Can you get a shock from a 230v supply?

[david911cockburn]

Hi All,

Is it possible to receive an electric shock from a 230v mains supply?

Or do you have to also be in simultaneous contact with a neutral circuit conductor or an earth conductor?

 

[bernardgreen]

To get a significant shock there has to be two (or more) points of contact with the body and these points of contact must be at different potentials to each other.


Birds can perch on 11kV over head cables because both feet are on the same wire and therefor at the same potential.

 

[david911cockburn]

Hello again bernard it's been a long time,

I thought the answer would be something like that.

I've just spent quite a long time getting to the bottom of why there is so much confusion over earthing and the issue of whether or not you can get a shock from 230v is about 50% of the problem, the people who have written the 17th Edition don't/didn't believe it's possible to get a shock at all from such a small supply voltage!

Can you define 'significant' because as little as 2mA can in truth be fatal if the duration of the shock is long enough, the subject of bonding verses RCD's is all about duration really.

 

[dhutch]

In my experience touching one phase is more than enough for it to hurt! And equally, people die putting a 9v battery on there tongue.


Daniel

 

[Chri5]

In my experience touching one phase is more than enough for it to hurt! And equally, people die putting a 9v battery on there tongue.


Daniel

Can you support that statement, where's the "news story"- I'm a cynic..

 

[dhutch]

Can you support that statement, where's the "news story"- I'm a cynic..

Well who knows, the point really is diffrent things effect diffrent people diffrently but taking risks isnt a great idea.

Daniel

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[dhutch]

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But im hungry and Chris might be too....

But no, back to topic, most people, standing on most floors, will get a shock from touching a single phase. And some people, on some floors, may get enough for it to be fatal, although if the circuit is protected with a 30mA rcd, the rcd should trip before it becomes fatal.

I know someone whos electrian apprently used to test for live with his fingar, running it along the busbars till he found the dead one, but afaik this is rare!


Daniel

 

[SaladFingers]

Now, there's a helpful post.

 

[dhutch]

Now, there's a helpful post.

On a par with your own! (and some would say, this one)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

SF - I suggest you do a bit of research:

//www.diynot.com/search/forum-author.php?search=david911cockburn

But perhaps you should start here:

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=228045&start=0

and here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Illustrated...1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1275373005&sr=1-1-fkmr0


He's also got a fantastic body of work on the IET forum....

 

[EFLImpudence]

He's also got a fantastic body of work on the IET forum....

And yesterday excluded from another place.

 

[EFLImpudence]

It could be entertaining to watch Mr.Cockburn and Salad having a long intercourse.

The floor is yours.

 

[westie101]

3In answer to the original question
Yes and No

 

[Spark123]

Maybe we'll get a mention in his new book, "Electric shocks and why the IET don't know what they are talking about"