How bad you get zapped before a GFCI trips

[@Vsor]

"When the GFCI detects an inbalace, it launches the button across the room to warn you."

[@andreasu.3546]

Thats why panel mount GFCIs are superior. They launch the button against the panel door, creating an audible warning.

[@jeremiahbullfrog9288]

@@andreasu.3546 Sounds like a free game of pinball to me..

[@glasslinger]

If it was me, it would have hit me in the eye! :(

[@Dries007BE]

Funny story: When I was ~16 I had a class about electricity and my teacher set up a demo very similar to this one. He believed that it was good to let kids feel what AC feels like. (Reasonably safe ofc, with isolation transformers etc etc.) I asked if I could opt out, which he really didn't want to allow, until I showed him the scars on my hands from where I grabbed an uncovered extension cord I had forgotten to unplug while repairing it. I explained I got the 2 marks on my thumb and index finger from where the full 230V went trough. Although we have whole house GFCI protection here in Belgium (300mA or 30mA depending on situation), since I wasn't making any contact with ground and my hand was (luckily) not low enough resistance to trip the 20A breakers instant shutoff, it "coocked" my hand while I was frantically swinging my left arm at the switch on my lab bench's power switch. In some ways I was lucky, because I was not touching any earth, so none of the current went up my arm. I usually don't even remember the scars are there, except when I get really dry hands and the "pull" a bit or get itchy. Or of course when someone makes a video about electrocutions :) Now all of my lab sockets have been behind an additional 6A 10mA RCBO. They might be expensive, but for 50€ you really can't play around. Also: A second hand E-Stop button can be quite cheap and is much easier to hit than a power socket switch, but any switch is better than no switch at all. Because I can assure you: You cannot let go.

[@fanplant]

Do bathrooms in europe have 5ma gfci? (not talking shaver receptacles) I've heard a few people make comments that infer a rcd breaker at 30ma gives protection like our gfci in the states and I giggle knowing that the 5ma gfci hurts a bit and a assume 30ma really hurts.

[@Dries007BE]

​@@fanplant In Belgium: No, it's 30mA (at 230v). And we don't have special shaver sockets. The sink in the bathroom has the same normal sockets as everywhere else. But: Today almost all appliances are double isolated and or IP67 rated and or battery powered & induction charged (toothbrush, shaver) The only real exception I guess are hair dryers.

[@fanplant]

@@Dries007BE ouch! I think the your rcd are for equipment protection pretty much. 28a at 230v going to earth is a lot of spicy electric and the fuse wouldn't know any different.

[@Dries007BE]

@@fanplant 28A? For equipment/wiring protection we have normal breakers are 20A for sockets on 2.5mm² cable (16A for lights or mixed on 1.5mm²) Then we have a main diff at 300mA and a 30mA one for wet circuits (in most existing building). Regulations changed last year, so now all non-fixed-appliance circuits have to be 30mA protected, with a max of 8 circuits behind 1 RCD. The 300mA main RCD is still there. This will take a long time to be applied everywhere ofc, since regs don't generally apply retroactively. The stupid thing is that we don't require different selectivity on those RCDs, so frequently if you do something wrong, it will trip the main RCD and you'll be out of power everywhere in the house.

[@fanplant]

@@Dries007BE sorry I'm not familiar but still 20a can do some damage. In the US service switches over 4000a (don't quote me, lol) have to have a GFI. Last one I hooked up my boss had me turn it up to 100a because he didn't want any nuisance trips. It was in a very old school.

[@garnergc]

I had a shock from 400VAC hand to hand when working on a dodgy site and it almost killed me. The unqualified electrician had bottom fed a set of breakers (the busbar was on top), I switched off the breaker and removed the wires below and got shocked. I broke protocol by not testing for zero potential. Since that day I have never broken protocol again.

[@grayrabbit2211]

I watched a coworker get quite a zing off a 208v 3-phase circuit one night. Some asshat didn't obey wire colors and used whatever they wanted at each junction box. So while the disconnect wires _looked_ correct, down the line the asshat used green (ground) as one of the phases. I thought he was going to tear the guy's face off the next time he saw him.

[@kepamurray1845]

400v, wow. Lucky. I had a beld from 240v and that was bad enough.

