Post your Horror stories of getting lit up by Filter Caps anyone?

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I learned that Sears will not honor the "lifetime warantee" on a Craftsman screwdriver when you slip in the breaker box (hot to metal case) and blow about an inch off the end. I used up its "lifetime."

I discharged 2x 50uF capacitors last night that were charged to 450vDC with a screwdriver...

My ears rung for 10 seconds later....

This has great relevance: Fifth Element - Big Bada Boom - YouTube
 
I was in Orlando last weekend for the hamfest. I went to visit an old friend who was the owner of the 5 Kilowatt transmitter mentioned in post #30. He brought out an old photo album and there it was....the 5KW transmitter with me sticking things into its guts. Note the 3 phase power supply schematic on the top of the rack.

I took phone pictures of his 35+ year old faded prints. There was also a Polaroid B&W of a 1 Kilowatt transmitter in a 1974 Plymouth Road Runner. I am the guy in the shadows holding up a flourescent light tube which is glowing from the radiated RF no wires attached.
 

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I failed to pay attention to the voltage rating once. As a consequence, I was reminded that it matters.

It was a small cap, but it served as a good warning. I read one account of a person debugging a smps, who was seriously injured, and a suggestion that plexiglass shields should be used when appropriate.

Another thing I thought of was many benches, and the surrounding area, seem to collect all sorts of combustables, like paper towels, solvents, etc. These should be removed and placed far away, and a small ABC fire extinguisher should also be present--in any situation involving open electronics or heat sources (e.g. soldering iron), in my opinion.
 
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