Metalux recall

[wirebender]

There is a recall of Metalux shop lights #9240 because:

If the two prongs on the plug?s electrical cord are touched simultaneously while the lamps are installed, the light can present an electric shock hazard to consumers.

:-? :-?

http://www.cooperlighting.com/home/quickLinks/shoplightRecallLetter.pdf

Can anyone explain what they are talking about? Of course you will get shocked if you touch the prongs while plugging in the cord on any electrical device.:-?

 

[nakulak]

it didn't say "while plugging in the cord"

 

[wirebender]

So, what's causing the shock?

 

[ItsHot]

electricity

electricity

So, what's causing the shock?

Electricity!!

 

[wirebender]

Thanks.

 

[nakulak]

stray electrons ?:grin:

 

[wwhitney]

There is a recall of Metalux shop lights #9240 because:

"If the two prongs on the plug?s electrical cord are touched simultaneously while the lamps are installed, the light can present an electric shock hazard to consumers."

Can anyone explain what they are talking about?

I read the above sentence to mean that the shock hazard exists even when the unit isn't plugged in. For example, there may be a capacitor that gets charged up when the unit is powered and doesn't discharge when the unit is unplugged.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[mpoulton]

Capacitors!

Capacitors!

Sounds to me like it has an electronic ballast with an input filter capacitor that is not appropriately isolated from the input wiring. Generally there is a diode bridge that prevents the filter capacitor from being able to discharge back out through the input. It is possible, however, to accidentally design such a system so that the filter capacitor voltage (generally 170VDC) appears across the input when power is removed. So, you would unplug the fixture and could get zapped by the male plug for quite some time afterwards. Unlikely to be dangerous, but definitely enough stored energy to be quite surprising.

 

[Rampage_Rick]

but definitely enough stored energy to be quite surprising.

Simply shocking!

 

[George Stolz]

Nine million out of work comedians, and here sit all these fellas trying to be funny on an electrical forum...

Now, I'm off to go call a kettle black...