LED Driver shock

[T90]

Hi, I've fitted some LED strips in my bathroom in a ceiling recess and below the sink cabinet. They're 12v and 6 watts per foot, and I have 16ft so about 90watts in total. I've wired them to a remote 150w driver.

They're IP65 rated along the length, but obviously either end is exposed copper to solder the wires on, and when you cut them, again you end up with small bits of exposed copper. I've heatshrinked the ends but it's not going to be waterproof to condensation.
Am I at risk of getting an electric shock from 12v 150w?

 

[sxturbo]

I wouldn't worry about it, the heat shrink will be sufficient enough.

They haven't got water directly non them, and I assume you have an extractor fan

 

[T90]

I guess because it's DC, you'd have to touch both terminals. You don't get the same grounding effect of moisture getting into a live terminal as you would with AC, right?

 

[sxturbo]

I guess because it's DC, you'd have to touch both terminals. You don't get the same grounding effect of moisture getting into a live terminal as you would with AC, right?

Yes,

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I guess because it's DC, you'd have to touch both terminals. You don't get the same grounding effect of moisture getting into a live terminal as you would with AC, right?

Nowt to do with either - you can get a lethal shock from DC or AC. It's because is such a very low voltage and it is not referenced to earth. Generally, with dry skin, you wouldn't feel a contact with anything less than around 40v, but it vary between individuals.

You only receive a shock from 240v because of the much higher voltage and a shock to earth because the 240v is referenced against earth. It is perfectly possible to have a 240v supply which is entirely isolated from earth/ not referenced against earth. Such used to be a standard safety precautions for radio and TV engineers work benches.

 

[bernardgreen]

To get an electric shock the person has to have two points of contact and there has to be a potential difference between those two points. Most electric
shocks involve a point of contact that is Live and the other at Earth or Neutral potential.

Birds can perch on bare overhead wires carrying 11,000 and not get a shock as there is effectively only one point of contact ( both feet are at the same potential )

 

[SFK]

heatshrinked the ends but it's not going to be waterproof to condensation.

For these situations I put Arraldite glue on the end, put heat shrink over this before it sets, and wipe off any excess glue as the heatshrink shrinks.

Makes for a slightly better wateeproof end.

 

[flameport]

You don't get the same grounding effect of moisture getting into a live terminal as you would with AC, right?

Depends on whether the LED driver / power supply is isolated or not.
Even if it is isolated, there may still be a suppression capacitor between the 230V AC and the 12V DC sections.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Hot glue gun works well for insulating those links, used that for outdoor setups in the past