Electric shock...from being stupid. :/

[eveares]

Have you ever received an electric shock from doing something simple and mundane like changing a light bulb?

Well I did, by changing a light bulb in a normal table side lamp and forgot I had all ready removed the bulb, so I went to remove the non existent bulb by putting my hand in the lamp shade (while the lamp was still plugged in ) and touched the two pins in the BC socket!

Now i know what I did was stupid, but is this really a case of my ignorance or just me simply being stupid and not making sure the lamp was unplugged.

 

[JohnW2]

Now i know what I did was stupid, but is this really a case of my ignorance or just me simply being stupid and not making sure the lamp was unplugged.

What were you thinking that you might be ignorant about? It sounds like "regular stupidity" to me, but there are probably few of us who have not been there in our time!

I'm glad you survived, seemingly fairly unscathed, anyway!

Kind Regards, John

 

[sparkwright]

Well normally you would make sure the switch is off before removing a lamp.

But we all make mistakes, or forget what we've just done.

We can keep telling ourselves not to do a particular thing, and still end up doing it.

So don't worry and put it down to experience.

When you think about it, lampholders in table lamps, and anything else that doesn't need a tool to access them, are quite primitive.

Without any tools, anyone can just remove a bulb, to expose these live pins.

It does seem very dangerous if you take a moment to think about it.

 

[eveares]

I'm glad you survived, seemingly fairly unscathed, anyway!

Only felt like a mild tingle, I suppose the current took the path of least resistance what was across my finger and not through me and through a wooden floor.

Also did it once before when i was 8 when messing around with a old lamp.

I am normally very safe when it comes to electrics and prove and test between all cores as well as proving my meter before and after isolating what I am working on. This time, I was just being unusually stupid and lazy by not unplugging the lamp.

 

[ericmark]

You do raise a valid point. For fixed lighting the standard BA22d bulb holder is good enough as the light is fixed to the ceiling. However for a standard lamp may be the bulb holder should be of the MK SG type.

The Shock Guard (SG) system ensures that the lampholder contact pins are not live when a bulb is removed.

As a lad I also managed to get a shock touching pins of a work top lamp where the bulb was missing and although at that time shock guard and RCD protection was not available my father then swapped the fitting for one with a cover over the lamp so it could not be repeated.

Many in line switches have no indication which way is on and which is off I have written on mine with a felt pen.

I have come across some European lamps where the two pin plug is put inside a converter making it into a UK three pin but the plug was fitted wrong way around leaving switch on the neutral not the live.

 

[plugwash]

I've always found it strange how lighting seems to get a pass from the normal electrical safety rules. The MK shockguard and similar lampholders exist but i'm not aware of any big push to use them.

 

[JohnW2]

I've always found it strange how lighting seems to get a pass from the normal electrical safety rules. The MK shockguard and similar lampholders exist but i'm not aware of any big push to use them.

Yes, it is pretty strange. The 'safety' lampholders are certainly a substantial step in the right direction, but I have to say that I personally have only rarely seen them used.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EddieM]

I shouldn't berate yourself too much. Many of us have done similar, what gets me is, as I think has aleady been said, is the poor design of lamp fittings, it should surely be possible to mitigate this situation.

 

[Grenage]

About 15 years ago I stripped all the insulation from an old AT power supply switch, to make repairs. I later tested it by picking it up and pressing the switch - insulation still missing. In my defence, I hadn't slept in a couple of days.

We've all done something stupid, but one tends not to make such mistakes a second time.

 

[clifford1]

one tends not to make such mistakes a second time.

There are two possible reasons for that ...

 

[Grenage]

Indeed; one certainly better than the other.

 

[eveares]

one tends not to make such mistakes a second time

Somewhat true, but I don't really count the time when I was 8 as I was just messing around and is not something I normally remember and relive in my mind.

Now making the same mistake again in a short period of time, then that may be more concerning.

I also suppose it is not cost effective to replace all BC/SBC/ES/SES lamp and lamp holders with safer alternatives.

Also always remember my Nan telling me when she got her first electric iron/hair dryer (cant remember which), it was plugged into the light socket on the ceiling!

 

[JohnW2]

Also always remember my Nan telling me when she got her first electric iron/hair dryer (cant remember which), it was plugged into the light socket on the ceiling!

You haven't lived - it was not necessarily just one thing plugged into the lamp socket - my grandparents sometimes has a veritable Christmas Tree of adapters plugged into ceiling lamp holders, with goodness knows how many things powered from them! ....

Untitled

• JohnW2
• 14 May 2014
• 2

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

It would seem years ago there were two tariffs one for lighting and one for sockets and electric cost more for sockets.

There were a number of court cases where people used lighting supply for non lighting use and in the end it all got lumped together.

However my grand fathers house had just two 15A sockets one upstairs and one down stairs and it was normal to plug into the lights.

My fathers house built 1952 was far better it had 5 x 13A sockets but even then still common to use lighting.

The whole idea of ceiling mounted sockets seems good it does keep cables off the floor and I have worked in many factories with power track. Only diffrence there were fuses in the plug.

 

[JohnW2]

The whole idea of ceiling mounted sockets seems good it does keep cables off the floor and I have worked in many factories with power track. Only diffrence there were fuses in the plug.

... and a CPC !!

Kind Regards, John