Stabbed myself

[Randall]

While working on an amp today, standing which I almost never do, I got a capacitor shock and involuntary stabbed myself with my hot soldering iron. It went into my shirt and then out. I have a nice pink 3" scar, too. Be safe out there!.

And yes, discharge those caps... but sometimes it happens.

[Enzo]

yeah, my buddy Mike, used to be at Elderly, was working in an Ampeg V4 or something similar. Reached to move the chassis - it was running - his fingers curled around the front edge, and he touched B+. The 500v froze his grip and his fingers became wedged somehow. In trying to get away, he wound up throwing the chassis across the room and through the wall. At least he got his fingers free.

I have had my share of pokes, now that I am retured, hopefully no more of them.

I used to work on video monitors - from arcade games like PacMan or Asteroids. 30,000 volts on the third anode on color monitor CRTs. Really low current so it won't usually kill you, but I swear the real danger is you will break your arm tanking away when you touch it.

So I agree, do be careful.

[Jon Snell]

An engineer friend of mine, whilst working on a colour TV many years ago, didn't discharge the EHT cap fully from its 27kv and when he lifted the final anode rubber cap, the latent capacitive voltage, probably 15kv, made him rap his fingers inside of the TV cabinet and broke two fingers. Ouch!

[Mick Bailey]

I was taking a class on CRT repair and the first day was to cover safety issues. I said one thing you never do is lift the anode cap and touch it without first discharging the circuit. One guy wanted to take a closer look and asked "So, which one?" I pointed to it and touched it. Nothing like a practical demonstration. They quickly got the message.

Pain is just weakness leaving the body.

[Dave H]

I used to work on video monitors - from arcade games like PacMan or Asteroids. 30,000 volts on the third anode on color monitor CRTs. Really low current so it won't usually kill you, but I swear the real danger is you will break your arm tanking away when you touch it.

I've done that. I was working behind an old style TV in a tight corner and touched something live. My arm contracted back violently and smashed my right elbow on the wall behind. It still hurts sometimes.

[drewl]

I've done more damage to myself by moving away from a shock, like banging into stuff, than from getting shocked!

Ah yes, CRT's.
While discharging a monitor my boss slammed two pieces of wood together behind my back!

Cr-AACKK!

he said it was initiation for all new employees.

[xtian]

You guys need 30kV to flinch? Hell, I flinch when I probe plate voltage with a DMM and the amp makes a pop. I have to steel myself in advance.

[g1]

I'm terrible for sounds. My hearing is overly sensitive. Any little noise around me when I'm working makes me jump. I suppose I should wear earplugs.

While discharging a monitor my boss slammed two pieces of wood together behind my back!

Cr-AACKK!

he said it was initiation for all new employees.

I would have unfortunately turned around and done something that would have made that my quickest termination ever.

[olddawg]

Yep.. everyone has a crt story.. old laser tech was as bad or worse. Probably the worse I got was as a kid and I accidentally touched the 220 house mains. My hand closed and I couldn’t let go. My brother knocked me loose. All I remember is a loud “buzzz” in my head. I was lucky. I’ve backhanded everything high voltage since first. Even shut off, discharged, and tested. I can remember seeing the old school TV techs checking the crt anode voltage by licking between their thumb and forefinger and watching the arc... no thanks.

[nevetslab]

I've been lucky so far, concerning coming into contact with the high voltage on CRT's. My last shock, which still has my mystified how, was working on a Mesa Mark V Combo Amp chassis. It wasn't the HT supply....it was the AC mains, while spraying some contact cleaner into the Output Level control on the front panel. Nailed me good. I've lost grip of my Pace Soldering iron more than once while reaching to place it back into the stand, and have it slip out, finding exposed skin on my left wrist. Nothing like what Randall just got, being stabbed thru the shirt and leaving a long scar on his chest/stomach area. YUP, it CAN be dangerous doing what we do for a living.

[The Dude]

At least the wound was cauterized with the hot solder iron.

[tedmich]

All I remember is a loud “buzzz” in my head.

Hey that was 16-22 years old for me!!

My Dad zapped himself with some HV on the back of an F-4A phantom (800VDC?) and was afraid he'd fall onto the wing (probably would have not hurt plane).