Phil Leigh;283507 Wrote: > the 110/115V US supply is twice as dangerous as the UK (etc) approach > for this reason.
That's incorrect. Yes, it is the current that kills you, but how much current you get is a function of the voltage, per Ohms law. More voltage is what allows the electricity to overcome the body's resistance (mainly the skin), which in turn is what allows current to flow. Lethal current is WAY below the capacity of any line outlet, so the amp rating does not even enter the picture. Only 0.1A (across the torso) will kill you, but a wall outlet can deliver usually 100 to 200 times that amount. In other words, the reason you don't _usually_ die by touching line voltage is because the voltage is too low to allow a lot of current to flow. However, allow prolonged contact, or provide a larger or less resistive contact area (i.e. wet hands on a whole chassis that is hot) and it becomes extremely dangerous. And indeed, European outlets are far more dangerous because they'll allow twice the current to flow for a given situation. The reason why typical very high voltage (1KV+) sources such as static electricity, an electric fence, or a taser are non-lethal is because the current that they can deliver is very limited. Also, something like a taser or stun gun will deliver power only across a couple inches of the body, affecting the nervous system but usually not creating a path across the heart. -- seanadams ------------------------------------------------------------------------ seanadams's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=45195 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