[@Sturmcrow1]

@@grayrabbit2211 I had a neighbor that lost half his right hand because someone forgot to put in a cotter pin on a crane bolt. He didn't come right out and say it, but it was strongly implied that his buddies introduced the other fellow to the afterlife pretty soon after that.

[@illygah]

dude, this is the best video. I've wanted to see this since I was a kid....other kids did too, but they didn't get to live this long. Patience is a virtue.

[@donaldklopper]

Big Clive and Retroboom will both be very proud of you about now.

[@giggletub]

! - a typo, surely.

[@TwoScoopsofDestroyer]

I remember Big Clive doing a very similiar experiment but going between his hands across his chest! The next video he uploaded was about going to get an electrocardiogram on commentor's suggestion.

[@donaldklopper]

@@giggletub yeah I realised later what I did, if you're referring to Electroboom vs Retroboom.... Seems I'm getting to deep into the retro world!

[@bighammer3464]

Not a single spark in the video. Electroboom would not approve

[@dopiaza2006]

And photonicinduction would say 'need more power'

[@boellis241]

I’m glad this was a full video, and not …. a short :)

[@64squarepyro]

As a residential electrician and an enthusiast tinkerer of electronics since middle school I’ve shocked myself more times than I could count-sometimes intentionally sometimes not😂. Great video demonstrating and explaining how a GFCI works.

[@marilynwolf4439]

My sophomore circuits professor told us that the most dangerous case is a path through the heart, such as from one hand to another. He said that 60 joules through the heart was deadly. Hence the rule that you work on AC with one hand in the back pocket.

[@ABaumstumpf]

60 Joules? That is a lot - sounds like 2 orders of magnitude to high. A defibrillator is charged with maybe twice that and only a small fraction of that is going through the heart.

[@gorak9000]

Better plan, turn off the power before working on AC circuits... Nothing is that important that it needs to be worked on live, and if you're developing something and need to see what's going on live for troubleshooting, probes are insulated for a reason - don't stick your fingie where you wouldn't stick your dinky... but you can stick the probes there

[@jonanderson5137]

​@@gorak9000there are actually several circuits that are recognized as being too important to shut off power. Most circuits should be dead when working on them, there's arc flash gear for a reason.

[@MrI8igmac]

Hand to Opposing foot is a direct path across the heart.

[@ildefonsogiron4034]

If I remember correctly, 10 miliamperes through your body is enough to cause big trouble.

[@What_I_Make]

The sharper increase is the skin resistance breaking down as the current finds a direct path under the skin tissue. There is plenty of iron to maintain a good current afterwards. I remember the 80's as well as the 70's. It hurts.

[@AKAtheA]

pretty sure the conductivity is caused by all the salts, iron atoms are lodged pretty well inside hemoglobin, they do nothing for electrical conductivity

[@WJCTechyman]

Well, getting 10-15 kV from an old Briggs engine ignition system, while intermittent, really hurts too.

[@ThumpertTheFascistCottontail]

It was acceptable in the 80's. It was acceptable at the time.

[@whitcwa]

There is very little iron in blood. There are far more ions like calcium, sodium magnesium, phosphorus... which affect the conductivity of blood.

[@F0XD1E]

​@@whitcwait's also not metallic iron. It's a protein that contains iron atoms. Pure carbon is conductive as well and we've got way more of that in our bodies. Like you said it's the water and electrolytes in our bodies doing the bulk of the work.

[@hugegamer5988]

A safety video so extremely safe children should avert their eyes.

[@nraynaud]

I think with an open hand, the reflex is to fold the elbow, so I agree that you were doing it very safely. It's really people getting caught by surprise while gripping a tool that at a huge risk. I heard another danger is falling from the steptool/ladder when getting zapped by surprise.

[@drsquirrel00]

Back of your fingers, hand will fist and pull them away.

[@TomKyritz-tp2gm]

I like the idea of testing osha standards on certain things like safe voltage/currents. Especially when they’re higher than we’d expect. My kind of safety video.

[@MRrwmac]

Shocking results…haha! Very interesting that we go to 50 volts….ouch! Thanks for the “demoooooooch” Matthias!

[@cybermanne]

I remember reaching into a light socket to change the bulb back in my youth, only to not find a bulb, and sticking my hand straight into the connectors. That got me one hell of a zap.

