This is serious. The voltage of a ringing phone line can kill you. A couple of years ago a bell tell guy was killed a couple weeks before retirment doing a standard service call, by a ringing phone line.

I thought a phone line was around 48v DC. Can that really be a lethal charge?

a phone is at 48 volts until it rings, then its like 100volts its that whole ac over dc thing.. or at least thats how it was explained to me many moons ago, so i might be wrong

ed

Typically it's not the voltage (a static shock can be 10's of thousands of volts) it's the amperage or current.

I don't know how many volts or amps it was, it just hurt.

There is enough voltage and current in a 9-volt battery to kill you. It's just a matter of hitting your heart just right.

you take your chances with working with anything. Always be aware of what else you are touching when working with any electrical wire, telephone or other.

One of the most bizarre stories was a child that was killed from simultaneously touching a frayed AC cord and being grounded via a finish nail in the window sill. The nail had gone through an improperly run romex cable and was touching the green wire. Instant ground and one unfortunate child.

I dont believe that to be correct. The lowest votage know to kill someone when I was in school was 28 volts. But some kid did manage to kill himself with a 9 volt battery that stepped up the voltage to create a shocking alarm clock. Kid was in an entrepenuer class. What a dope!

me dun likked wyre lots miny time wit no prublems!

Ever see Strange Brew?

Bob and Doug taking turns shocking each other. If you are this smart or your goal is to be that smart, then I suggest shock away.

I'll take the extra time and use a toner. I'll kill the brains cells with a beer, seems to much funner.

So I believe I'll pop open right now.

FWIW.

As it has been explained to me by a person who really should know.

Supposely DC current CANNOT kill you (does in the 9volt battery myth).

With AC, the voltage is not what can kill you, it's the amperage (supposedly it takes at least 1 amp to kill?).

I have an electrician friend that will wet his fingers and touch the conductors to see if they are hot. And he's been doing it for more years than I can think of. Me? I won't do it, but have been known to inadvertently get into a hot circuit by accident.

And my meter says a telephone line goes to 90 volts on ring, although the amperage is still measured in millivolts.

No Ed, you're right. A phone is (about) 48 volts DC. When a call comes in, the Telco sends (about) 90 volts AC to the ringer. If you are working on a live phone line, it's best to take a phone off hook. That way, since nobody can call, the 90 volts AC will never be sent.

I used to do this too, and still do. Thats how I check if the batteries good. I used to get my little sister to do it too when I was a kid. (OK, she only did it once:) )

Got bit twice today as well on some 110 circuits that I thought were shut off.

As for brain cells, I think if any are lost its because of years and years of beer, not electricity.

Ringing voltage is 90v. It will make you jump. I've cut my fair share of knuckles when coming into contact with 90v in a telephone frame. It makes you pay attention.

I've seen the spec for ring as 120 volts, 20 Hz.

My strapping 6 ft 7 first son used to like sucking on a disconnected modular cord when he was about one year old. He disconnected them himself. Then someone called and THAT fun was all over!

I've got info somewhere in a book called "The Fatal Current," complete with our hero Reddy Kilowatt, from the fifties. If I recall correctly, it only takes about 30 mA to kill you, but that 30 mA has to be flowing across the heart -- and DC could do it. They mention a man killed by a car battery. With all of the parallel current paths in the body, much more current would have to flow from the battery to get 30 mA across the heart, but yeah, in some circumstances a nine volt battery could do it.

wrong. i dare you do go grab a spark plug wire with your car running and come back and continuie this conversation. better yet grab one in each hand as to have the current path thru your heart, Ber smart, call 911 in advance.


wrong again. go grab a 12v battery full charged. wet your hands to get the full effect. A car battery can supply 2000+ amps easily. it will barely tingle unless you douse yourself with salt water.