My strange experience of electric shock.This issue remains a misty.

Thread Starter

sagar474

Joined Jul 22, 2010
16



a few minutes ago while I'm soldering a board I's shocked me. that voltage may be from the tip of the soldering gun.
and after that when I'm connecting the board to PC serial port again it shocked me.

In these two cases the shock is not little. It is very potential shock.

Immediately i verified the voltage from my AC power supply 250V ac (India)
and I also checked the ground. it is OK.

This issue remains a misty.​
 
Whoa....can't tell if the grammar and spelling errors in the original post are due to english not being the OP's primary language or if he is still experiencing some after effects of the shock.:eek:
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
Measure the AC voltage from the soldering tip to earth ground when you press the trigger of the soldering gun. (The obvious answer is that the soldering gun has become defective.)
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Measure the AC voltage from the soldering tip to earth ground when you press the trigger of the soldering gun. (The obvious answer is that the soldering gun has become defective.)
OP is talking about using a soldering iron in India. No telling if OP has a proper ground or any of the house and / or electric company wiring is correct.
 

Thread Starter

sagar474

Joined Jul 22, 2010
16
(The obvious answer is that the soldering gun has become defective.)
Not only soldering gun.
my computer serial port and USB port.
I measured the voltage from serial port and ground. it is 190V AC.

I tested AC supply ---->250V AC
I tested Ground ------>OK

This situation occurred suddenly.
I'm working from few weeks at the same place and same power supply.
I'm confident that these type of power supply like USB port, serial port, soldering road tip don't shock when properly handled and properly connected to proper power supply with ground. but why this strange thing happens.
 
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JohnInTX

Joined Jun 26, 2012
4,787
Stick a probe into ground or connect it to a cold water pipe then measure the power and ground pins of the outlet. Ground should be 0Volts and it does not sound like it is. Keep in mind that if your outlet ground is faulty and connected to one of the mains, it will read 0 volts.

Next, switch a meter to OHMs and verify actual continuity (beep or Zero ohms) between the ground pin of the outlet and the water pipe, electrical panel frame etc.

Next, make sure any cords, outlet strips have good ground continuity as well.

You will probably find something open. If you had a good ground, you'd pop a fuze with that kind of voltage on your computer frame.

Once you are SURE that ground is good, find out why things are running mains voltages on their frames. Unplug and use an ohmmeter to check for leaks (continuity) between each of the 240V pins of the cord of any outlet strip/computer/soldering iron/ etc and their frames.

Don't mess with this. Fix it - pronto.

How many people get electrocuted in India each year to poor house wiring practices?
Let's try to keep the OP alive long enough to ask him.
 
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It happens in India (except Central India) because of over population and untrained electricians. There are some devices available to control voltage fluctuations and they also prevent such shocks. Also check the earthing of your home. I have also seen that 'L' and 'N' are reversed in some home's outlet. That's quite amazing :p
 

timescope

Joined Dec 14, 2011
298
You could also use a "tester screwdriver" to see if the earth is live. A tester screwdriver has a neon lamp and resistor built in and lights up if mains voltage is present.

Timescope
 

JMW

Joined Nov 21, 2011
137
Have you done any major repairs to the electrical system in your home? If not, I would make some tests at a neighbors house to see if they also have problems. As for electricians in India, the ones I worked with on LINY, were from the local electrical union, and caused similar issues. This was only 12 years ago. I don't even want to go into the issues here in the territories.
 

Thread Starter

sagar474

Joined Jul 22, 2010
16
Thanks for all your replays.
The problem is solved.
the problem is earth wire and phase wire are shorted some where in another portion of the house switch board.
 

eblc1388

Joined Nov 28, 2008
1,542
No, your problem have just begun.

If you receive an electric shock via an supposedly earthed connection, then it points clearly to the fact that either the earthing connection is bad or not doing its function properly. Maybe there is a break in the earth conductor continuity somewhere.

Your 'encounter' will never happen with a proper earth connection.
 

Sparky49

Joined Jul 16, 2011
833
My grandmother lived in a small croft in Scotland.

When electricity was becomming available up there, many wired up their own houses.

My dad tells me of the time he went to see her with my mum (mum's grandmother), and he was amazed at the tree-like wiring which was done on one wall of the house.

The Radio and kettle could never be on at the same time.
 
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