[@gorak9000]

As a kid, I used to stick my pinky finger into empty sockets on the christmas tree (the ones for C7 bulbs, aka full 120V there at each socket) - I thought the tingling felt nice! I must've had really high skin resistance! I have shocked myself a few times working in junction boxes that have 3 separate circuits in them, and only 2 of the breakers were shutoff - that was unpleasant. I've also shocked myself on the hv dc side of a switching power supply - that was by far the worst, and by far the most dangerous as well. Since then I've been very careful around the primary side of switchers... those things bite, hard!

[@OleGramps53]

So good an explanation of what is happening with the ground fault circuits.

[@kenmercer2721]

I've always wondered how a "controlled" mains shock felt and have never been brave (or silly?) enough to try. Thankyou for your bravery and a nice approach using the brass sheets to spread the current! I've had plenty of other shocks from electric fences to car ignitions but started with a 9V battery across my tongue. An interesting tingle.

[@F0XD1E]

"It was the 80s. A lot of things that were dangerous now weren't dangerous back then." 😂 Moving outlets while smoking a cigarette and pulling the asbestos out of the new socket hole.

[@dj-kq4fz]

I'd be willing to bet every single one of us viewing this has shocked themselves (unintentionally for the most part). Not proud of it, but it is a good lesson I've learned. Thanks Matthias!

[@ABaumstumpf]

Oh yeah. All 3 phases on my arm. Some nasty black spots.

[@vincei4252]

When I was about 14 I jury-rigged a uninsulated connection for a cassette recorder 2 prong plug in a 3 prong wall outlet that was placed at about shoulder height. The prongs pointing outwards. At some point I was joking with my cousin while walking backwards in the kitchen. I wasn't wearing a shirt. The prongs of the cassette recorder plug made contact with my back. I still have scars there. Decades later I don't recall the last time I got a shock, the experience trains you.

[@CharlieInshawDrums08]

"It was the 80's, a lot of things that are dangerous now, weren't dangerous...back then" - Matthias W. 2024 I love this 😂

[@rasmis]

Came here to appreciate that comment 👍

[@jamescollier3]

we were just taking about how we spent all summer days out with no communication to the mother ship .... and even going to NYC on the train when we were in HS

[@ramosel]

@@jamescollier3 Getting hot and drinking from water hoses in the front yard... ahh, memories before the nanny-state.

[@flat-earther]

@@ramosel hi ramosel, have you become a flat earther yet? If not I suggest watching _Level with Me (2023)_ by Hibbeler Productions to see evidence that space agencies are deceitful.

[@joshg1244]

80s were a crazy time

[@onjofilms]

I worked in an industrial manufacturing facility, and brushed up against a terminal that was one leg of 380 three phase. Luckily I wasn't grounded. But I did feel it tingle. Another tech wasn't so fortunate. He was checking the 15kv leg of an industrial laser. He was holding the high voltage probe and I guess that insulation was not enough, because it shocked him and ran through his body. He was leaning up against a metal rail and where he contacted it with his butt, it left a burn mark on his underpants. (not sure if that was the only mark). Policy after that was set the high voltage probe propped up and look from a distance.

[@andrewgalbreath2101]

Reminds me of when I would tear apart disposable cameras as a kid, touch two terminals on the circuit board and deliberately shock myself just to see how it feels

[@JoeBcrafts]

Was changing a light switch out and forgot the one next to it was a different circuit. Everything was fine until I pushed the new switch back into the box and the tip of my finger touched the screw of the neighbor switch. That was uncomfortable. What was worse was when my dad hit a deer with the van, and we were fixing it enough to drive home. I was using some safety wire to wrap the radiator to the frame. I didn't notice how close each pass was to the terminals of the battery. When my last wrap touched the neg and positive with my fingers between, the wire "sublimated" between my index finger and thumb. That thin line burn hurt for days.

[@juppster5694]

You are a braver man than I, Matthias. I learned early to keep one hand in one's pocket when working with dangerous voltages, e.g. TV sets with CRTs (especially the first colour TVs). Received wisdom was that it would avoid current flow from hand to hand, through the chest and heart. I maintain it was so that if you did get a shock and they flew off, you could catch them before they rolled down inside your trouser leg 😆

[@craigsudman4556]

I had occasion to short a 480-volt circuit...something I wish never happened again. I had removed the cover plate on a switch and my uninsulated screwdriver slipped into the receptacle box and touched the hot lead. My finger was down on the driver's shaft, and I got the worst ZAP in my life. My arm up to my shoulder went numb and hurt for about 6 hours after the incident. Great video Matthias but I was hoping to see an Einstein hair result, thumbs up.

