How many of you have had 240v shocks before?

[SteNova]

only one for me, unplugging atari plug in transformer, top came off it, fingers onto exposed transformer, burn on thumb and fore finger, i was 8 lol

i'm forever finding damaged ones in work after learning that lesson, they are much better than they used to be when they had just one screw in the back and loads of air space for crushing

 

[Spark123]

I've had a few, the one that sticks in my mind is changing a fluoro. Pulled fuse, tested dead, disconnected fluoro, touched one of the black wires and got bitten by a shared neutral.
In the last 10 years I have only had 3 memorable belts, one was from a 24v DC system but I was lying on an earthed metal surface and covered in sweat. Another was reaching into a panel not remembering there was 110v on the back of an adjacent PCB.
Last was up a ladder changing a light but was only quick to the back of the hand (old mans test!!)

 

[radioredcat]

Had a few 240 ac and ~90vdc, but worst was stripping a 24v cable with my teeth whilst forehead on metalwork. Quick flash of white via eyes. lol.

When i was young i was always tinkering with tv,s/radios anyway my brother said his guitar amp was not working so i had a look and no mains to the switch.

The fuse in the plug was ok so i thought the mains lead is O/C probably where the gland is so i cut a few inches off the end and then started stripping the insulation on the live wire.

It was then i froze solid because i saw a plug in the switchless socket and the lead from that plug was in my mouth and my eyes were on stalks.

I had forgotten to unplug the amp the lead had broken somewhere in the middle so i did what i should have done in the first place replace the lead with a new one.

I never did anything like that again fortunately and i am still here but it could have been fatal.

I have had a shock off a plug that someone had used fuse wire instead of a cartridge fuse and the end sticking out.

Andy

 

[skotl]

I've had three, all as a boy, but only one, I think, was absolutely my fault. So far, touch rubber-coated wood, none as an adult.

The first was when I was about six and was given a 3V Airfix motor. I didn't have any batteries and thought "well, I'll just wrap the wires to the plug and, hey, it'll go faster than normal but what else could happen? ".
I suspect that I assumed that the big pin was important and so wrapped one wire round that. I also guess that my 50/50 option on the other two I must have picked the live. So, big flash, much blackness around the wallsocket and my palm, which meant I couldn't deny it to my dad.

The next was when I was a few years older and was knelt down plugging something in that did not have sheathed pins. Must have had my finger brushing the live pin when I was thrown across the room and landed on my back. Tingling hand and bl**dy sore back for a few days.

The final one was at me old Grandad's. My dad told me to plug in the mower which, I think, had a relatively modern (30 years ago!) plastic plug, sheathed pins, the lot. But, when I plugged it in I got a distinct tingle in my fingers (similar to when I take my laptop into the bath ). I complained to my dad and he said "don't be stupid - it's a plastic plug with sheathed pins - it's impossible to get a shock off it!".
So I tried again and got the same result. To my dad's consternation, I got a screwdriver and opened the plug up and discovered that the multi-strand live connection had a wayward strand that had been trapped in the plug case and just had the tip protruding from the side of the case...

 

[Alarm]

Working on a kitchen and had not locked off the CU.
M8 turned on the breaker and bingo, I had a little dance around the kitchen.

 

[martinxxxxxx]

Working on a kitchen and had not locked off the CU.
M8 turned on the breaker and bingo, I had a little dance around the kitchen.

Your mate is not a mate, doing that.

If it is turned off (and you did not turn it off, it would be polite to go have a look round the area it controls and see what is going on especially on a worksite when you know other people may be working on the electrics.

 

[chivers67]

When I was 14 I changed a standard ceiling rose bulb holder that was broken and got a belt. I soon realised that celing roses wired up slightly different than I thought they'd be.

Had several at 50 volts d.c when I worked on an M.D.F. for BT and although it doesn't sound much they hurt and sometimes you'd get a belt off the 80v a.c. ringing voltage

 

[mattylad]

When I was younger I was asked to adjust the output voltage on a CB psu up a little when at a mates, I carried a small pack of tools with me then so promptly sat on a bed, opened it and turned the pot a little (had no meter - its was guesswork) when the twonk plugged it in.

The screwdriver ended up stuck in his ceiling.

Thatw as the last time I ever used a non insulated screwdriver around anything with mains in it and the last time I remember that I got a shock.