Can You Get Shocked Without Being Grounded?

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In summary, when touching a live wire while not grounded, it is possible to receive a painful or dangerous shock due to the capacitive effect of the body. This is because the body can act as a capacitor and allow current to flow through it. Even without a return cable, a large object like a human body can still act as a parallel path for current to flow through. This does not break with circuit theory and explains why birds do not get shocked when landing on high voltage power lines. However, if someone hypothetically climbed a utility pole and grabbed a live wire, they would still get shocked as their body acts like an antenna connected to a high voltage AC power source.
  • #1
Gruxg
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It is ussually thought that if you receive a shock touching only one cable is because you are not well isolated from ground. In theory, if you touch only one wire in one point and you are not conected to ground, you should not get a discharge (we all have seen small birds in the transmission lines). However, I have noticed that if I am standing on a plastic stool and not touching the ground anywere and I touch a live wire with one of those test lights like a screwdriver used by the electricians, it indicates current. This tester is only a light and a very high resistance between the wire and my finger, and it is indicating that the current is going into my body (with small intensity due to the high resistance of the tester). I guess my body is acting like a capacitor or something like that. It is possible to receive a painful or dangerous shock if you are not grounded, only by the capacitive effect?.

And in a more general sense, if an large object (like a human body) is conected to one of the terminals of an AC generator but the circuit is open (no return cable) and there are no other objects close to the big body that can act as "the other plate of the capacitor", can there still be a current?. If the body is sufficient large, I do not find any physical reasons to think that this would not happen. However it breaks a bit with the common asumptions of the circuit theory.
 
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skeptic2 said:

Note the guy in that video is wearing a "faraday cage" like suit. Since the guy on the wire provides an additional parallel path to the current flowing through the wire, a small percentage of current would flow through the guy if not for the "faraday cage" suit that carries that small percentage of current instead.
 
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  • #4


No it doesn't break with circuit theory.
A human is usually modeled as having a capacitance relative to Earth and a resistance.
So yes, if you touch an ac line there is a always a current flowing. That's also the reason why birds never land on high voltage power lines. They may land on medium voltage lines or on the ground wire of a high voltage power line. But never on wires carrying more than a few dozen kV.
 
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Just curious, let's say that someone hypothetically climbs a utility pole with no special equipment/clothing on and grabs a live wire. Will they get shocked? And if so, where is the current going through them grounding to?
 
  • #6


spamctor said:
Just curious, let's say that someone hypothetically climbs a utility pole with no special equipment/clothing on and grabs a live wire. Will they get shocked? And if so, where is the current going through them grounding to?
Consider the person to be similar to an antenna connected to an 500,000 to 700,000 volt AC power source, there is current flowing through an "antenna" as the AC voltage at the powered end of the "antenna" cycles back and forth.
 
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1. Can you get shocked without being grounded?

Yes, it is possible to get shocked without being grounded. This can happen if you touch a live wire or come into contact with a source of electricity while not wearing shoes or standing on a non-conductive surface.

2. How does being grounded prevent electric shock?

When you are grounded, any excess electricity in your body is able to flow into the ground, reducing the risk of electric shock. This is because the ground acts as a pathway for the electricity to travel through.

3. What happens if you get shocked while not being grounded?

If you get shocked while not being grounded, the electricity will travel through your body and can cause serious injury or even death. The severity of the shock depends on the amount of electricity and the duration of contact.

4. Is it safe to touch a live wire if you are not grounded?

No, it is never safe to touch a live wire, even if you are not grounded. Electricity can still flow through your body and cause harm, regardless of whether or not you are grounded.

5. What should I do if I get shocked while not being grounded?

If you get shocked while not being grounded, seek medical attention immediately. Even if you do not feel any immediate symptoms, it is important to get checked by a medical professional to ensure there is no internal damage. It is also important to identify the source of the shock and take proper precautions to avoid similar situations in the future.

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