[@everythinghomerepair1747]

This video is like the best advertisement for GFCIS lol.

[@markm0000]

This is a certified Matthias Wendell video

[@Averna222]

I did nearly the exact same thing you were talking about at the 6 minute mark, my dad asked me to remove the receptacle in the bathroom and I touched across both sides and got a buzz I'll never forget. Luckily it was just across a single hand.

[@JonnyDIY]

Lol your testing reminds of that James Bond joystick electric torture device game they play in movie 🤣💕👍

[@B.M.0.]

The KZbin Algorithm just successfully ran the Timothy Wilson Shock Test on Matthias. We just participated in level 2 of the experiment: do you like to watch someone else inflict pain on themselves instead of being bored... yes.

[@btheman779]

good informative video nice to see the internals of the switch.

[@TgWags69]

You do have intrinsic muscles in the hand. These muscles produce fine movements as well as initiating certain flexion and extension movements. If these intrinsics are seized or paralyzed/rendered non functional, then your forearm flexors/extensors may not work as well as you'd think. Plus nerves work in an upstream manner as well and could inhibit voluntary control. It's not as clear cut as a wire conductor, so best to be safe .

[@swvincent]

This was really interesting, I knew that GFCIs have a 5mA trip, never thought of how one might setup an experiment to test it.

[@harkbelial]

I came here all excited about you getting zapped and was mildly amused

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

I knew the current was pretty low, but it’s nice to know exactly how low and how they work. I’ve triggered many GFCI’s in my line of work. Thank you.

[@Tomazack]

I got a good shock once as an apprentice, I threw the pliers away as the current passed from my hands down through my grounded shoeless feet. It wasn't painful but it sure was an experience to test the GFCI this way.

[@RobWalsh]

Very cool practical analysis. Thanks!!

[@Conqueef-tadoor]

I've shocked myself on 277 volts working on a commercial light circuit. It was FAR more painful than ANY 120v shock I have ever received. My entire arm and shoulder was in extreme pain for a solid day after getting shocked by 277 volts. Needless to say, I ALWAYS test and double test now before handling electrical wires.

[@newmonengineering]

I have been shocked so many times. As a kid, I used to grab old TV from the garbage and play with them and make them explode. Also built a tesla coil a few times. Been shocked with 120v and 240v. Luckily both times is was very brief and although it knocked me good, I was not stuck to the circuit by muscles like some people have been. But i have learned over the years ways to prevent that so I don't get shocked as often anymore

[@Greg8872]

Something that feels more fun, back in high school vocational electronics (1989), we each built our own heathkit osciliscope. On the bottom the of the frame was the main connector terminals for high voltage, and while working on it, I went to turn the scope around on the table, and my finger hit the lead for the high voltage for the CRT. Luckily trhe rest of my hand was on the frame so it only jumped from finger to palm, but I tell ya, never did that again!

[@MCsCreations]

Really interesting, Matthias! Excellent testing! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@BobHerres]

Excellent video! TY Many years ago, I tried to trip a GFCI with fingers, it also became too intolerable... it never tripped!🙂

[@GeneralSeptem]

This is amazing, I literally JUST zapped myself the other day and was wondering why the GFCI didn't trip. Can't wait to watch and find out.

[@michaeltempsch5282]

If it was hot to neutral, then you're just another normal load, and the GFCI/RCD says "all is well"...

[@GeneralSeptem]

I used a DMM and verified one of the things I was touching (a mixer bowl) had 0ohms to the ground on the gfi.

[@Wordsnwood]

I once spent hours trying to diagnose a wiring fault in my 2nd floor only to finally discover that the GFCI in the washroom had tripped, and that outlet was the main feed into a couple of the bedrooms.

[@Bob_Adkins]

I don't mind GFI outlets if they're not tied in to other outlets. But I took mine out, they were tied in all over the place, and too much hassle.

[@oliver9089]

This is an awesome video! Thanks!

[@homeguardster]

I wonder if your wife watches these videos. she is probably just shaking her head.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

She very much disapproves of the concept of this one. Otherwise, it would have been interesting to measure the threshold of detection for different people, because it varies quite a lot.

