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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,749
Member
My first experience early in my career at 13, was when I opened up a neutral in a multiwire branch circuit to replace a ballast.

It felt like I was being kicked in the head by a bull!


Joe Tedesco, NEC Consultant
Arc Flash PPE Clothing, LOTO & Insulated Tools
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,457
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Member
My high school electrical teacher always made the new kids grab a live receptacle. Never do that again!

Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 840
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I was really young, probably around 7 or 8. I was plugging in a night light, my finger slipped and I touched one of the prongs. OUCH!


Peter
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 597
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Member
When I was in 4th Grade, I came into the possession of two refrigerator boxes. I laid them inside the old dirt floored garage out back and over the next few days, kind of moved in. I ran a 2-wire cord from the house out across the cedar fence posts so I could have light. Then there was enough of a rain to dampen the floor and my sleeping bag and I found out that the lampholder's paper isolator didn't always isolate the outer metal body and that the unpolarized plug was in backwards. I can still taste the metal in the back of my mouth from the thru-body jolt I got when I turned the light off that damp night.


Al Hildenbrand
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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First jolt I ever got was at the age of about 4 when I went to "help mommy" unplug the vacuum cleaner, got the plug part way out and put my fingers around the back to get a better grip. Lucky it was just across one hand.

The most severe shock I can recall getting was from a series-chain of fairy lights on the Christmas tree when I was about 13. I was changing a bulb when the holder disintegrated and left me holding the shell of the miniature lampholder in one hand and the wire which had become detached from the center contact in the other. 240V hand to hand -- Ouch! [Linked Image]

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,392
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during my apprecticeship i found out those mini-mag flashlights are great bite sticks
[Linked Image]

Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,148
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When I was about 5, my dad was building us a new house. He had some open sockets and was always telling me not to put my fingers in them. I kept asking why, and he would always tell me that it would hurt. I guess I didn't believe him and I kept asking again and again, he finally said, Donnie, just do it and find out for yourself. I did and it hurt a bit, but didn't keep me from becoming an electrician. When I was about 5, my dad was building us a new house. He had some open sockets and was always telling me not to put my fingers in them. I kept asking why, and he would always tell me that it would hurt. I guess I didn't believe him and I kept asking again and again, he finally said, Donnie, just do it and find out for yourself. I did and it hurt a bit, but didn't keep me from becoming an electrician.
By the way, that is the only house that I've ever been in that was done completely, including the phone lines, in rigid metal conduit. They were replacing all of lighting at the factory where he was maintenance foramen and he bought the conduit that was being removed for scrap metal price. Most of it was full straight sticks of 1/2". It was all bent using the bender in a Rigid Tri-Stand vise and hand threaded.
Don


Don(resqcapt19)
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 324
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I cant count how many times over the years. The worst and most stupid was back when I owned a commercial sound and lighting company some ten years ago. We were working nite shift on a job and it was about 2am and very cold. The truck was parked far away from the work area and I needed my KO kit. I had my hole saws inside with me. Well I crawled up a ladder to make my hole in this LIVE 400a three phase panel. I pulled the conductors in the gutter out of my way and pulled the trigger on the drill. My intentions were to yank the bit out as soon as it went through but that didn't happen. The bit caught some conductors and it blew out of the drill and landed between legs B and C on the line side. Big blue arc... Me on ground... 1200a main tripped... Everybody in the dark.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 141
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Member
I was about 14. I touched the output of a flyback transformer on an old B&W TV. About 6KV. The TV was located in the corner of a room. Almost broke my collar bone! I never really recovered. Still kinda nuts. Kinda nuts. Kinda nuts. I drill and pull and put those twisty things on, throw the switch and everything (well usually everything) comes on. People smile shake my hand and write me a big fat check. Everyone (even my wife tho I don't get much done around the house) love me. Wonder what I'l be when I grow up. Any suggestions?

Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,236
Likes: 1
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12VDC motors will oscillate briefly at 60 Hz when connected to a 120V source, then it explodes.

Hey, I was a preteen and tired of buying batteries!

Never really got hit until I was an apprentice. 240V through my left hand while holding a 250V 20A receptacle as the mechanic turned on all the breakers. This same mechanic (Virginian for "journeyman") was scarred head to toe from dropping a screwdriver into a live meterbase, and was the only electrician I've ever witnessed step through a ceiling. This guy was an accident waiting to happen.


-Virgil
Residential/Commercial Inspector
5 Star Inspections
Member IAEI
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