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mr715

(3,672 posts)
1. WTH
Sun Apr 12, 2026, 09:09 PM
5 hrs ago

Where was the current coming from?

The kid didn't look too bad after - he wasn't screaming from burns and seemed responsive. That is really scary.

haele

(15,436 posts)
9. The current travels from one charged metal piece to
Sun Apr 12, 2026, 09:37 PM
4 hrs ago

A ground, typically another piece of metal, or water, or just ground with sufficient metal elements in it.
And if there's a human body in the way, the charge goes through it.
Since the human body has some non-metallic elements in it, it also contains resistance, which increases the current.
How do I know?
I have permanent burn scars at my left elbow and wrist where I inadvertantly hit a CRT power circuit and the side of a metal radar display console -and got stuck until I could kick myself free. Thing is, I didn't feel the burning. Just frozen, and panic from the realization that I was stuck.

The release threw me 15 ft. back against a file cabinet, butt first.
Couldn't move my left arm for a week, it took almost a year to recover. Now I have severe arthritis in that arm, so I never really recovered.

mr715

(3,672 posts)
10. Oof, I'm sorry to hear about that.
Sun Apr 12, 2026, 09:45 PM
4 hrs ago

I know the physics of it. I was wondering in that specific video where the current was originating because I didn't see anything requiring much power on athletic floor.

A decent current will quite readily knock you on your behind and generate enough heat to burn deeply.

I've thankfully only gotten a few jolts from 120V pushing little current. Painful but no heat and no muscle locking.

I did get one of those electric ab machines and that was a lesson on how easy it is for 3 volts to make someone twitch. Didn't get me abs tho...

biophile

(1,451 posts)
2. That happened to me once at a carnival - stuck between two metal gates
Sun Apr 12, 2026, 09:18 PM
5 hrs ago

I was unable to move my muscles as the current went through my arms from one metal gate to the other gate. My boyfriend was able to break the current because he was grounded. It can happen!

mr715

(3,672 posts)
3. Did you need medical attention?
Sun Apr 12, 2026, 09:28 PM
4 hrs ago

I've never been shock-locked. I saw a video of a small child that got rescued from a downed powerline but that kid was in very bad shape.

biophile

(1,451 posts)
6. No the current was not super strong, just enough the jam the muscles in my arms so that I couldn't release my hands
Sun Apr 12, 2026, 09:31 PM
4 hrs ago

It might have fried my brain a little bit- that might explain a few things 😂

mr715

(3,672 posts)
7. What was going through your head?
Sun Apr 12, 2026, 09:34 PM
4 hrs ago

Besides a few joules of energy.

Were you aware enough to be "Oh, shit..." or did the shock scramble you?

Sorry for the personal questions, I just find that fascinating. When I taught middle school I did a lot of high voltage science tricks with the kids.

Swede

(39,637 posts)
5. I think the metal door and frame were not grounded, so the current flowed from arm to arm it looks like.
Sun Apr 12, 2026, 09:30 PM
4 hrs ago

I could be wrong.

Cha

(319,391 posts)
8. Main thing.. the Rescue boy picked up
Sun Apr 12, 2026, 09:35 PM
4 hrs ago

his legs and dragged him out of there!

I've been shocked before.. awhile ago. I touched a fence that was rigged to keep Skunks out of the garden.

Obviously not that high of voltage..

Swede

(39,637 posts)
11. I was working on an old Luxman tube amp.
Sun Apr 12, 2026, 11:47 PM
2 hrs ago

I got an 800 volt blast on my arm. It hurt like hell, but it was low current, so no damage done.

Cha

(319,391 posts)
12. Yow... glad you weren't hurt too badly.. You'll never do
Sun Apr 12, 2026, 11:56 PM
2 hrs ago

that again!

The current I got wasn't enough to kill the skunks.. just enough to scare the heck out of me. And probably said skunks, too.

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