Would you get a shock if you did this  ?? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MathWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 12:08:02 am
content: I've been getting a lot of static shocks lately, and I can still feel them when touching a 3.3Meg resistor, to ground, that I have on my bench lamp just for that.So if I was to take a leak on a metal pipe, or metal toilet, would I get a shock? I'd really would not want to find out tho.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 12:25:04 am
content: A normal metal pipe connected to household or industrial plumbing would typically be earthed. The reason for this is that a loose live connection could energise all taps and exposed pipes, radiators etc. if not earthed, so a safety earth connection is made from the piping to the ground. This means in the worst case it should just trip the breaker or RCD.It is therefore unlikely that, er, "relieving oneself" on indoor plumbing fixtures will pose a great risk.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 12:28:33 am
content: Is that a common thing to do in parts of Canada?

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 12:29:53 am
content: you need to measure the resistance of the liquid mid flow

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 02:26:02 am
content: Given that the flow is often broken into droplets, unlikely to feel anything. (This is one reason “suicide showers” don’t actually kill people all the time: the voltage drops rapidly with distance due to breaking up into drops.)

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 04:55:30 am
content: Quote from: tooki on February 12, 2023, 02:26:02 amNo.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 06:12:00 am
content: “suicide showers" flow the water over an earthed conductor as the final step.So any electricity in the water is grounded before it exits.I think neutral is also the next conductor in line after earth too, so they shouldn't zap you unless you swap phase and neutral wires and then remove the earth wire.

author: pqass
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 06:42:05 am
content: Quote from: MathWizard on February 12, 2023, 12:08:02 amYou should touch the faucet before you unzip.https://www.agrisellex.co.uk/blogs/blog/will-you-get-shocked-peeing-on-an-electric-fence

author: MathWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 09:56:14 am
content: I've gotten static shocks through my ears before, with earbuds in while pulling off a sweater or coat in the winter sometimes. That's no fun either.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 09:57:59 am
content: Quote from: BrianHG on February 12, 2023, 04:55:30 amYes. Diodegonewild did a bunch of experiments.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 09:59:27 am
content: Quote from: Psi on February 12, 2023, 06:12:00 amWhen properly installed, yes. But there is ample evidence of them frequently being installed, um, very wrong.