3 ms·

Modern safety features shut it down if current goes into the earth, so the most dangerous is if you touch both wires and are well isolated from the earth. This

by jules 8y ago

Modern safety features shut it down if current goes into the earth, so the most dangerous is if you touch both wires and are well isolated from the earth. This makes you look like a light bulb to the safety features. The other danger is that it sets your house on fire a week after you've "fixed" something. That said, as a kid I played with 230v electrolysis (stupid I know) because my 30v version was too slow. This is basically the worst case scenario: electrodes close to each other + water + combustible gas + potential for sparks + deadly voltage, but the safety system shut the power down immediately when something went wrong.

colanderman 8y ago
> Modern safety features shut it down if current goes into the earth What? No, that's only true for GFCI circuits, which are not the norm in the US (typically only found in bathrooms and kitchens, though the NEC has been slowly expanding the requirements). Touching hot can kill you and the breaker box won't care. Actual safety advice: 1. Buy a current sensor. They're like $5 from Home Depot (speaking of). 2. Turn off the breaker, and make sure it's the right one by using the current sensor. 3. If you're in a situation where you cannot turn off the breaker, wear rubber-soled shoes, and work with one hand and place the other behind your back. (This prevents current from traversing your chest cavity.) 4. Buy a receptacle tester (again, $5) and use it to test your work. 5. If any of the above is not obvious to you, hire an electrician.
- toasterlovin 8y ago
  And, like red, green refactor, make sure the current sensor correctly detects current before you turn off the breaker. Then make sure it detects no current after you turn off the breaker.
- jules 8y ago
  Oh, where I live they were made mandatory something like 50 years ago so I assumed they were standard in every developed country because they cost $30 a piece so why not? Much better life extension value for money than a medical checkup. I wouldn't want to live in a house where every appliance is a potential death trap. They might even pay for themselves purely in cash if they save you an appliance. Mine activated just last week when someone dropped water over the power extender contact and still proceeded to turn it on.
  - colanderman 8y ago
    Ya the US is somewhat behind other countries electrical-safety wise. Another weird thing – all our receptacles are flush, not recessed, so the prongs are still exposed after they've made contact, when the plug is halfway in. This is compounded by the problem that Home Depot still sells, e.g., non-tamper-resistant receptacles. They are no longer code compliant, but they're by far the cheapest and I've no doubt they end up in the homes of tons of DIYers.

by jules 8y ago

colanderman 8y ago

> Modern safety features shut it down if current goes into the earth What? No, that's only true for GFCI circuits, which are not the norm in the US (typically only found in bathrooms and kitchens, though the NEC has been slowly expanding the requirements). Touching hot can kill you and the breaker box won't care. Actual safety advice: 1. Buy a current sensor. They're like $5 from Home Depot (speaking of). 2. Turn off the breaker, and make sure it's the right one by using the current sensor. 3. If you're in a situation where you cannot turn off the breaker, wear rubber-soled shoes, and work with one hand and place the other behind your back. (This prevents current from traversing your chest cavity.) 4. Buy a receptacle tester (again, $5) and use it to test your work. 5. If any of the above is not obvious to you, hire an electrician.

toasterlovin 8y ago
And, like red, green refactor, make sure the current sensor correctly detects current before you turn off the breaker. Then make sure it detects no current after you turn off the breaker.
jules 8y ago
Oh, where I live they were made mandatory something like 50 years ago so I assumed they were standard in every developed country because they cost $30 a piece so why not? Much better life extension value for money than a medical checkup. I wouldn't want to live in a house where every appliance is a potential death trap. They might even pay for themselves purely in cash if they save you an appliance. Mine activated just last week when someone dropped water over the power extender contact and still proceeded to turn it on.
- colanderman 8y ago
  Ya the US is somewhat behind other countries electrical-safety wise. Another weird thing – all our receptacles are flush, not recessed, so the prongs are still exposed after they've made contact, when the plug is halfway in. This is compounded by the problem that Home Depot still sells, e.g., non-tamper-resistant receptacles. They are no longer code compliant, but they're by far the cheapest and I've no doubt they end up in the homes of tons of DIYers.