Can I get an electric shock from touching contacts with no voltage?

[timmeister37]

I made a thread titled "The only stupid question is the one not asked." In my thread, i asked if it is possible to get an electric shock on a pair of contacts if there is no voltage on the contacts. I suspect that the answer is no, but i don't definitely know. This is a very important question to me because if i know that i cannot get shocked by touching metal contacts with no voltage, it will allow me to perform electrical work that i would previously be intimidated to do.

I don't have any electrical training at all. So this is a serious question for me.

Someone changed the title of my thread to call it a stupid question. This hurts my feelings and offends me.I think only moderators can change titles of threads. So we either have a hacker who has hacked into a moderators account and did this, or one of our moderators is a rogue moderator who belittles PF members asking serious questions.

I hope the good moderators will edit the title of my thread back to what it originally was. I hope appropriate disciplinary action is taken against the smart aleck who edited the title of my thread to say that it is a stupid question.

 

[DaveC426913]

"The only stupid question is the one not asked."

The thread title is not for your benefit; it is for the benefit of readers so they know the content of the thread before opening it.

The subject of your question was not summarized in the original thread title, so it was edited to indicate the subject matter.

This is par with community standards. It is not an affront to you.

 

[berkeman]

I made a thread titled "The only stupid question is the one not asked." In my thread, i asked if it is possible to get an electric shock on a pair of contacts if there is no voltage on the contacts. I suspect that the answer is no, but i don't definitely know. This is a very important question to me because if i know that i cannot get shocked by touching metal contacts with no voltage, it will allow me to perform electrical work that i would previously be intimidated to do.

I don't have any electrical training at all. So this is a serious question for me.

Someone changed the title of my thread to call it a stupid question. This hurts my feelings and offends me.I think only moderators can change titles of threads. So we either have a hacker who has hacked into a moderators account and did this, or one of our moderators is a rogue moderator who belittles PF members asking serious questions.

I hope the good moderators will edit the title of my thread back to what it originally was. I hope appropriate disciplinary action is taken against the smart aleck who edited the title of my thread to say that it is a stupid question.

I apologize, Tim. That was me. We received a complaint report that the thread title was non-descriptive (which it was), so I changed it but since it had replies already I wanted to keep some of the original title to help others still find the thread.

I will delete that part. Please accept my apology. My motivations were good.

 

[timmeister37]

"The only stupid question is the one not asked."

The thread title is not for your benefit; it is for the benefit of readers so they know the content of the thread before opening it.

The subject of your question is not summarized in the thread title, so it was edited to indicate the subject matter.

Ok fair enough to edit the thread title to ATTEMPT to include the question of the thread in the title, but why insult me by calling it a stupid question?

Is it standard practice for engineers and physicists to insult people without any scientific training who ask newby questions by saying their questions are stupid?

P.S. the thread title was edited to ask if non-energized contacts can electrically shock a person, but my thread actually ask if contacts with no voltage can electrically shock a person. I don't even definitely know precisely what non-energized means.

 

[berkeman]

P.S. the thread title was edited to ask if non-energized contacts can electrically shock a person, but my thread actually ask if contacts with no voltage can electrically shock a person. I don't even definitely know precisely what non-energized means.

No voltage means non-energized.

 

[timmeister37]

I apologize, Tim. That was me. We received a complaint report that the thread title was non-descriptive (which it was), so I changed it but since it had replies already I wanted to keep some of the original title to help others still find the thread.

I will delete that part. Please accept my apology. My motivations were good.

I forgive you.

I agree that the original thread title was non-descriptive. I wish that you had used the word voltage instead of non-energized. This is a matter of life and death, and i would not want anyone to get non-energized confused with no voltage if there is a difference.

 

[berkeman]

BTW, it would be productive if you could reply in the thread to help us figure out where the shock you received came from. Just sayin'

 

[berkeman]

This is a matter of life and death

I'm also a medic/EMT -- I can help you in that thread.

 

[timmeister37]

BTW, it would be productive if you could reply in the thread to help us figure out where the shock you received came from. Just sayin'

I have added the post to confirm that i am asking about if you can get an eletric shock from line current if you touch metal contacts with no voltage , not static electricity or parasitic capicitance.

I did not get shocked. I am trying to learn this so i have the confidence to do electrical work and not get shocked.

 

[berkeman]

Okay, thanks. I'll head back there now to see if I can help.

 

[timmeister37]

Okay, thanks. I'll head back there now to see if I can help.

I would be shocked if you did not know the answer to the question. Pun intended.

 

[berkeman]

LOL, goofball.

 

[berkeman]

I did not get shocked. I am trying to learn this so i have the confidence to do electrical work and not get shocked.

Do you have an experienced person where you live (a friend or acquaintance) who could Mentor you and watch over you while you do any repair projects involving AC Mains? That is a skill that you don't just pick up on your own or by asking questions in Internet forums. The dangers of shock and fire are quite real. Do not ask me how I know that personally...

 

[etotheipi]

Gotham City has Batman, PhysicsForums has Berkeman

 

[berkeman]

I have added the post to confirm that i am asking about if you can get an eletric shock from line current if you touch metal contacts with no voltage , not static electricity or parasitic capicitance.

I did not get shocked. I am trying to learn this so i have the confidence to do electrical work and not get shocked.

Do you have an experienced person where you live (a friend or acquaintance) who could Mentor you and watch over you while you do any repair projects involving AC Mains? That is a skill that you don't just pick up on your own or by asking questions in Internet forums. The dangers of shock and fire are quite real. Do not ask me how I know that personally...

Because of the dangerous combination of inexperience and AC Mains, both this thread and the OP's main thread in EE have been closed. Have a nice day everyone, and please be safe.