Things not to do with electricity
- Thread starter 64DartGTinAZ
- Start date
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That's purdy dang funny.
Tim the tool man Taylor of electricity...
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Sorry but I just thought it was real stupid.
Through my lifetime, I've had a few of "those times" and it wasn't very funny and it wasn't for "fun"
One of my first big screw ups was an old piece of WWII radio called an "ARC-2". This is an AM radio in the lower HF (high frequency) region used on such things as PBY aircraft. These are all vacuum tube, and the high voltage needed for operation of the tubes was originally generated.....literally.....by "dynamotors." (meaning dynamo-motor). These are an electric motor with a generator wound on the same shaft. In the case of the ARC-2, and most WWII radios, the dynamotor operated on 28VDC from the aircraft, and produced whatever the radio needed to operate. For the high voltage anodes in the transmitter and modulator, this was over 700V
So my job "as a young kid" was to take this surplus radio, obtained "for" the local MARS / civil defense program, and built a 28V DC supply off 120VAC, to run the "tubes" filaments, as well as AC transformer / rectifier supplies to provide the receiver and transmitter B+ or high voltage.
Now this was built on the cheap "out of the junk box" so transformers selected were not optimum. What this means is the B+ for the transmitter ended up being "a little high", say, 1200V instead of 700. when the thing was "off the air" or "not keyed up."
Part of the problem could have been solved with a "stiff" bleeder resistor, but those things COST MONEY!!!
So I got it together for some "first testing," and what happens is, sometimes you key it, and the extra high voltage causes a fuse to blow, and sometimes the transmitter "draws down" the voltage right away, and "it's OK."
Now I'm a KID. Just out of Junior going on Senior in high school. I don't freekin have money for FUSES
So the fuse holder is on the front panel of the power supply, and IT gets replaced by a SCREWDRIVER.
This is the radio
Notice everything is METAL. The radio is all metal, the side handles are metal, the TUNING knobs are metal.
This was sitting on a bench next to my home built power supply with the FUSE 'er I mean SCREWDRIVER poking straight out the front of the fuse holder. This SCREWDRIVER had nominally +800-1200VDC on it when the radio was KEYED.
So I've got one finger wrapped around one of the handles, my other fingers turning the tuning knob, and in my other hand is a Motorola "potato" carbon mike like this one here:
and the MIKE is metal.
I keyed the mike PTT and the NEXT thing I know, I'm waking up on the FLOOR.
You know how in the cartoons when they "see stars?"
It turns out THAT REALLY HAPPENS!!!!
The mike was still in one hand, the coily cord ripped out of the connector. The radio was "half" dragged off the bench, nearly balanced on the end of the bench. That thing weighed a TON and if it had fallen on me, it REALLY would have hurt.
The SCREWDRIVER, er I mean FUSE was knocked across the room, and my arms and upper body HURT
This is because when you have "a bunch" of DC current run through you, it causes your muscles to violently contract. I hurt for some time after that, I don't really remember.
Through my lifetime, I've had a few of "those times" and it wasn't very funny and it wasn't for "fun"
One of my first big screw ups was an old piece of WWII radio called an "ARC-2". This is an AM radio in the lower HF (high frequency) region used on such things as PBY aircraft. These are all vacuum tube, and the high voltage needed for operation of the tubes was originally generated.....literally.....by "dynamotors." (meaning dynamo-motor). These are an electric motor with a generator wound on the same shaft. In the case of the ARC-2, and most WWII radios, the dynamotor operated on 28VDC from the aircraft, and produced whatever the radio needed to operate. For the high voltage anodes in the transmitter and modulator, this was over 700V
So my job "as a young kid" was to take this surplus radio, obtained "for" the local MARS / civil defense program, and built a 28V DC supply off 120VAC, to run the "tubes" filaments, as well as AC transformer / rectifier supplies to provide the receiver and transmitter B+ or high voltage.
