[SunRescue] Monitor's Are Deadly!!!

[Greg A. Woods]

[ On Sunday, April 16, 2000 at 11:02:32 (-0400), John F. Davis wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: [SunRescue] Monitor's Are Deadly!!!
>
> On Sun, Apr 16, 2000 at 02:02:34AM -0700, bob i thomas wrote:
> > Does anyone Actually know how to cool down a monitor... releive it of its charge...
> 
> Turn the monitor off and let it sit over night.  It will discharge the tube.

I wouldn't trust that method -- I've seen various devices hold a
significant charge for a week or more.

> > And I don't wanna put a screw driver in bettween the cap leads. thats the last thing I wanna do???
> >
> 
> If you are afraid and you want to be real safe,

I'm always afraid when working with high-voltage devices!  ;-)

> remove the big stopper from
> the back of the tube using an insulated channel locks.
>[[....]]
>  Once its removed, ground the lead to the
> frame.

Yup, that's what I do too (with insulated needle-nose pliers).  There
are usuall two hooks under the rubber that fit into the rivet-like
dimple in the tube.  Just grab them, push down a bit, squeeze together
until their hooks are free of the lip of the dimple and lift it out.

There are proper tools for de-flowering a high-voltage charge -- they're
usually an awl-like device with HV insulation all down to the tip and a
HV lead from the awl to an alligator clip.  Somewhere there'll also be
an HV resistor that'll let the current flow at a more relaxed rate
(i.e. hopefully without big sparks!).

>  Does not hurt to stand
> on rubber mat at the same time.   YMMV.

Yes you should always be insulated from ground when working with high
voltage stuff.

It's not the only protection that's *CRITICALY* important when working
with high voltage though:

	ALWAYS KEEP ONE HAND IN YOUR BACK POCKET

The most deadly way for an electrical current to travel through your
body is from one hand to the other (or any way that'll get it to pass
near your chest).  I.e. do not touch ground with one hand while putting
the other anywhere near high voltage charges!

(this advice given "as is" -- no warranty stated or implied!  :-)

That said I do know a professional linesman who once took hold of the
two hot wires on a house feed (i.e. 220vac) to lift them off their
insulators, one with each hand with only leather gloves on, assuming
that they had been turned off at the transformer by his co-worker.  He
was thrown clear of the ladder and pole he was on and figures the only
thing that saved him was the sudden stop at the end of his fall that
probably re-started his heart.  Never the less he was off work for a
couple of weeks or more recovering after that!  ;-)

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098      VE3TCP      <gwoods at acm.org>      <robohack!woods>
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