Martin,

In my opinion, the only thing worse than the kind of DC shock you described 
is the burn you get from an RF signal.

Steve

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Martin G. McCormick" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2013 12:36
Subject: Re: Shocking experiences!


> I got a really good blast from a computer monitor that
> someone brought in to the shop when I was a technician with
> OSU's Audio Visual Center back in the eighties.
>
> The monitor was, for all appearances dead. After all, we
> had plugged it in briefly and there was no indication at all
> that anything happened.
>
> I opened it up and there was a fuse in the power supply
> and I decided to check it.
>
> It was blown but this particular monitor had a rectifier
> and 380-UF electrolytic filter capacitor ahead of the fuse. That
> is very unusual design. The fuse is usually the first thing so
> it protects everything.
>
> In this case, it only protected the electronics after
> the rectifier.
>
> There was no bleeder or if there was, it was on the
> other side of the rectifier and filter.
>
> One end of the fuse was out there and very easy to get
> to and the other end was nestled between a couple of other
> components. I had to slide my test lead down the glass body of
> the fuse to get to the other end cap. Remember that the fuse was
> blown so when I reached that other end cap, I became the fuse.
>
> If you rectify 120 volts, you get about 180 volts peak
> across the capacitor and it hit like a freight train. It was
> like getting hit in the arm with a hammer.
>
> It really got me but didn't do anything more than hurt
> for a while but it could have been lethal. I was in a hurry
> and hurry sickness can be fatal.
>
> Martin
>
> Scott Howell writes:
>> This thread reminds me of when I was in high school and in electronics =
>> class I inadvertently touched this light these guys were working with =
>> and I felt like I had just woke up. I was still standing, but it must =
>> have been one hell of a shock to make me feel like I lost a minute of my 
>> =
>> life. grin
>