Hw do Chucks actually work?

[kwcharlie]

Taking out old knob and tube wiring from a basement, mounted the new service and turned off the old to pull down all the old wiring in the dark to prepare for running the new wiring. Lights back on and one wire out of the old service still there, well I’ll just get up on the ladder and pull real hard on it and pull it out of the old fuse box, now hot, no problem as long as I only hold the wire. That was until my EAR touched a water pipe while I had both hands on the wire pulling as hard as I could, that was worse than any 277 I’ve taken BUT not as bad as DC.
Oh ya, I came off the ladder with the now disconnected wire still in my hands with a burned ear and less depression for a few weeks. Now I just hope no one notices the alligator clip marks on my ear lobes and I can fine the ‘sweet spot’ with the Variac, I’m sure it’s a multiple of 5 volts.

 

[Elendil]

 

[gr8dane]

And BTW BigD (OP), no matter what anyone else has said, you do feel it. Everytime you hit the switch your toes curl, and the hair on your arms stand up (not in a good way). If you have any metal fillings in your teeth, your jaw will hurt for a week. I have a soft heart and hate to see anyone suffer, so send me your chuck...I'll take care of it and spare you the agony.

 

[Richie G]

Taking out old knob and tube wiring from a basement, mounted the new service and turned off the old to pull down all the old wiring in the dark to prepare for running the new wiring. Lights back on and one wire out of the old service still there, well I’ll just get up on the ladder and pull real hard on it and pull it out of the old fuse box, now hot, no problem as long as I only hold the wire. That was until my EAR touched a water pipe while I had both hands on the wire pulling as hard as I could, that was worse than any 277 I’ve taken BUT not as bad as DC.
Oh ya, I came off the ladder with the now disconnected wire still in my hands with a burned ear and less depression for a few weeks. Now I just hope no one notices the alligator clip marks on my ear lobes and I can fine the ‘sweet spot’ with the Variac, I’m sure it’s a multiple of 5 volts.

In through the hand and out the earlobe? Geez, Charlie -- talk about a sensitive spot. Sorry but --- LOL.

Thankfully, I've never been hit with 277/480. As much as we snicker at one another when we hear about low voltage belts (when there is no damage done, obviously) I stop seeing humor at > 110 vac. In fact, I took a 110 VDC hit when MRI machines were just making their debuts. Out of habit, I treated the return off the rectifier as if it were an AC neutral on a lighting load branch ckt. Nasty belt. I'm sure I threw off my body's electrical system for a few days with that ignorant maneuver.

Some say milliamps don't hurt? Please. I know Jeff has taken his share of hits off an ignition coil on his hot rods. 50,000+ volts on a Summer day with damp hands? Yow! That smarts.