Oh man, I don't think I can even come close to counting the number of times I've been shocked, it's embaressing. First time was on a weedwhacker plug that had come partially out from the extension cord. I was probably about 8 or 10 and didn't even know that I'd been shocked until later.

I've probably been shocked 4 times mucking about with live 120V receptacles without their covers. You'd think I'd learn, but noooo, I'm always TOO CAREFUL to bother with that! It's all been one-hand shocks though, and has never been more than an unpleasant tingle.

The worst shock wasn't even my fault, was a manufacturing defect on a Delta table saw- the assembler had driven a screw holding the power cutoff switch directly through the black wire coming in off the cord. I used it for over a year without noticing, then zapped myself twice- first time I was pretty sure was a shock but had no idea where it came from- I mean, the whole thing is plastic, how could I get shocked from that? Second time hurt like a bitch though, and I frisked that mofo with my multimeter until I discovered the problem- that ONE screw on the entire face was hot, and the tilt lever was grounded to the motor casing; I must have been standing ever so slightly different that day where I brushed them both while turning off the saw. Didn't even get so much as an apology from delta, but they did send me a replacement power cord...

I DID take some pictures... is this worthy of a photo discussion thread of its own? I've got a slew more photos:
<IMG SRC=\"http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/2614/delta36560shockcw6.th.jpg\">


My worst injury from from an old motorcycle battery I'd pulled from a dead UPS and jerry-rigged to a small inverter during 8 days without power. I was disassembling it and accidentally shorted out the cell- with a piece of #22 speaker wire! The insulation instantly boiled off the wire, taking a damned long channel of skin along my thumb and forefinger with it [Linked Image]

I'm happy to say I've never been shocked in my professional life, which is good because 120V is dangerous enough- I sure as hell don't want to become a 480V conductor!

[This message has been edited by SteveFehr (edited 08-16-2006).]