Electrocuted

[Reefer madness92]

Feels pretty crazy getting shocked like that i screamed like I was being murdered. Hope anyone that does have them in drywall fixes this right away and learns from my mistake. Hard to explain but after that I felt like any strong water current reminded me of the shock and I'd jolt my hands away. Guess I was a little traumatized

[profntbtr]

i read somewhere that saltwater is as conductive as copper. i too have very nearly electrocuted myself, when a bulk head for a closed loop system came apart and proceeded to empty 100 gallons of saltwater everywhere. i tried to stop the water with my hand, but it splashed onto the fuge light, completing the circuit. amazed i am still alive. i believe the item you are looking for is called rid-volt.

[Reefer madness92]

i read somewhere that saltwater is as conductive as copper. i too have very nearly electrocuted myself, when a bulk head for a closed loop system came apart and proceeded to empty 100 gallons of saltwater everywhere. i tried to stop the water with my hand, but it splashed onto the fuge light, completing the circuit. amazed i am still alive. i believe the item you are looking for is called rid-volt.

Il check it out thanks, **** that sucks. did u pass out? Right before passing out, all I was thinking is now you've done it, u went and killed yourself. When I came to I was so surprised and now I live everyday like it's my last

[rrasco]

How long ago was this? Just curious since you were talking about it like it was a few weeks ago. I'd look into a grounding probe and a GFCI outlet.

[Reefer madness92]

This was in December

[Sherita]

Allan actually has it backerds......

ac causes an anomaly called tetanic spasms....essentially, if you grab a live ac wire, your hand will spasm around it and it's very difficult to get loose.

dc does not cause tetanic spasms, and will actually knock you away from it. Example: DC welders (most large trailered welders or on site generator/welders) are relatively safe to use in damp locations, the current is pretty well behaved and will normally travel from the stinger to the ground clamp without deviating path. AC welders, on the other hand, will bite you in the butt in damp conditions, the current will seek the path of least resistance in the presence of moisture, and will routinely knock your socks off.

Either way, you got shocked, not electrocuted. And since these were leds, depending on the power adapter, you may not have even gotten a full jolt of 110. It's not surprising that you got out of the tank, since you weren't holding onto the source of power when it happened.

The thing to remember, it's not the voltage that will kill you, it's the amperage. As little as 20 MILLIamps (that's 0.020 amps) can stop the heart.

I'll be the first to admit, getting hit with 110vac will make you cuss, and there's a very remote chance it might kill you. It's not a fun experience, no matter what.

[allan]

Ah, I much prefer AC over dc. The latter of which has always feels nasty to me.

The last time I was bitten by dc (160vdc positive or negative) caused me to latch onto the circuit card I was troubleshooting.

Much prefer AC, although its not really pleasant either.

[Reefer madness92]

Wow dude I had to read that twice your like a full blown electrician over here, so in which case would aquarium lights be ac

[Sherita]

Wow dude I had to read that twice your like a full blown electrician over here, so in which case would aquarium lights be ac

LOL, not a dude Dudette.

I own and run a construction company, and I work in the trades. I've had more than my fair share of experience. Aquarium lights MIGHT be ac, or they could be dc if they require a converter. I know, that helps a lot, doesn't it?

If your lights use a small box that plugs into the wall, or is inline between the wall outlet and the lights, the chances are your lights are dc. HOWEVER, they could still be ac if the small box is a stepdown transformer.

Your laptop computer is probably dc, your desktop usually isn't. And we haven't even gotten into the really fun stuff like 3 phase.

Best thing to remember, if you aren't sure of what you are doing, call someone who is qualified. Electricity can kill, be it AC or DC.

@Allan - Electricity can certainly grab your attention, can't it? And it can be REAL danged impressive when it does it. I got crossways with 240vdc when I lived in Germany. You can bet I did not EVER do that again. I hurt for about a week.

[Reefer madness92]

Sorry , very cool by the way, so a uv sterilizer would be ac and my zoomed HO is dc good to know, at least it was an LED but still sucks I passed out