First "boot" in 15 years

DrewP · 23rd January 2010, 08:25 AM

FWIW, I used to be an electrician in Australia where we have 240v mains.

Today I was changing some power outlets at home, had turned off all the power circuits in the house at the meter board and "assumed" (nuff said) that the power socket I was working on near our stove top would no longer be live.

Shoved an uninsulated screw driver into the screw terminal for the active wire and "zammo" got a boot in the right hand. (socket must take feed from the oven or a lighting circuit, don't know, I just killed the main switch and every other breaker in the place to make double sure)

I ought to know better!

Kids, no matter what your experience, CHECK with a meter before you touch anything at 100V or above.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!

A 4 year old should not have to grow up without a dad because he was dumb.

sulcorebutia · 23rd January 2010, 01:48 PM

Yes it is true
always check before working on any mains.

Loren42 · 23rd January 2010, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrewP

FWIW, I used to be an electrician in Australia where we have 240v mains.

Today I was changing some power outlets at home, had turned off all the power circuits in the house at the meter board and "assumed" (nuff said) that the power socket I was working on near our stove top would no longer be live.

Shoved an uninsulated screw driver into the screw terminal for the active wire and "zammo" got a boot in the right hand. (socket must take feed from the oven or a lighting circuit, don't know, I just killed the main switch and every other breaker in the place to make double sure)

I ought to know better!

Kids, no matter what your experience, CHECK with a meter before you touch anything at 100V or above.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!

A 4 year old should not have to grow up without a dad because he was dumb.

WOW! Glad you are okay. Well, how do you feel?

It is a good idea to see a doctor anyway when poked with 240 VAC. In fact, I strongly urge that you do so.

This is because your heart can and may have sustained damaged by that impulse and you are at increased risk for cardiac arrest after the incident.

I say this because my girlfriend, whom I just consulted, is a paramedic and I have my share of premed studies under my belt. So I speak with some knowledge on the subject.

240 VAC is nothing to sneeze at. The good news is that it was your right hand, which gives you a little more protection, but not much.

Please see a doctor, particularly if you feel at all uneasy or exhibit any cardiac symptoms.

Triode Kingdom · 23rd January 2010, 06:55 PM

Glad you're OK! I think this is also a good reason not to use uninsulated tools. Reminds me of the time I jammed a metal tube extractor into the fins of a 4CX250 in a 1/4 KW transmitter. Unknown to me, the discharge stick was NG, and I got walloped with a 2,000V power supply charge. Threw me across the room. Measure first, measure first, measure first...

DrewP · 23rd January 2010, 08:01 PM

After 20 years playing with electricity this is boot number 3 I think. Fortunately all of them have been the "kick" type rather than the "grab on" type.

There's a lot to be said for rubber soled shoes and not earthing your other hand when working on stuff, but it's still not a pleasant experience.

DHT112A · 24th January 2010, 04:05 AM

You are 240 to ground there?

DrewP · 24th January 2010, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DHT112A

You are 240 to ground there?

Yup, as opposed to the 110 that you guys are.

Makes a difference in how it feels I'm told. (and how well it jumps insulation)

Our domestic outlets are 10A limited for a full power draw of 2400W. Industrial and oven sockets can be 15 or 20A, but standard domestic wall outlets are 10A.

DHT112A · 24th January 2010, 04:40 AM

Our standard sockets are 20amp so the wattage is close but 240v ouch.

DrewP · 24th January 2010, 05:26 AM

Last time I know that it left me feeling nauseous, this time I was just sore in the hand and wrist.

jechentau · 24th January 2010, 06:19 AM

i once was messing with wires in a room where once a lamp hanged, but only (dead supposedly) wires remaining, twisted, and ends stripped to mount to such wire connection block, and since that was long ago (even old colorcoding, likely from mains came here first in the 1950s) those ends were oxidized already.

i grab a wire with each hand, to untwist, and feel a slight(!) tingling. i let go.
i pick a bulb somewhere and hold it to the wires and sure enough it shines full power.
i guess i picked well insulated bit of old oxidized copper or such, or otherwise that the wires had a break a bit up, which only fully connected when i already had let go,
or afterwards when i folded the plastic insulated bits of wire, so the ends would connect to the bare bulb correctly (which did not have trouble with the copper oxidation btw).

anyway now there is light in that room again happily after ;p

23rd January 2010, 08:25 AM	#1
DrewP diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canberra, Australia	First "boot" in 15 years FWIW, I used to be an electrician in Australia where we have 240v mains. Today I was changing some power outlets at home, had turned off all the power circuits in the house at the meter board and "assumed" (nuff said) that the power socket I was working on near our stove top would no longer be live. Shoved an uninsulated screw driver into the screw terminal for the active wire and "zammo" got a boot in the right hand. (socket must take feed from the oven or a lighting circuit, don't know, I just killed the main switch and every other breaker in the place to make double sure) I ought to know better! Kids, no matter what your experience, CHECK with a meter before you touch anything at 100V or above. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! A 4 year old should not have to grow up without a dad because he was dumb.

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23rd January 2010, 01:48 PM	#2
sulcorebutia diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2009	Yes it is true always check before working on any mains.

23rd January 2010, 06:55 PM	#4
Triode Kingdom Account Disabled Join Date: Jan 2010	Glad you're OK! I think this is also a good reason not to use uninsulated tools. Reminds me of the time I jammed a metal tube extractor into the fins of a 4CX250 in a 1/4 KW transmitter. Unknown to me, the discharge stick was NG, and I got walloped with a 2,000V power supply charge. Threw me across the room. Measure first, measure first, measure first...

23rd January 2010, 08:01 PM	#5
DrewP diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canberra, Australia	After 20 years playing with electricity this is boot number 3 I think. Fortunately all of them have been the "kick" type rather than the "grab on" type. There's a lot to be said for rubber soled shoes and not earthing your other hand when working on stuff, but it's still not a pleasant experience.

24th January 2010, 04:05 AM	#6
DHT112A diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tacoma , WA	You are 240 to ground there?

24th January 2010, 04:40 AM	#8
DHT112A diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tacoma , WA	Our standard sockets are 20amp so the wattage is close but 240v ouch.

24th January 2010, 05:26 AM	#9
DrewP diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canberra, Australia	Last time I know that it left me feeling nauseous, this time I was just sore in the hand and wrist.

24th January 2010, 06:19 AM	#10
jechentau diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Gelderland	i once was messing with wires in a room where once a lamp hanged, but only (dead supposedly) wires remaining, twisted, and ends stripped to mount to such wire connection block, and since that was long ago (even old colorcoding, likely from mains came here first in the 1950s) those ends were oxidized already. i grab a wire with each hand, to untwist, and feel a slight(!) tingling. i let go. i pick a bulb somewhere and hold it to the wires and sure enough it shines full power. i guess i picked well insulated bit of old oxidized copper or such, or otherwise that the wires had a break a bit up, which only fully connected when i already had let go, or afterwards when i folded the plastic insulated bits of wire, so the ends would connect to the bare bulb correctly (which did not have trouble with the copper oxidation btw). anyway now there is light in that room again happily after ;p

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