[AMPS] Hand in pocket test

[Lamb]

With the warnings about hands in the power supply, let me tell you a story
about my younger days (age 15, 40 years ago)

I was measuring the length of a zip cord to wire to a switch which was
surface mounted on a desk for my novice station.  I plugged it in to get the
proper length but  then forgot that it was plugged in.  It was the right
length, so I looked around for my wire strippers but could not find them.
So, I split the wire and stuck the wire in my mouth and removed the
insulation with my teeth (both sides).  No problem.  I then began to wire to
the switch, but figured out a more sanitary way to run the wire - which
required a shorter length of zip cord.  So I picked up the wire cutters and
cut the zip cord.  Suddenly, a spark, a portion of my wire cutter was blown
off and the circuit breaker on the main panel was tripped.

It was then that I realized I had been very lucky.

As a result of this experience (and being knocked across the room when I
grabbed the high voltage of my open power supply at age 16, knocking the
closet doors off the track), I have been more careful.  I figured I used up
most of my luck.  My last 40 years have been uneventful.

Moral - even keeping both hands out of your high voltage supply may not
protect you if you do something really stupid - unless you are really lucky.

Colin  K7FM


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