Audiophile Electrocution


On one of the company-sponsored discussion boards I read (for my brand of speakers), the head of the company is always warning us about power and how dangerous it is and how careful we must be. And we all read a lot of stern warnings about not opening up amps, about household wiring, licensed electricians and what not. I don't want to make light of this of this. But I am curious; do you know of any audiophiles who have been hurt or killed while tinkering with their systems? Have you been zapped?
drubin

Showing 1 response by eldartford

If your fingers are dry and you brush lightly on a 110 volt wire you will only get a little tingle. Old time electricians checked for hot wires with their fingers, and I do the same, but for me only as a verification after I have cut the power. You can kill yourself with 110 volts if you grab firmly on the hot wire with one hand and the ground with the other hand. This puts the current through your chest. An old time safety tip is to keep one hand in your pocket while groping wires with the other one.

Tube circuits, and TV CRTs especially run with very high DC voltages. High voltage can stop your heart even if no serious physical damage is done to tissues. (In the Electric chair, a high voltage pulse is used to knock the criminal out, and then followed with high current to destroy tissue).

Heathkit once sold a Geiger counter kit. There were warnings about the danger of the high voltage in it, but a friend of mine didn't take it seriously because the only power came from four D cell batteries. He almost killed himself.
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