I got shocked yesterday - several times

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petersonra

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
Semi-retired engineer
I was checking out a control panel and part of it involved injecting a 4-20mA signal into an analog input. I had my bare inner arm on the SS cabinet and was holding a lead on the signal generator to the terminal on the AIN module. The end of the signal generator lead was an alligator clip so I added an opened up paper clip so I could make contact with the AIN module terminal.

Every time I touched the lead to the AIN module terminal, I felt a tingle on my arm. At first I could not figure out what it was. Eventually I realized I was being shocked. I sustained about a half dozen shocks before I realized what it was.

I can't imagine how tiny the current was going thru my arm. It was a 24V circuit and the AIN module I think is a 50 Ohm input. Had to have been in microamps.
 
Perhaps you should institute a program of gradually increasing the jolts, building up an immunity. You'll be working 480 hot in no time!


(Anyone who believes this, please notify the mods ... so you can be banned, as you can't possibly be an electrical professional!)
 
Twoskinsoneman said:
your a very sensitive man, the women must love you ;)
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WorkSafe said:
Derek,

I thought he had a run in with the police.
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renosteinke said:
Perhaps you should institute a program of gradually increasing the jolts, building up an immunity. You'll be working 480 hot in no time!


(Anyone who believes this, please notify the mods ... so you can be banned, as you can't possibly be an electrical professional!)
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Too funny. Thanks.:):):)
 
jumper said:
I argue with Bob on a daily basis. He is a teddy bear as a member. Mod status means nothing in a code argument, unless you are out of line.

Ain't noboby banning me for good solid code discussion with another member, mod or not.
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I agree. Get something going. It's great spectator sport for the rest of us.
 
its only 24 v

its only 24 v

LEADMAN--- I'll go upstairs and hook up the 24v thermostat xfmr, You go and hook up the stat.

Minutes later helper starts Screamming OUWEEE.


LEADMAN--- what are you crying its only 24v ??? your are a "WIMP" !!!


Helper ------ yea but I was stripping the wire with my TEETH.. :lol:
 
Memorable shocks

Memorable shocks

One of my more memorable shocks was working on a 24V system in the ceiling of a hospital. It was hot and I was sweaty. I got between a section of metal duct-work and the 24V feed and I felt that pretty good.

Not necessarily a wimpy shock. Consider the lower end of a persons body resistance can be as low as 500-1000 ohms.
24V / (1000 + 50) = 23ma.
 
When I read "I got shocked yesterday-several times" all I could think of is the old jokes about folks telling the doctor "this hurts", to which the doctor says "quit doing it"
:D

I have not found it unusual for folks to feel a shock on a 24 volt circuit
especially if they were sweaty and well grounded.
 
augie47 said:
When I read "I got shocked yesterday-several times" all I could think of is the old jokes about folks telling the doctor "this hurts", to which the doctor says "quit doing it"
:D

I have not found it unusual for folks to feel a shock on a 24 volt circuit
especially if they were sweaty and well grounded.
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Working on outside condenser unit in the rain. You learn real quick to remember that the disconnect does not kill the 24 volt control circuit.
 
I got quite a bite from a telephone wire in the crawl space of a business. I was surprised. Mike Holts video on stray voltages says if anyone things 3 volts is nothing they are out of their mind. In a pool it is quite uncomfortable although he did state that no one has died from less than 30V in a dry location. He does not know of a wet location.
 
I took a fall 2 years ago where I sustained some serious (to me) soft tissue damage to my wrist and had physical therapy for about a year after that. Part of it in the beginning was treatment with a TENS unit, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, where they put the little gel pads on and shock you. It supposedly helps to prevent scar tissue build-up on the tendons and ligaments. Being who I am, I had to turn the machine over and read all the nameplate data (while the therapist was out of the room); adjustable 0-40VDC, 0-80ma. When he got back I asked and he said I was at about 20ma at about 20VDC. I could DEFINITELY feel that, but for sh##s and grins I asked him to crank it to max for a few seconds, explaining that I was an EE and was curious about what I shock felt like (I've been hit with 480VAC but I didn't tell him that). I don't know if he really cranked it all the way, but I do know it frickin' HURT! It was every bit as painful as the 480VAC shock I sustained (although it was 20 years ago, so I might have lost some of those brain cells).
 
jumper said:
Working on outside condenser unit in the rain. You learn real quick to remember that the disconnect does not kill the 24 volt control circuit.
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16 volt doorbell pushbutton wires (energized) and brick layer washing brick with help of muratic acid --- sure got his attention when he touched the doorbell wires.
 
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