How to not electrocute yourself scrapping.

Here's a little Monday morning story to cheer you up.



I was scrapping some Battery backup units. This one in particular was about 200 LBS. It has about 8-10 batteries in it weighing around 20lbs a piece. It was torn out of a factory and had been sitting for probably about four years. I didn't even think anything of it, that it was possible any of the batteries could still hold a charge after that time frame.



Instead of being smart and just taking the wire's off the terminals, I decided to proceed as a dumb dumb and just start snipping with the wire cutters. I got through all the batteries until the last one. Not sure how it happened, but as soon as i cut the wire, there were sparks, then a shock, then pain. No joke, the thing shocked me back about three feet and laid me out on the floor.

Sometimes it takes something like this to remind you of the power of electricity. That being said, this is the only the second time I have been shocked in my life. First time was from a 4000 amp busway unit. (Not Fun)


That's my PSA for the morning. Sometimes you may be in a rush, or not even thinking straight, but all it takes is one wire to light you up.

Safe Scrappin......

I had a capacitor get my attention once. Be careful.

BTW there is a thread here on the SMF that tells you how to change some settings so your avatar in in focus. Hint, hint.

I keep it blurry, because that's actually me in the photo.

I don't need you guys cat calling me all day.

I just wanted to get a better view of what's in the background. It's been a few years since I've seen the ocean.

its funny cause that's why I buy tools that don't let this happen since I learn but never follow my own have not with batteries but have had them fall onto each other and sparks fly and things burn lol

The place I work a guy once tried to cut into a live 3000KVA transformer to steal copper.

All we found was melted shoes and pliers, and marks where he crawled out of there.

He was probably hurting for a looooong time.

Originally Posted by Immulmen

Beach8_zps39114f24.jpg Photo by immulmen | Photobucket

Nice view of the ocean

Thanks, I didn't know those backups could shock you on the battery side.

In my demolition work, I have to be very careful about electricity. I had to take out a large transformer on top of an office building. The power company had turned off the whole thing, everything shut down. Luckily, I had just seen on Discovery channel the night before a neat little electricity "sniffer" that you hold near wires and it can light up and buzz when there is current on. I got one at Home Depot that morning and was happy to try it out. The thing went off and kinda scared me. Turns out that this one transformer was tied in to a completely different power source and was fully functioning. It could have been bad.

Transformers, especially large one's are notorious for lighting people up. If you aren't an electrician, don't mess with them.

we were at a mall in south jersey the day after Christmas...very crowded...we came upon 2 women knocked unconcious...shocked by the escalator somehow..knocked out cold laying on marble floor surrounded by emergency personnell as hundreds of people walked past...no announcement...they just shut down escalators

^ I would happily accept that electrocution. I would be laughing all the way to the attorney, then the bank.

I see the ocean all the time, as my little one says "BORING"!

Been shocked once or twice bad way to get educated, thanks for sharing and reminded myself and others bad "educational" path!

I have been twice not from scrapping I just got my fingers too close to the prongs when pulling out electrical appliances and chargers. also this past summer at my summer job I have been about 5ft from 2 people that got indirectly struck by lightning

Originally Posted by jimicrk

It's been a few years since I've seen the ocean.

I had to scroll up to see if she really was standing in front of the ocean. never noticed before.

thats a guarantee around here

I have been shocked, but not by scrappin'. The scariest $h!t I had to work on was 277v. Hot and nuetral just like 120v, but the hot leg is 277v.

As for avatars, I would like to use this as my avatar, but I don't know how to reduce the size to comply...