Dear Silver List,
I would be more concerned with Capacitors as to being a potentially fatal
electrical component. Capacitors used in power supplies, especially, can hold
charges for long periods of time (weeks and longer) even when the appliance is
unplugged. Capacitors can even after being discharged re-energize to be a shock
hazard, potentially injurious ones at that.
You don't see Caps (as capacitors are sometimes called) in most Colloidal
Silver Generators; you will see them used in high voltage devices.
The Secondary windings on transformers are the next most dangerous
electrocution hazard (the device is plugged into an electrical outlet).
I am personally more attentive (read afraid) of DC Voltages than AC. AC can
hurt you, but DC grips onto until you are good and end. High Voltage, AC or DC,
is best left to the trained professional.
A GFI (Ground Fault Indicator) outlet will trip with an AC fault or short and
provide some protection against AC (think hair dryer or radio falling into a
bathtub or sink), but a GFI provides no protection against DC shorts or faults.
(No AC fault to trip the protection)
Not to steal Wayne's thunder, here are my safety list for working on any
electrical circuit:
1. Do not work when you are Tired, Inebriated, or Upset.
2. Remove all jewelry, including wedding rings.
3. Wear Rubber Sole Shoes. (A rubber mat in addition is smart when working on
a cement floor.)
4. Have the device on a wooden or other non conductive workbench.
5. If you have long hair, tie it back
6. Never trust an on/off switch, unplug from the outlet..
7. If you have to reach into the device when it is plugged in, keep one hand
in your pocket. I also use rubber gloves (the thick type used for washing
dishes).
8. A chopstick is better than a hand in most instances to "poke" around in the
above case.
9. Wear Safety Goggles one soldering. Never Solder into a live (plugged in)
Circuit.
9. Never work when distracted (TV show, Nagging spouse or kids, Talking on the
Telephone).
But the most Important rule is:
10. If you don't have a clue what you are doing, stop and find someone who
does.
It is cheaper in the long run. (Funerals can be quite expensive.)
Resistors and diodes threat vanishes (unless tied to a Cap) as soon as the
power chord is removed from the outlet. We use to joke Resistors are more
likely to be fatal if swallowed (choking hazard), diodes likewise.
Steve Foss
