Shocking! (heads up)

[YT2095]

I just put the chestnuts into a small blender to chop them up for the stuffing, this blender is the sort used for making Baby Food (or if you only need to do a small amount).

I took the Plug out of the Socket and ZAP! it got me!
natuarly I droped the thing, and won`t go into what I said (but it wasn`t Frosty the snowman! although it began with the same letter).

now it got me to thinking, I`m probably Not the only one using appliances that haven`t been used normaly in the year (some may even get New ones from Santa too). What if I hadn`t just dropped it but perhaps knocked something Hot off the cooker?

now I`m the last one on the planet to ever be called a "Panic Merchant" but I tested this after and it read over 400Volts DC, and when I shorted the plug prongs across my steel mixing bowl it made a reasonable sized spark, a sharp *CRACK* sound and left a tiny black pit mark in it

so please, Be carefull when unplugging these things, they CAN store a charge, enough to make you jump and possibly injure youself or someone as a result!

 

[Candocook]

I don't think I understand how it can "store a charge". Was the mixing bowl on its electric mixer stand or just a metal mixing bowl on the counter? Glad you weren't hurt, but I don't understand this.

 

[texasgirl]

Wow, good thing you did drop it!! Thanks for the heads up. Could happen with any appliance, I would think.

 

[YT2095]

well the "Science" behind it is to put a Capacitor across the motor to act as a an EM noise filter.

ever put a hairdryer, drill or vacuum cleaner on near a TV and seen the dots that appeared like interferance on the picture?, well this Cap is supposed to reduce that by acting as a shunt for over voltage spikes caused by Back EMF from the motor.

However! there should be a resistor across this cap to discharge it fairly quickly and that`s not Always the case with some makes.

 

[buckytom]

glad you're ok, yt. it's not fun getting crispy.

the high voltage cap makes sense, but it should be low farads for noise reduction. it'll give you a shock, but there's not enough juice to hurt you. we used to wrap the leads around and charge up high voltage ceramic caps, then leave them around on someone's bench. scares the crap out of you when you pick them up.

my favourite charged device is a crt tube. (yeah, i know, redundant).

unplug that suction cup that comes off the flyback transformer, and stick a wet finger on the contact.

fun times.

 

[Andy M.]

Boy, you sure know how to have a good time!

 

[buckytom]

lol, nerds are cruel, little people, andy.

and we're dam*ed proud of it.

ya know, there are 10 kinds of people on the earth: those who understand binary, and those that don't.

 

[YT2095]

the cap rating is only 0.5mfd, mylar type, and yeah, we used to charge em up in the Lab and chuck one over to a mate and shout "Catch" (they invariably Do!).
as for the flyback transformers, I used to rewind my own primaries and run them through a pair of 2n3055s, I have a fantastic one here hooked up to my CW voltage MX and get a lovely 36Kv out, that then charges the bank of Ex-Soviet Millitary caps (gotta love eBay).

Aaaanyway, before I derail my own thread, this really is a serious issue, any unsuspected SHOCK in the kitchen, be it electrical or otherwise can lead to Serious injury, and electrics designed this way are a great way to find out!

 

[buckytom]

a good way to be careful is to check for the underwriters lab label (UL label) on electrics/electronics.

if it bears the approved label, the device is supposed to have been tested for safety.

 

[YT2095]

this has the CE mark on it and a few other nonsensical ones, there`s no British Standard Kite-mark though?

although it WAS purchased at a Very Large reputeable outlet.

 

[Candocook]

Could this be a European thing--higher voltage, etc. I hated physics--although I have a pretty good number of degrees and courses in science--so can't even comment on the Faradays, etc. BUT without something being in the wall, and/or there being a faulty circuit somewhere causing the arcing, I don't understand yet. Do the plugs in UK have something in them that would hold the charge? Ours don't. BUT I will be careful

 

[YT2095]

no, the Device itself has something called a Capacitor that will hold this charge.
a Cap is a bit like Battery (I`m not going into detail about the differences) but suffice to say a Cap will hold it`s charge for a very long time!

 

[mudbug]

um.....YT and bucky....I thought we all agreed we'd speak English on this board?

 

[YT2095]

sorry Mudbug, it was unintentional on mt part and I`m sure BT was the same, only we WERE asked as to mechanism behind this.

non the less, in effect, it`s a precaution worth taking, Don`t touch the Plug Prongs after use.

 

[mudbug]

No worries, YT. I was just joshing you. Thanks for a good tip!

 

[Candocook]

no, the Device itself has something called a Capacitor that will hold this charge.
a Cap is a bit like Battery (I`m not going into detail about the differences) but suffice to say a Cap will hold it`s charge for a very long time!

Well, I understand capacitors--it was a blender that has this? What brand--just for my info not to get one!!?

 

[YT2095]

I`m not sure I`m allowed to post that since it`s a rather unflattering thread about this product, I can say so far what you can gleen yourself, it`s Dangerous, it`s a UK product for making Baby Food (by blitzing adult food), and sold at Argos.

EDIT: a link; 220 240 volt coffee/spice grinders it`s the item at the bottom except mine is the CCM104 (they look almost the same though).

 

[shpj4]

I am very sorry about your blender but it was a good think that you dropped it. You may need an electrician to come and fix the socket.

 

[Michelemarie]

YT2, I'm glad you are okay.

 

[StirBlue]

Oh, I just hate electrical shocks! I believe what you experienced was a "feed back". I have a small 3 point kitchen. I have three outlets and one on the stove. When I have to multi-task from a single outlet, I bring in the surge plug. I never use the refrigerator outlet for anything except the refrigerator and something low watt like the cordless telephone charger (and that's probably not a good idea....storm season).
I have bought things that had plug covers. I just threw them away thinking they were to protect during shipping. Maybe they are meant to be used during storeage. I'll think twice when I see a plug cover again.
Holiday wishes to all.