[@Womberto]

@@matthiasrandomstuff2221 One way to get the kids involved I suppose. ;) I've had a shock from the mains here in the UK, our electric is a bit spicier too.

[@musthavechannel5262]

@@matthiasrandomstuff2221 😂😂

[@Saltyarticles]

“I couldn’t get enough juice flowing so I ended up applying some water” 😂

[@CertifiedIndustryProfessional]

I imagine she did the same when Matthias had that homemade 15ft wooden scaffold and he was driving it around a big shed with a jury-rigged power drill. Good times

[@eat_things]

That's really good that both the outlet and the breaker has the same trip current (mentioned in another comment reply). I think when electroboom tested them in europe, the whole house trip protection breaker had a much higher current threshold. 🙏🙏

[@maudiojunky]

Whole house GFI protection has to have a higher threshold because you would get nuisance trips from ordinary leakage current. Most switched-mode power supplies have a small leakage current from their DC output to ground, which translates to a leakage from live to ground. If we assume a leakage current of 500µA per power supply, then it would take 20 wall warts to nuisance trip a 10mA GFI but 60 to nuisance trip a 30mA GFI.

[@BryanTorok]

I have always wondered about this, how does it feel to trip a GFCI. Is is the current large enough to feel? How bad does it feel? Is it on long enough to feel? You answered most of my questions. Bravo, Sir. My only other thought, which you did mention, was in your slamming you hand onto the table. My thought is that the forceful contact would create pain that might difficult to distinguish from the pain of the electricity. If you ever have occasion to repeat the experiment, perhaps set the hand down more gently.

[@Convolutedtubules]

Thank you for clarifying that this video is indeed not by ElectroBoom.

[@sapelesteve]

Well that was a rather shocking video Matthias! Well done! 💥💥

[@braddofner]

If you didn't make that joke, I was about to.

[@ZeedijkMike]

I got my first 220VAC "experience" when I was 3 y/o. Had a toy with some metal bars that fitted perfectly in a Danish power socket. Fortunatley my father was fast and pulled me away before any permanet damage was done. It might have caused my interest in electronics though :-) By the way, this was before CFIs was mandatory in Denmark - the early 1960s. I was 12 y/o when I got my next elecrtical chock. Still have a scar on my hand from it. On a side note. Be carefull with this kind of videos. BC just got a strike on his channel for a short, that according to YT's algorithm, was very dangerous.

[@WJCTechyman]

GFCIs/RCDs/RCBOs...whatever you call them in whichever country you reside have always fascinated me.

[@AddictedtoProjects]

I'm still surprised that GFCI's are not legally required in North America for all circuits in the house. In the UK and Europe they are mandatory, and have been so for at least 30-40 years as far as I can tell. I've also been shocked by 240v when I was in my early twenties. Multiple times. It was not fun!

[@okaro6595]

In Finland they were first mandated in 1997 and since 2013 all sockets and lights have been required to be protected unless the loss of power would cause significant damage. In the US they are so sensitive that you cannot just toss one in the panel.

[@marcfruchtman9473]

The NEC is gradually heading in that direction. There are still some holes in the GFCI protection.

[@gorak9000]

Almost everything now needs GFCI or AFCI - AFCI for bedrooms and livingrooms (basically, anywhere that you could possibly have a lamp where someone ran a cord under a rug to get to the lamp), everything in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, and outside needs GFCI (basically anywhere with possible wet locations). In a house built in the last 10 years, there's hardly any plugs that aren't GFCI or AFCI protected - I have a single 20A freezer plug in the garage that isn't, and that's about it, other than the 220V plugs for the dryer and the stove, and the 220V plugs I added for the table saw, and the welder, and all the garage plugs where I removed the GFCI outlet as the VFD on the lathe tripped it instantly.

[@Octopusbeak]

here in US you'll prob get run over by your own parent's pickup long before you might become a conductor. Yes, gfci's do not cooperate with VFD's or inverter welders. take heed: the barn, built 1946, long predates safety. It's scary but not compared to the road in front of it.

[@gorak9000]

@@Octopusbeak My mistake was thinking that a 120v input VFD was a good idea, because I could plug it in anywhere without putting in another 220v outlet - hah! Basically anything 220v is the only stuff that's exempted from GFCI/AFCI these days (and freezer plugs apparently)

[@DavidtheSwarfer]

In my craft room there is about 90v on the ground wire, been that way for a long time but we only detected it when my daughter bought a 3d printer and we got a tingle off the frame. I have never felt it off any of my computers in there, nor the Cnc router etc. South Africa so mains wiring is all 220v 15 A.

