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this why most people should defiantly consult an electrician if they don't know what they are doing. defiantly a scary thought!!

I was told in school it take less that 1/10 of an amp to stop your heart.

I got stuck once, went in left hand and out right hand and arm, ended up with an exit wound on right hand and mild burns on right arm. The scariest and most painful thing I have ever experienced. Not being able to scream or move, the only thing I think that saved me was the fact I was crouched in an awkward position and eventually fell backwards. No idea of how long I was stuck but it felt like forever. Many blood tests over a few days and heart monitoring I was lucky. Electricity scares me even years later, not sure if that is good or bad, but I am sure careful around it. There was a nosy store manager that came on the roof just before that had no idea of what was happening or what to do, even after I laid on the roof in the fetal position.

Originally Posted by hearthman

There is a lot more to electrocution but this is a start. For one, different forms of electricity may or may not induce ventricular fibrillation in the heart, which is where you drop and hope someone starts CPR as another runs for an Automatic External Defibrillator or AED. BTW, defibrillation is usually 200-360 joules or watt seconds of dc countershock.

If you survive, you may still go into renal failure 3-5 days later as the myoglobin in your blood clogs your kidneys. Ever noticed that brown jelly-like stuff when you fry a bloody steak? That's what your myoglobin looks like in your bloodstream after an electrical shock.

Thanks for the reminder Bob!

Originally Posted by Johnny651

Arc flash anyone?

Yep . Been there , done that . Did not get a TT-Shirt . :-(

God bless
Wyr

Arc flash anyone?

And do not forget: When working with anything electrical--even a 24V control circuit of a residential system--One's feet must be dry.

Standing in water is a guaranteed way to multiply the effects of electricity.

Do not play with either volts or amps , intending to find out .

I have made some mistakes ( usually stupid mistakes ) , that only by the Grace of God am I here to admit to .

God bless
Wyr

Originally Posted by deerwhistle

The potential you build up by simply walking on carpeting ranges from 12,000 to 20,000 volts. This is why your cat doesn't like you, touching his nose is only funny to one of you.

I think the point the OP was asking about was the difference between voltage and current in terms of lethality.

I once worked on TV's at a service bench. I can tell you that a human can be exposed to the same voltage that is available on a typical utility feeder atop a tall pole: about 34 kv. The difference that allows me to be here typing this post today is the comparatively low current associated with that voltage exposure.

Basically, current does three potentially deadly things, when there is sufficient amount of it, applied to the right place in the body:

1) Burning. Just like those electric hod dog cookers that passed a current through the wiener to cook it. Yep. The myoglobin DOES look that that brown stuff!!!

2) Cardiac signal problems. The heart has electrical signals that are easily overridden by currents. That's how those paddles work when they shout "CLEAR!"

3) Muscular contraction. This is a step above #2 when it comes to the heart, as enough current through the heat muscle prevents any meaningful movement while the current is applied. This does not happen in most cases. It can also prevent breathing and the ability to "let go" of an energized conductor.

These are current events. If the current cannot rise beyond a few milliamps (unless applied directly to the chest) you are usually not dead or dying.

Does that help?

The potential you build up by simply walking on carpeting ranges from 12,000 to 20,000 volts. This is why your cat doesn't like you, touching his nose is only funny to one of you.

Originally Posted by timebuilder

Attachment 357191

Here is the pdf of the report after the accident.


Check out the pictures.

Holy crap! there is some power in that.. wow

Attachment 357191

Here is the pdf of the report after the accident.


Check out the pictures.

They jumped around safeties. The maintenance staff was not trained for boiler maintenance.

I have a report at home I will share.

Originally Posted by Cooked

Volts are the EMF that facilitates current flow. Thank you for an informative video which, as a person with a minor in electrical engineering, served as a reminder.

I've got a really important question to ask you hearthman. About a year and a half ago there was post on this site about a boiler explosion in either Kentucky or Tennessee that occurred at a small factory. I think either you or timebuilder posted it, do you remember where and what?

I've got a presentation to make and would love to find this. My searches on here and google have been fruitless.

Also, as well, if you guys are interested in the effects of current I urge you to research and study Thevinins Equivalent and Superposition Theory and the related algebra needed to describe it.

Thanks again for posting something extremely relevant.

Robert

Yes we watched video of this explosion and pictures of damage. Wish i remembered were it was. I remimber they replaced manual resets with auto resets and other issues. The damage done to the wall and bridge was amazing.

I will try and find that for you tonight.

Volts are the EMF that facilitates current flow. Thank you for an informative video which, as a person with a minor in electrical engineering, served as a reminder.

I've got a really important question to ask you hearthman. About a year and a half ago there was post on this site about a boiler explosion in either Kentucky or Tennessee that occurred at a small factory. I think either you or timebuilder posted it, do you remember where and what?

I've got a presentation to make and would love to find this. My searches on here and google have been fruitless.

Also, as well, if you guys are interested in the effects of current I urge you to research and study Thevinins Equivalent and Superposition Theory and the related algebra needed to describe it.

Thanks again for posting something extremely relevant.

Robert

Originally Posted by timebuilder

But, I generally take precautions to keep that from happening.

Dont we all

Actually, that video frame shown on the embedded youtube vid with the arrow pointing to the anode is not labeled correctly.

I took 29,000 from a cathode ray tube anode driver circuit in 1995.

Reports of my death are highly exaggerated.

I can tell you this: it WAS painful.

Now, had the conditions been correct, I COULD HAVE assumed room temperature.

But, I generally take precautions to keep that from happening.

This is a topic for tourists.

I say the amps kill you, the volts give it reach. In other words, the higher the volts the further from it you need to be to stay safe.
Fwiw, an arc blast can be hotter than the sun, and copper expands 65,000 times when it vaporizes in the arc.