Anyone been hit by high amounts of electricity???

[DD977GM2]

As I sit here watching Mythbusters and they reitterate (sp?) the 1/2 a milliamp can potentially kill a person if they are shocked by at least that amount.

Well before I went to the oilfield I was a maintenance electrician/mechanic for a Corrugated box plant. I was shocked or hit by a motor starter connected to 480V and I forget how many amps....well over the 1/2 milliamp as this was for our sump that required a forklift(one of the bigger forklifts) to remove it to repair. The blade to create suction was well over 12" in diameter. So one night I was testing using my multimeter and slipped on live power and hit pretty solid and Im still here.

My question is why am I still kicking and even though I experienced paralyzing hold on the wire I still was able to break the connection and not roast?

Anyone else been hit with high amounts of voltage & current?

[Monky]

Damn near same..

Back when I was in corporate america. Walking around our warehouse there was a conveyor belt motor that was screwed up.. went to throw the power, grabbed the handle.. which was live because of a wire that came loose.. and I happened grab hold of a metal support post at the same time.. It was the perfect set of things that went wrong..

480V and I don't remember the amperage.. needless to say it did NOT tickle, and luckily my convulsions caused me to let go of the post... I got called sparky for a few weeks.. it was only a couple seconds but that was more than enough.

[Mtn.man]

From the posts, here I'd say most have.

[DD977GM2]

From the posts, here I'd say most have.

[Lochinver]

If i remember that episode correctly. I think the current mentioned is if it actually crosses over your heart.

If I'm not mistaken, I've always been told that electricity will go to ground on the quickest path with the least resistance. If your heart is not near that path. Things should be ok.

And Yep, I've been shocked by plenty of things. Not for a long time now. Job doesn't put me near that situation anymore.

[DFBrews]

hit by lightning thru a chain saw on a fire in idaho lit up with 120 a few times and I have been hit with ignition coil voltage more times than I can count. Most of the voices in my head are still on speaking terms.

[BuffCyclist]

If i remember that episode correctly. I think the current mentioned is if it actually crosses over your heart.

If I'm not mistaken, I've always been told that electricity will go to ground on the quickest path with the least resistance. If your heart is not near that path. Things should be ok.

And Yep, I've been shocked by plenty of things. Not for a long time now. Job doesn't put me near that situation anymore.

True about the heart. In my electrical engineering circuits classes, the one hand rule was drilled into us. That was to stick one hand behind your back when working with high voltage components. That way, the current wouldn't go into your left hand and come our your right hand. I still try to remember this rule often!

[Guylee]

This thread reminded me I have Taser training next monday.

Yeah not gonna get lit up again...

[spyder]

From the posts, here I'd say most have.

I'm gona have to say the man is right. However, they state that 1/2 of a milliamp could kill someone which is probably true, but people have also survived the electric chair. It is kinds like saying, you can die from drowning in 1/2" of water.... ya, you can, but not many people have done it.

[cms81586]

I was struck by lightening at Ft. Knox while training. We were moving to low ground and it struck a tree above us. We all woke up dazed on the ground and two ended up in the hospital for a few days. I had migraines for about two weeks and that was it. Luckily it wasn't a direct hit.