[@jdhtyler]

Industrial test equipment there was a 15v glass fuse on the Veroboard PCB circuit, I changed it not realising the low voltage fuse was mains 240v - I should have checked first. One of my other jobs was working on production machinery while it was live at 240v wood ladder and a gas soldering iron and some times rubber gloves, because they did not want to stop the production line. We did have special rubber gloves for working on our factory substations live 440v busbars, I left that work to the other electricians. (see "Presel GP-1" 7500v max)

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

the bigger risk thee is accidental shorts or arcing. Accidental electrocution is easy to avoid by just using one hand and not having the rest of you touching any conductors

[@BreatheHydrogen]

Sounds like an electroboom collab should be on the horizon haha

[@kiplinght]

In Australia these "RCD's" have their current rating stamped on them. They come in a variety of sensitivities but for general circuits you use a 30mA RCD.

[@____________________________.x]

Legend has it that the button still remains lost to this very day

[@MSI2k]

amazing video! you can give Electroboom run for his money. I rather enjoy these types of experiments without the jump scares.

[@bradkerr2798]

Surprised by the description of the protection circuit being a fail-hot, where it requires an action (solenoid energized) to trip rather than a lack of an action to fail-safe.

[@gallowaylights]

Always wanted to try this 😂

[@bjornroesbeke]

I think the time it takes for the RCD/GFCI to trip, as well as the specific point on the sine wave where contact is made, also influenced the subjective feeling.

[@LightAndSportyGuy]

My experience with just getting across a GFCI circuit is that by the time you get to "it" (second half of the word) the GFCI has popped.

[@pmarquisYT]

I've taken quite a few 120v or 240v shocks at work through the years. Mostly between fingers. I test and fix mains powered devices, motors, transformers etc. I've learned to be a lot more careful with age ;)

[@HelloKittyFanMan]

Haha, "setting off the GFCI... by _hand"!_ Literally!

[@ericclone]

In China we were taught that 36V is the safety threshold. surprised that it is different in other countries.

[@planktonfun1]

Honey, I shocked myself again

[@nandobarreto2]

When I was a teenager I used to do a lot of electrical work, 127v or 220v (Brazil has both), I got shocket dozens of times and I'm still here, back there things were safer :D

[@Bob_Adkins]

Today in America and Canada, if something has a .000001% probability of hurting you, DANGER!!! I think all the tags and labels the government forces us to stick on electrical products had a lot to do with why so many of us are terrified of everything. Or, maybe it's to get out of fixing things.

[@itoibo4208]

@@Bob_Adkins with electricity I think a lot of us are way more worried about doing something wrong that burns the house down than we are of getting a minor shock, but if you tell your kids to stay away and never work on electricity around or with them, then how can they know anything except DANGER!!? Of course school or whatever is going to warn you, especially since there is a small chance that you have some condition that makes you prone to dying of a shock that most people could handle, but blame the parents for never working on their own electric and never getting the kids involved. It is not for the school or the government to try to get you to change an outlet or something. All it would take to remedy the situation is for most parents to actually do some home repairs. That being said, the inevitable result of that many dummies trying it, is that a few of them are going to get killed or burn their house down. Would you seriously look out at a crowd of people and suggest this, if you knew with 80% certainty that at least one of them would die in a fire or something? Rest assured they will probably blame you for their mistakes. It is safer just to say DANGER and let the adventurous people decide on their own whether they want to try it.

[@Bob_Adkins]

@@itoibo4208 True! I make sure my breakers are in good condition and don't overload them. I work hot on some things, but am careful not to put myself into a position where current can pass through my body. I cut the breaker when I work near plumbing or other grounded things that can shock you in unexpected ways. I take chances, but I'm no fool. I've been bitten a few times by 125 and 250v, pretty hard a couple of times, and I don't like it.

[@AlexMovitz]

50 VAC and a few milliamps is the exact shock you get from working on old copper telephone lines when it rings ⚡📞

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

Should be higher than that, actually

[@fredio54]

I burned my finger bumping 230v phase with the top while touching ground with thr end, years ago, hurt but also actually burned me a little where it arced. No RCD device in those days. Had a few other good wallops at different times and different ways, some violent, eg 10kv at high school left hand to right hand through the chest, threw me backwards into a bench. Low current and no contact, two arcs.

