The AM Forum

It bears repeating over and over again; never underestimate the lightning that lurketh in the clouds, wires, capacitors, etc. Here is another way one can get zapped...

My bride Dr. Sheri, K4SMN, as a new nurse years ago, was grasping an IV bag when a patient coded and had to be shocked with the paddles. Sheri was capacitively coupled to the patient via the plastic bag/tubing and the saline solution within (a very good conductor). The jolt knocked her on her a** and caused heart irregularities, resulting in her being off from work for 3 days after examination by a nearby doc.

Ever wonder why the person with the paddles yells "CLEAR!!!" before pressing the button?

Personally, I don't work on this stuff when I am tired. Tiredness makes one forgetful. Forgetfulness can kill you. One doesn't get many second chances when tangling with Zeus.

Philip

And, during periods of low humidity, don't shuffle across the carpet and then touch the dog's nose.

And lets not forget  ECT.


klx

...and then they'll never come to you again if you call!

You raise a very good point.  The people that I have know that got electrocuted were not novices to working on this type of gear, but rather very aware of the dangers.  Sometimes one gets over confident and then starts taking shortcuts and that's when tragedy strikes.  Not only does it happen in our field, but with boaters, pilots, and other areas where risk are present.  Things can be inherently safe if the margins are now chewed up.  Once you eliminate safeguards you loose the margins and the result is usually disastrous.

Joe, GMS 

Interlocks.

Jesus sticks.

One hand in pocket.

'ON' indicators.

'OFF' indicators.

eTc.

73DG

yep, I learned a hard lesson 10 or so years ago when starting the 813 rig. Got the plate supply built. Powered it down and thinking it was discharged, it was not. I got the palm of my hand and thumb across a filter cap and chassis. It was not discharged. The bleeders were insufficient.  I did not end up with heart palpitations but my arm hurt like heck and my thumb was burned. It got infected deep down inside and had to have surgery to clean it.  Based on discharge time I estimated about 1800V.

Another time with lightning, got hit in the chin while on the landline. A few years ago took a jolt from an approaching T-storm was leaning up against the garage door rail. A nearby strike woke me up. didn't knock me down.  Felt like touching a spark plug. 

Getting angry when working on HV can be a killer.   Many of us lose our good sense for a minute and do stupid thangs. It has happened to me.  It's like a quick "I don't give a crap" suicidal flash.


Reminds me of the corny Kung Fu movies when a guy gets hit by his opponent. He goes into a rage and wildly attacks again, only to get knocked out... ;D

T

And dont pee in the back yard, or off the tower when there is a storm not too far away ;D

I got a good jolt once off a Beverage when I could barely hear thunder way off and not a cloud in the sky.

Carl

Don't pee on farm fences.
I mean the hedge row with a few bushes may look secluded, but a fence may be lurking.
..a charged fence.


The voice of experience.
Exeunt.

"Don't pee on farm fences"

A friend of mine had a doberman who  'pissed' on the yew bushes near his front entrance.  He also had a deer problem with the yews. So watt he did was to run part of his 'lectric fence around the yews. In order to complete the circuit, he ran the wire under the threshold of the front door. What he didn't account for was the aluminum flashing and the metal door & frame. The dog was cured from pissing on the plants. My friend found out about induction. Fun times Mitch.

klc

Its funny how you can "feel" your fillings in yer tooth.

In my electronic past there were some shocks, thankfully nothing over a couple hundred DC volts.
I went in for a carpal tunnel exam and the tech really felt bad the way I was literally jumping out of the chair as he sent "Voltages"...down my arm. Electrodiagnostic tests. ouch!
Evil
Fred

He was secretly trying to cure you of hamophobia.  ;D

" carpal tunnel exam and the tech"

I asked the tech a few questions relating to voltage, current, waveshape. I got lots of dumb looks and a " it won't hurt you."

 Later, after the co-pay

The Doc said that, " the results were atypical, but you don't have CTS." 
Then, "What do I have?? "
"I don't know."
"How were the results atypical?"
"They were diferent."

WTA,

KLC