: )

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger/wiser :wink:
Alexo
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by Alexo »

Been there!

I've never been shocked when my guard was up - it's easy to be vigilant when you're determined to be vigilant. The hard part is being vigilant in situations that don't present themselves as being dangerous, like:

Replacing the fuse on an amp before unplugging it (ouch!)

Fiddling around in an unplugged amp that HAS A BLEEDER RESISTOR but it slipped your mind that when you had that pot jumpered in to experiment with B+ voltages - and then disconnected it - you had disconnected a few filter caps from the bleeder resistor too - ouch again!

When you're playing guitar and you absentmindedly reach over and check the temp on a metal tube whose shell is accidentally tied to B+. Yeeeouch!

When you have a metal 6L6 in your old Hickock tube tester and the designers, unbeknown to you, used that shell pin as a tie point.

...and of course, some old amps will shock you before you can even take a screwdriver to them. Rumor has it that a failed death cap on the PA is responsible for James Brown's infamous "Ow!" :wink:

Always be on guard!!
Life is a tale told by an idiot -- full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

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Bob S
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Shocking

Post by Bob S »

Don't even think removing the tubes and tightening up tube sockets before checking the ps caps are drained... :roll:
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Bob-I
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by Bob-I »

Ppffst... that's nuffin. What're ya talking about here? 500V at 2-3 ma... nuffin.

25 years ago I worked repairing computer equipment. Sitting on a rolling stool at my workbench I drained a CRT Anode using a clip lead then grabbed the connector with my hand and pulled it off... WHAM... I was sitting 15 feet away having rolled across the floor on my stool. My co-worker looked at me, shook his head and rolled me back to my bench, then showed me the other end of the clip lead, NOT GROUNDED... :oops:

That was at least 1500V and I'm just fine, I have this little twitch occasionally but otherwise just fine.
Drumslinger
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by Drumslinger »

Colossal wrote: I still measure the voltage on the PS caps regardless to make sure they have drained down before diving into the amp.
I go by this all the time. I even have a list in bold lettering in front of my bench with a routine before I dive into the amp. Check and double check.
Alexo
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by Alexo »

Bob-I wrote:Ppffst... that's nuffin. What're ya talking about here? 500V at 2-3 ma... nuffin.

25 years ago I worked repairing computer equipment. Sitting on a rolling stool at my workbench I drained a CRT Anode using a clip lead then grabbed the connector with my hand and pulled it off... WHAM... I was sitting 15 feet away having rolled across the floor on my stool. My co-worker looked at me, shook his head and rolled me back to my bench, then showed me the other end of the clip lead, NOT GROUNDED... :oops:

That was at least 1500V and I'm just fine, I have this little twitch occasionally but otherwise just fine.
Good story, and I've heard similar... always makes me wonder though, what is it about an electrical discharge that throws someone across the room? How does the energy get directed this way? Is it just involuntary muscle contractions, or rapid expansion of air, heated by the mini lightning storm you're creating? ..?
Life is a tale told by an idiot -- full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

...in other words: rock and roll!
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M Fowler
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by M Fowler »

Well there is also the Oh Shit factor in all this :)
marcoloco961
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by marcoloco961 »

Alexo wrote:
Bob-I wrote:Ppffst... that's nuffin. What're ya talking about here? 500V at 2-3 ma... nuffin.

25 years ago I worked repairing computer equipment. Sitting on a rolling stool at my workbench I drained a CRT Anode using a clip lead then grabbed the connector with my hand and pulled it off... WHAM... I was sitting 15 feet away having rolled across the floor on my stool. My co-worker looked at me, shook his head and rolled me back to my bench, then showed me the other end of the clip lead, NOT GROUNDED... :oops:

That was at least 1500V and I'm just fine, I have this little twitch occasionally but otherwise just fine.
Good story, and I've heard similar... always makes me wonder though, what is it about an electrical discharge that throws someone across the room? How does the energy get directed this way? Is it just involuntary muscle contractions, or rapid expansion of air, heated by the mini lightning storm you're creating? ..?
I'm betting on the muscle contraction theory... :shock: The old tube TV's had a flyback transformer, originally named for the current it used. Later named the same due to the effect it had on the repairman who grabbed a hot lead from the flyback...LOL
alanp
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Re: Shocked the ^&^$%#$# out of myself!

Post by alanp »

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

Post by JamesHealey »

I've had numerous shocks probably about 10 or so in my life none are fun. All have been mains with the amp off I'll remember to drain the caps but leave the mains plugged
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