Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/07/09
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At 12:51 PM -0400 7/9/01, Johnny Deadman wrote:
>on 7/9/01 11:54 AM, B. D. Colen at bdcolen@earthlink.net wrote:
>
>> Guess then your nom de plume would be quit appropriate...:-)
>>
>> Johnny Deadman wrote:
>>>
>>> I just replaced all the old wire with new wire. The only scary thing was
>>> seeing how close to electrocuting myself I had come with the old wiring.
>
>yes indeed. I have electrocuted myself on more occasions that I care to
>remember. They include:
>
> attempting to fiddle with spark plugs on running car engine (akin to
>being hit with cricket bat - my most painful electrocution but probably the
>least dangerous as it's volts that hurt but amps that kill)
>
> attempting to repair refrigerator pump and getting sequence of (1) turn
>off (2) fiddle (3) turn on (4) test disastrously wrong. My hand closed
>involuntarily on the pump and I couldn't let go. They heard my screams from
>the other end of the street.
>
> playing live gig in the rain on organ with metal keys (!)
>
> doing backup vox on live microphone (second most painful incident)
>
> poking electric fire with pencil aged 10
>
> attempting to check voltage across PC socket on flash with tongue
>
>The odd thing is I am not really an accident-prone person... except when it
>comes to electricity. You get to know your own Karma deficits. This is why I
>rewired the focomat before switching it on for the first time.
>
>When I opened it up I discovered all the metal parts where live.
>
>--
>John Brownlow
>
>http://www.pinkheadedbug.com
>
>ICQ: 109343205
When I was in the early years of studying physics in Edmonton,
Alberta, we had a basic electronics course using mostly tube
circuitry. The labs got to be very exiting. If you set up a circuit,
powered it up and waited the requisite minutes for the stuff to
stabilize, my partner and I figured we would need about 6 hours to
finish the lab. I looked at the circuits that we had to deal with,
and decided that we could make things work by leaving the tubes
powered up, and changing the circuit wiring with live tubes. That way
we could be out of the lab in about 2 hours max. I had done a fair
bit of electronics before, so I offered to do the wiring. My partner
let me.
I had also done enough electrical work to know that 400v is not good
for you when applied to your person, and I knew the electrician's
credo of keeping one hand in your pocket.
Nevertheless, touching 400v or thereabouts at all sorts of
frequencies is not for the faint of heart or those with a pacemaker.
We did finish the lab quickly, but my enjoyment of the next 4 hours
that we saved could be better termed a period of recovery rather than
enjoyment. At the end of the lab, its a wonder I managed to straight
through the door opening on the first try.
Not one of my brighter days (puns happen).
- --
* Henning J. Wulff
/|\ Wulff Photography & Design
/###\ mailto:henningw@archiphoto.com
|[ ]| http://www.archiphoto.com