Now this was built on the cheap "out of the junk box" so transformers selected were not optimum. What this means is the B+ for the transmitter ended up being "a little high", say, 1200V instead of 700. when the thing was "off the air" or "not keyed up."
Part of the problem could have been solved with a "stiff" bleeder resistor, but those things COST MONEY!!!
So I got it together for some "first testing," and what happens is, sometimes you key it, and the extra high voltage causes a fuse to blow, and sometimes the transmitter "draws down" the voltage right away, and "it's OK."
Now I'm a KID. Just out of Junior going on Senior in high school. I don't freekin have money for FUSES
So the fuse holder is on the front panel of the power supply, and IT gets replaced by a SCREWDRIVER.
This is the radio
Notice everything is METAL. The radio is all metal, the side handles are metal, the TUNING knobs are metal.
This was sitting on a bench next to my home built power supply with the FUSE 'er I mean SCREWDRIVER poking straight out the front of the fuse holder. This SCREWDRIVER had nominally +800-1200VDC on it when the radio was KEYED.
So I've got one finger wrapped around one of the handles, my other fingers turning the tuning knob, and in my other hand is a Motorola "potato" carbon mike like this one here:
and the MIKE is metal.
I keyed the mike PTT and the NEXT thing I know, I'm waking up on the FLOOR.
You know how in the cartoons when they "see stars?"
It turns out THAT REALLY HAPPENS!!!!
The mike was still in one hand, the coily cord ripped out of the connector. The radio was "half" dragged off the bench, nearly balanced on the end of the bench. That thing weighed a TON and if it had fallen on me, it REALLY would have hurt.
The SCREWDRIVER, er I mean FUSE was knocked across the room, and my arms and upper body HURT
This is because when you have "a bunch" of DC current run through you, it causes your muscles to violently contract. I hurt for some time after that, I don't really remember.
Yeah, I've seen stars on a few occasions, myself for various levels of stupidity.
Definitely agree with this have suffered many a burn, torn skin, bruise and near concussion, best i recall was trying to undo lower control arm bolts that when the spanner slipped i hit myself on the jaw and fell back onto the ground and saw stars, the wife was worried she heard the thud but no swearing to accompany it as usual
68gtxman
I used to reMember
Been there, done that, got the tee shirt!!!
ops:The worst was when I tried to unplug the side wire on the back side of a color TV picture tube. I thought it was safe because it wasn't plugged in. Boy was I surprised when I was jolted! (Back when I was a sophomore in college.). Live and LEARN!:cheers:
magnumdart
There is a bad moon on the rise.
When I was messin' with my fried microwave unit I got to the capacitor with the 2000 volts or whatever it was. So I tossed it in the dumpster and went to Sears. I'm not sure how many more electrocutions I have in me.
ScampMike
Despicable Damn Yankee
ok - funny? yea! obviously set up - yea... he never did anything truly dangerous, just really friggin' stupid.. it's like watching Jackass with electricity. It's always funny to watch some :tool: do stupid sh*t to himself like that.. the car coil is the best - you're just ASKING for it - I think we all know just how big a jolt that can be~~ LOL - I may have to go back and watch that again.. :happy1:
Been there, done that, got the tee shirt!!!
The worst was when I tried to unplug the side wire on the back side of a color TV picture tube. I thought it was safe because it wasn't plugged in. Boy was I surprised when I was jolted! (Back when I was a sophomore in college.). Live and LEARN!:cheers:
They make a thing called a chicken stick for discharging CRTs - a fiberglass handle with a conductor on the end of it and a ground cable with a clamp - clamp the ground cable to a ground, slide the conductor of the chicken stick under the rubber/silicon shield and short the CRT to discharge (usually with a loud crack when you do it).
Big fun was to get bubble wrap when someone new was about to do it for the first time and pop it behind them right before they went for the short.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
The problem with shorting sticks is that in some equipment you can damage the equipment if the caps still hold a charge. One good example is "quite a few" of the amateur linear amplifiers, which are legal, unlike CB "amps." Many of these are wired in such a way that the metering circuits (grid and anode current) metering resistors are in the HV power supply return. Shorting a charged cap bank, as with an open bleeder resistor, can cause high surge currents which damage (ruin) the meter.