[@P943044S]

My mother once found me passed out under the piano... apparently I told her I had been licking the two pin in line plug connector for the music lamp... I was younger then.

[@FrietjeOorlog]

Years ago, my old electric razor somehow managed to get live 240v on its metal housing, while I was holding the thing. The muscles in my arm contracted and made me firmly grip the razor. It didn't trip the mains breaker. That was not fun. I just stood there cursing until I could finally throw the razor out of my hand. It must've been a couple of seconds but it felt like ages.

[@byejason]

My dog decided to chew on the high voltage cable (230v) of a laptop power supply at the weekend. It chewed right through. The RCD tripped and it carried on chewing without even a whimper.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

How unfortunate!

[@robertdascoli949]

I love the callout to the King at the start.

[@pstrap1311]

Electroboom will be plotting his woodworking tutorial clapback imminently, I presume.

[@robertdascoli949]

@@pstrap1311 " look at the Penta router I just built." ( Immediately explodes)

[@TzOk]

I was always taught that the safe AC voltage is 24V and the safe current is 10mA... RCDs sold in EU are always set to trip at 30mA.

[@abyssaljam441]

The fact that its slightly irritating without being dangerous makes it even safer though...

[@Elektronaut]

Spannend - im wahrsten sinn des Wortes ;-) Kannt du den Abschaltvorgang am Oszilloskop aufzeichnen?

[@Guywithcrazyideas]

can you invent a toy / gizmo that both kids and adults like?

[@bazrazin1]

i have new peculiar problem, recently relocated to a new house which has a RCCB/ELCB with IΔn of 30mA, everything works fine , but when i try to switch on my desktop pc with a cooler master 500w PSU with active PFC the RCCB trips the whole house, after tripping & resetting 4-5 times i'm able to switch on my pc, why is it happening , is it due to the Y filter caps to chassis earth in the psu.

[@ats89117]

Insane video!

[@GoblinKnightLeo]

I was a dumb kid who enjoyed touching partially exposed plug prongs - it felt like having a curtain of beads very tightly gripping my arm and rubbing rapidly. Probably fortunate i was never able to actually grab things.

[@mtbrdude]

I did get zapped. Block heater power cord plugged into my truck in the middle of winter. Early one more, I went to unplug the cord, but due to snowfall there must have been enough water somewhere to conduct the power. I got a very short quick zap and I hear the gfci on the outside of my house click. Did it save my life? Maybe!

[@Nathanm7977]

Reminds me of a time I was working in a plant in a wet environment. The control box had a short. So every time I tuned that switch on and be touching the walkway rail, I would be zapped. Called maintenance and they did not believe me till I grabbed their arm and the switch and zapped them. Pulled out the a meter and it was 220v running through it.

[@RyanGuill]

Could you cover how a GFCI can fail? Are there signs to look for? How often you would need to replace them, etc? My house also has some GFCI outlets wired in series, is that unusual or unsafe in any way?

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

Push the test button. That puts about an 8 miliamp unblanced current on it to trip it. If in doubt, also push the test button while a blowdryer is plugged in.

[@Petertronic]

Interesting. How funny because another channel based in Canada also just made a video testing GFCI's (Electromagnetic videos)

[@gorak9000]

And another channel in Canada has probably made a ton of money by essentially testing GFCI's for y ears in a dramatic way (electroboom)

[@BEM684]

Have you ever played with a TENS machine? They use electrical pulses to stimulate nerves. Can be a lot of fun but also can be painful if applied in a sensitive place like your face, and using too high a setting.

[@HelloKittyFanMan]

Cool video, thanks.

[@SilentGloves]

As a kid, I got bit by 120V AC at least a handful of times. I never thought it was that bad. It certainly isn't pleasant, but I also wouldn't describe it as pain, exactly. It's like a tense, unpleasant buzzing sensation.

[@xanderplayz3446]

I have to agree.

[@alexs6986]

That plot is basically showing the resistance stayed steady at 11k ohms until37 volts when it dropped to 7k ohms. Pretty cool plot

[@Argoon1981]

I got a shock on my home 230V and let me tell you, it hurt, thou like you said is nothing like striking your elbow into something that hurts more. But it may change from person to person, it is not the same for all, it also depends on some external factors.

