How many electric shocks with 120V or greater have you received?

[Combat Ingrid]

51+
In the winter, I keep zapping stuff (and people) with thousands of volts all the time

[Jon Miller]

Maybe 1 or 2, although I put down 0. It is real surprising considering my behavior at times.

JM

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Ecthy


Elaborate for us non-physicists?

Electrical current flows along all available paths, even if they're fairly roundabout.

[Cort Haus]

The time I tried to fry myself (during troubled teen years) I didn't actually get a shock at all. The plan was to cross the terminals of a plug with a screwdriver and touch the bridge. However, the moment I made the bridge there was an explosion which threw me across the room and the fuse box, natually, blew. The screwdriver had melted into the pins of the plug, which looked pretty cool. I didn't realise that a short-circuit could melt metal instantly like that.

[KrazyHorse]

You should learn some basic electrical principles before you try to kill yourself with electricity. The bridge will carry most of the current in the setup you described. You'll catch very little.

Ideally, you would want to:

1) Kill main power
2) Get two (substantial) leads bared
3) Tape the leads across opposite sides of your chest (front and back would probably work well). Make sure that the connection is sturdy.
4) Prop yourself up so that you won't break connection by falling.
5) Hit main power

That should probably work fairly well. I'm not sure it would necessarily kill you with 120 V. Maybe.

[Krill]

You can tape the leads to either side of your head instead.

[KrazyHorse]

I suppose. I don't know much about the effect of electrocution on the brain. Plus, this might mess up your chances for an open-casket funeral.

[Ecthy]

Come to Europe and do that with 220V.

[Eli]

I once stuck a nail into the socket at home. I was 10 years old or so. Had to check what really happens.

[Cort Haus]

I expect I subconsciously realised that my strategy was an innefficient one, but as it was more of a teenage angst-spasm than a serious attempt to wear a pine overcoat, I guess that all's well that ends well.

[Krill]

If an open cask funeral is that important just go put a hose on the car exhaust and place it into the front window of the car. Turn on the engine, keep the car in neutral and rev a bit to speed up the process. Make sure the other windows are closed too.

SUVs should kill you quicker anyway. See. They really are good for something.

[Krill]

Cort, you could have just worn your Arsenel shirt to a Tottenham home game.

[Krill]

Hmm, I can't remember any times I've got hit by mains voltage, only by simple static electricity. I did get a shock once from a wet cell I had to build ina lab though.

[Cort Haus]

Somehow, being dismembered by a pack of savages lacks the appeal of a quick exit.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Strictly speaking static electricity is far greater than 120 volts. So I'ld reckon 51+ easily.

Real nasty shocks with some amperage behind them, probably 3-4. One 120 V I also remember as a kid. A couple nasty ones where my clothes got snagged on an electric fence.

(speaking of which one more electric fence story besides my friend taking a wizz on one.) My Dad is a relatively short man 5' 7" and decided to step over our electrified cattle fencing. He of course didn't quite have the height required to clear it. So there he was on his tip toes getting zapped every few pulses/second. On his tip toes stiffening and yelping until he was able to fall over.

Good times Good times.