Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hpfcdc!hpfcdj!myers
From: myers@hpfcdj.HP.COM (Bob Myers)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Re: Touching a "hot" connector
Message-ID: <17660007@hpfcdj.HP.COM>
Date: 8 Aug 89 18:00:50 GMT
References: <248@sopwith.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett Packard -- Fort Collins, CO
Lines: 16

>>contact as you would need to check out for good on 120.  I = E/R, so any time 
>>you set up a situation where you can get 100 mA through the heart, well, 
>>please smile and leave a happy-looking corpse.

>I believe your presumption that all currents above a threshold are lethal 
>is incorrect.  What I recall is that currents within a fairly narrow
>range induce ventricular fibrillation and are potentially lethal.  Once you
>exceed this range, higher currents are actually LESS dangerous since they

Technically you are, of course, correct - but are you willing to bet your
life on the hope that the current will exceed the upper end of that range?


Bob Myers  KC0EW   HP Graphics Tech. Div.|  Opinions expressed here are not
                   Ft. Collins, Colorado |  those of my employer or any other
myers%hpfcla@hplabs.hp.com               |  sentient life-form on this planet.