[@ww321]

Very good video👍

[@laserfloyd]

As a kid in the 80s I'd take things apart so I could see how they worked. I took a fan apart and plugged it in to watch the motor run. Silly me, I didn't connect the wires. SILLIER ME I didn't unplug the cord. I'll never forget that feeling and that my dad was watching James Bond on Channel 2. 😂 I never told anyone but believe me, I learned my lesson and have been extra cautious with electrical work ever since. I don't need anymore of that happening to me. Actually, I just set up an electric fence and got zinged but it was because I grabbed the wrong wire. 😜 It was just a little pop. Nothing like the 120v coming out of the wall. Oof!

[@Gunbudder]

0:31 you know you are doing science when you make a death cable lol. i'm curious, how do you "safe" your death cable when you are done using it? i put wago lever nuts on the exposed wire end and a tape flag that says "DEATH" on the plug end

[@dgusw]

holly shit... watching this was a little bit nerve wrecking 😂 like somebody tests a sawstop with a real finger 😮

[@rompdude]

I would suggest not using your left hand as the side being shocked, even if the path of least resistance is not directly through your chest. I understand the breaker will protect you, but if you screwed up or it failed, you could quite easily have your heart in the fireing line. With that being said, nice experiment, always hear that 50v is the "safe" threshold, it's nice to see this in practice and also see the relationship between voltage and amperage.

[@rj7855]

I can't even count the number of times i have got stung by 230v ac ... In the time before GFCI... The worse was while holding trying to light a 10000w light bulb (my father was a light designer at national television and we sometime had some awesome huge lightbulbs) i was holding the two wires to the fitting of the bulb with my hand with sticking the other side of the wires in the outlet. The result; the (old fashioned ceramic fuse) literally launched out of the fusebox and the outlet has a large green burn mark that still there to thsi day, some 50 years later

[@InconsistentManner]

As an electrician that learned from the Old Guard. Solid sole shoes, not standing in water/rain and just touching one wire at a time preferable with the same hand. Is in general all the safety advice a light commercial, home, small office Electrician needs to be safe. TLDR: just use common sense and logic. Most residential/home electrocutions are just down to improper wiring and faulty appliances. While most residential/home electrocutions involving water have to do with pools. Best bet folks is to shut off the power if possible and if not, stay dry and call a professional. Oh, and all it takes is 7 millivolts across the heart for an adults heart to stop even less for children or the elderly.

[@paulkolodner2445]

In 2015, I had some damage in my radial nerve - it runs down the arm to the fingers - so I had a nerve-conduction test. In this procedure, they stick a needle into your upper arm, clamp an electrode to your finger, and give you a zap that is strong enough to make your arm jerk. I had been warned that it was extremely painful, and it was unpleasant. But, as I went through the test, I realized that the problem was the sensation of having my arm jerk uncontrollably. The actual level of pain was not high. I hope this explains everything.

[@jaro6985]

If you have a good TENS unit and crank it up to max it can be incredibly uncomfortable, sort of painful. Either the machine they are using is limited, or they didn't turn up the current too high I would think.

[@paulkolodner2445]

@@jaro6985 Your comment should be generalized: never insult your physical therapist. Or your urologist. They both know how to make you suffer.

[@jaro6985]

@@paulkolodner2445 true. Didn't pass out but good PT is intense.

[@joeblocker9248]

Good job.

[@henkmeiring01]

Everyone working with electricity/electronics should watch this.Emergency personnel, salespeople, homeowners,mechanics.Actually ever human being on this planet. Why? Because you get people like me who love working with bare feet.And "forget " about it.Few months back i went outside while raining.Bare feet and all.Something went wrong with solar system and 220vac/50hz it have at its output.Rushing ,working wet bare feet,wet clothes,wet hands.😲Luckily nothing happened,but this video good educational tool why not to be so stupid.Even if there is so much protective circuitry.👍👍👍👍👍

[@johnsohn653]

Getting zapped with 120 is never fun though not really harmful. I was in highschool and in an HVAC class. We had a group middle schoolers come in just to get them interested in the trades. We had a displace with an outlet, light switch and light receptical. It was powered by a suicide cord. Someone screwed up making it the metal plug end must have a short to it so when i plugged it in holding that end I got zapped.