8877's a pair
The RADAR I worked with in the Navy had upwards of 20KV on the modulator. THAT does not give you a "second chance." You simply don't make "mistakes."
These people are really out there. My youngest brother is one of them. Just so you know this took place when he was about 25 years old.
We were at my camp and his atc stopped working. I started the usual checks to see if I could get it going. My next youngest brother was there to verify that this really happened. I talked my youngest brother into holding onto the spark plug wire while I pulled the pull cord. The first time I pulled slowly enough that he only got a little tingle but he still jumped pretty good. I teased him about what a pussy he was, so to prove how tough a guy he was he said he would do it again. My next youngest brother was doing everything he could to keep a straight face because he knew what was coming. My youngest brother held the wire and the side of the engine. I gave the pull cord a yank that was hard enough to put that atc in orbit. My youngest brother ended up flat on his back screaming for momma and my next youngest brother was rolling around on the ground laughing his *** off. My father was there and did I catch it from him. Then he burst out laughing. So there you have it, these people do exist.
Jack
We were at my camp and his atc stopped working. I started the usual checks to see if I could get it going. My next youngest brother was there to verify that this really happened. I talked my youngest brother into holding onto the spark plug wire while I pulled the pull cord. The first time I pulled slowly enough that he only got a little tingle but he still jumped pretty good. I teased him about what a pussy he was, so to prove how tough a guy he was he said he would do it again. My next youngest brother was doing everything he could to keep a straight face because he knew what was coming. My youngest brother held the wire and the side of the engine. I gave the pull cord a yank that was hard enough to put that atc in orbit. My youngest brother ended up flat on his back screaming for momma and my next youngest brother was rolling around on the ground laughing his *** off. My father was there and did I catch it from him. Then he burst out laughing. So there you have it, these people do exist.
Jack
TrailBeast
AKA Mopars4us on Youtube
A good 12v supply to an HEI ignition can make your arm hurt clear up to your armpit.
I know this, but it still happens sometimes.
I was testing an HEI kit one day and right as I was disconnecting the power supply wire from the battery I realized I was still holding the coil wire, Too late BAM!
I had a 50/50 chance that the module wasn't electronically closed, but it was.
To make matters worse I hit my elbow on the inside edge of the hood trying to get away from it.
A good 12v supply to an HEI ignition can make your arm hurt clear up to your armpit.
I know this, but it still happens sometimes.
I was testing an HEI kit one day and right as I was disconnecting the power supply wire from the battery I realized I was still holding the coil wire, Too late BAM!
I had a 50/50 chance that the module wasn't electronically closed, but it was.
To make matters worse I hit my elbow on the inside edge of the hood trying to get away from it.
Did that, but just an old 80's era aftermarket coil - one of the distributor wire boots wasn't seated right when I was adjusting the timing - still have the scar on the back of my hand from where it hit the bottom of the hood.
67redcudavert
Well-Known Member
While mowing I knocked the wire off the sparkplug by shoving the mower into foliage at the edge of the yard. I had the mower at full throttle, so I thought if I get the wire back on the plug while it's still spinning I won't have to yank on the rope to get it going again.
Real bad idea, knocked me back into the sticker bush foliage, so it hurt real good twice.
Real bad idea, knocked me back into the sticker bush foliage, so it hurt real good twice.
Sooo, my uncle Bob and my Dad and I were working on our mini rod pulling Tractor, we had just bought a Magneto to power the thing and my uncle says to me, Hold this, well Dumb *** me, I did, he gave it a spin, and I was across the room, my dumb *** uncle and everyone else was laughing! Boy glad I was young because now, it would probaly kill me. O it was 30 thousand volts! I could regale you with electric stories all night long!
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