Theodore's World

WT, were you barefoot when you were stringing the lights, if so that would make the shock worse, or wet grass etc. ... And all outdoor receptacles are supposed to be GFCI protected. But, since you live in Florida which is almost the lightning capital of the world, having an outdoor GFCI is no guarantee the thing hasn't been toasted by a passing 'bolt'. According to NCPSC 58 % of these devices have failed and they can be reset and work but the electronics are completely shot, meaning no protection.

You must be more careful, remember the 'let-go' threshold for women is much less than it is for a man and you are only talking 10-15 mili-amps.

LISTEN-UP out there , here is the straight skinny on our efforts to have the 1st ''WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS DAY'' .
YOU can help , house resolution 189 was passed and now is laying around the white house waiting to be signed ! Well lets ''GIT-ER-DONE'' .We could have the first one in March of 08!
To find out what you can do to help ''git-er-done go to this website and take a look www.whvvd.org Then do all you can , its .26 cents for a post card or a phone call to the pres. Cheap at half the price . Personally I am getting a couple of hundred postcards and will give them to the local VVA membershit .
Semper Fi to some , All The Best To The Rest

Glad you are all right WT, Mark is right, that threshold current thing is critical. Don't trust that GFCI to protect you either, even if it's brand new, there are no guarantees after it has tripped one time. I always treat any circuit as if it were 'hot' because you never know if it can be backfed. If you still feel ill from it go get medical help.

Last week I helped my ex son in law, we installed a 200 amp service in the daughters place, one of the bad things was on the old installation we had an old style meter base with CT shunts in it, pulling the meter didn't kill the circuit to the old panel.

We worked it hot, then had to swing the wires from the transformer over to the new installation, all was done 'hot'. We have both been doing 'hot' work for years but the risks are always there.

I took some 480 VAC many years back where I couldn't let go of a motor switch, someone shoved me off the blasted thing with a broom handle, I was absolutely covered with water at the time during a hose down of the floor or it would have killed me, as it was it ruined my day, I went home sick one sick puppy. If I have any doubts I meter the circuit, without a meter I might 'test' a low voltage circuit with the back of my right hand. Always wear good shoes (nails in the soles a no-no.). Usually I turn off the outdoor circuit until all connections are made then power it up because it rains incessantly this time of year. So glad you are safe.

Glad you're okay and only came away with a lesson learned.

Guess this marks the Official Start of the Christmas Season.

Mark,thank you so much, yes I was barefoot. I love shoes and I never like to wear them at home. I am constantly barefoot.
I was standing on cement, the arbor is at the entrance of the garden gate where the cement meets the large brick patio ground cover. But I had just finished standing in the grass for 2 hoursand I think my feet were wet too.

Your right about the let go thing. I do remember looking down at my left hand holding it and could not let go right away.

mike preston, thank you for the information.

Jack wow, very scary stuff.

Thank you so much.

It sure felt weird and I have a tiny white dot right now on the part of my index finger that I guess took the most zapping.

Rick hahaha yes I guess it does. Thhank you.

We have some friends coming the week of Thanksgiving, arriving Monday and since I do the outdoor lights the weekend after Thanksgiving, I figured why not go ahead and just put them up one week early so it is pretty for our friends when they arrive.

OMG, I'm glad you're OK!
You've started decorating for Christmas too, huh?! We put up the tree today, but I'm going to get new decorations probably tomorrow. I couldn't get to the decorations in the attic! (Argh.)

Good to hear you're okay. Like Nick, I had more than my fair share of shocks in the Navy (I was an Electricians Mate)
The little white spot is a burn mark where the current went through and I'll bet you have one on your foot too where the current left your body. It'll be there for a longgggggg time.
The worst part about AC too is it causes your muscles to contract so you can't let go.
Once again, kick back and relax and it's good to hear you are safe and good to go.
You are to cute and fiesty to be hurt 8-P

Oh, my! Glad you are okay....I would have thought it was just part of your electric personality! ;-)

I was shocked like that once, on a night light when I was a kid...it really does feel awful! I threw that thing across the room when it happened and I didn't have a lot of feeling in my hand for a few hours. It was a bit scary!

Glad WT is AOK and glad it wasn't raining! Are you sure it wasn't a mini IED planted by one of your liberal Goreons? We were stringing Christmas lights over our razor wire at Stalag 13 and we got zapped too. The crew chief was reassigned to the Russian Front! - Shock & Awe 2007?

Nick thought he was back in his old RAT PATROL
days when he would lay down the wires to ignite the TNT at Field Marshall Rommell's Headquarters!
"Chrissie the red-nosed reindeer...has a very shiney nose!" AC/DC and red is positive and black is negative? Glad you're aok and more charged than ever WT! - SD Chargers instead of Broncos

Hi Beth,thank you so much. Yes we have some of our decorations in the attic too, that is very hard to get to them like that. Our attic is very scary for me, the ladder pulls down from the ceiling, yikes and kind of wobbly too.

navycopjoe, thank you so much.

And thank you so much too for the information about the dot,I wondered about the white dot.

Merri, yes that is how it felt too, I took a nap for a couple of hours but the area felt weird till just a little while ago.

Thank you so much. I can just see your quick response when it happened to you.

Yes my electric personality. heh heh is charged up now. hahaha

Darth thank you so much, I appreciate it.

Love this.....""Chrissie the red-nosed reindeer...has a very shiney nose!" hahahahaa

Glowing in the dark.

PS: Some of our Christmas decorations are already up too and it's our way of saying "Happy Birthday Baby Jesus" five weeks early! Who gives a darn what the secular liberal neighbors think.
Ho Ho Ho 2007 and Iman 2008!

So that's what that little glow on the horizon was!

Gosh, but I hate those little shocks, I've had a few, but I don't think I've had anything as strong as what you're describing.

I can't wait to see you!

Darth I agree.

This is my favorite time of year and Ho Ho Ho I love too. I saw where someone had complained about the ho ho ho as well. amazing

Linda hahahaa yes a bright glow. I am so glad Linda you are ok too from when stuff like this happened to you.

PS: WT and patriots, we celebrate the Christmastime season from December 6th (German Christ child brings gifts) to the Feast of The Magi/Three Kings/Epiphany on January 6th! We don't give a Ramadamnadingdong either. Too bad, eh? And always a Happy Hanukkah! Happy Birthday Jesus, Shalom and Goodwill one and all!!

Thank God you are all right!