MMD > Archives > June 2002 > 2002.06.03 > 08Prev  Next


Another Wrinkle On The Electrocution Story
By Larry Toto

Jody commented in 020601 MMDigest:

>[ Mike Ames reported a story to me where he was swimming in
>[ a swimming pool with a broken light fixture.  As he swam
>[ towards the broken fixture (which he was unaware of) he
>[ began to feel the shock get gradually stronger.  He turned
>[ around and swam the other way and lived to tell about it.
>[ My recommendation:  Don't try this at home!

Mike's experience is shocking, but similar to a co-worker of mine.

In discussing this electrical shock issue with a colleague, he relayed
his experience of crawling under his porch in damp sand (at a coastal
island off the East Coast, salt water in sand) and getting
progressively more tingly feelings "like being bitten by a thousand
ants" as he got closer to the wall of the house.

The cause was found to be a missing ground for a 220 volt cooking
range.  The range was butted up against a metal drain pipe that went
to the septic system.  (He figured all this out later).  The house
ground was to a pipe buried some distance away (10 feet or so).  The
results were that a potential field was generated between the ground
rod and the drain pipe where the range touched the sink.  My friend,
Harry, was in a parallel path with the sand path.

Which leads me to player pianos...

Larry Toto
Philadelphia


(Message sent Mon 3 Jun 2002, 11:33:47 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Another, Electrocution, Story, Wrinkle
Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation
No PayPal account required
SSL Certificate
by
Let's Encrypt