Working around radiation in a nuclear power plant never phased me. It was the steam flowing through the pipes, and the electricity through the cables, that gave me nightmares. The main difference between a 4160 volt shock and a 450 volt shock (the two kinds of load centers we worked with) is that the latter may at least allow for an open coffin funeral. The idea of people working, largely unafraid and without protective equipment, on a two thousand volt transformer is frankly astounding.
Except for the erotic ads they run.
That’s one reason why I never worked on the inside of a CRT. If one broke, I replaced it.
That A+ training was great, 20 years later it still comes in handy at work.
All of those content have gotten videos taken down before, I believe. Or at least demonetized. (I know for sure about the drag racing and explosives). But there’s a difference between showing something happening and giving instructions on how to do it yourself (especially with easily obtained equipment). The former don’t get in as much trouble, especially if they keep it educational.
As for banning gun stuff: you just know that would make a PR headache, being proof that YouTube has been taken over by the “woke SJWs.” And, as we all know, YouTube cares more about PR then necessarily getting it right. It’s why these channels have to make a public stink about something before anything gets done.
(Or, to be more accurate, they care about what the PR would do to their advertising revenue.)
I think it means quite a lot. Specifically: If electricians are not safe doing this electrical project, who is?
An Electrical Engineer or someone with similar background would have the expertise, as would many people who don’t have such comprehensive knowledge but still understand the basics of high voltage circuitry. The typical electrician in the US is versed in household wiring, not high voltage equipment. Many electricians certainly work outside the area of household wiring and across the broad range of electrical work, but typically they would no more assume to fix a TV set or play around with a microwave oven transformer.
Even an EE who is careless could electrocute himself easily. The biggest problem I see facing experimenters is not realizing these things don’t draw much current but still produce 1000s of volts and simply touching a hot wire won’t blow a fuse or breaker, and could kill you faster than protection circuitry could protect you.
In addition we don’t have any details on who this electrician was or how he died. But the simple description of electrician is not sufficient to assume expertise in this area. It could have been an old guy without formal education who was still testing light sockets by licking his finger and sticking it in them. More likely someone who was not an electrician at all but it’s a great way to make this idea sound more dangerous than it is. And it’s a good idea to present it that way, most people can’t evaluate how dangerous this is.
Fair enough, but I think the point being made here is that amateur tinkerers on the internet should avoid this, because even people who work with electrical safety in their day job have been killed by it.
Electricians may not have the specific knowledge relating to this particular high-voltage application and its risks, but they are expected to be conversant in general safety relating to electricity (a lot, not necessarily all of which, is universal WRT voltage - i.e. don’t touch the hot thing). If they don’t know enough to save their lives, the dipshits watching YouTube tutorials then ripping apart an old microwave certainly don’t.
They certainly should. And I also think the quality of instruction in those videos is pretty bad. Here’s an example that doesn’t provide plans, does try to explain some of the dangers of this type of device, but doesn’t realize at the same time it is demonstrating some things never to do. He explains how dangerous it is to fall into or actually touch the hot circuit but he simply bolted his electronics down on a piece of plywood and set the thing on the floor next to him when he used it where he could step on it, drop something into it, or kick it into something by accident. He recommended the use of deadman foot switch which is a good idea if done right, but with his minimal advice someone could decide to wire the high voltage out to that switch inviting disaster. And then he does what probably starts the chain of events that could lead to death by holding crudely made high voltage electrodes in his hands when burning the wood. This kind of video seems almost designed to attract unqualified people to attempt it.
Yeah, I think it’s one of those perfect storm things where:
- The project looks quite easy to attempt - the cost is not prohibitive and the materials are commonplace
- It’s inherentily dangerous; amateur wiring of high voltage circuits which will be used handheld, in conjunction with salt water
- the promised results are quite amazing and pretty
I actually toyed with the idea of trying it myself, but the risk scared me off.
Heh, I knew an electrician whose method of finding the hot wire in a cabinet was to start grabbing them. He swore 110 didn’t even hurt, but anything 220 and above did. I tried to stay away from him, I didn’t want to clean up the mess if he made a mistake.
Yeah, I suppose there is an argument that electricians may often appear a bit casual with risks that the rest of us perceive as serious.
That’s probably an inevitable (if undesirable) consequence of experience and familiarity, though. I mean, when I’m in the kitchen, I am very fast with my chef’s knife, slicing and chopping rapidly right against my curled fingers, in a way that would horrify me if I saw my inexperienced kids doing it. I have years of practice, but a moment of clumsiness or inattention and I’m losing a finger. I know this, but I still don’t slow down or stop chit-chatting with the family. Most professionals at the edge of safety, I assume, are the same. I’m not sure there’s a plausible remedy.
That’s probably the biggest issue.
I’ve seen some videos where they messed with microwave transformer. I believe backyard scientist and electroboom both used them in some projects.
But those were projects that I would never do myself. I don’t need a jacob’s ladder or a heat ray. The build seemed pretty complicated, and I had no interest in duplicating their efforts.
However, a quick easy trick to make amazing art? Now you have people wanting to emulate them, and it may be an unfair stereotype, but I have less faith in the ability for both risk assessment and capability in people who watch videos on making art than those about making actual electronic devices.
I’m thinking about revisiting my dendritic painting project (put paint between two panes of glass then pull them apart) - i.e. make amazing patterns without dying.
Careful, broken glass can be sharp.
True, but it’s unlikely to make you instantly dead
Glass is perfectly safe. You can even make children’s toys out of it.
It’s safe when it’s in a bag!
Jesus Christ. That’s… a LOT of people.
It is. Compare it to, say, shark attacks, which people are terrified of.
Worldwide, from 1958-2018, there were 440 unprovoked fatal shark attacks. That’s over 60 years. So on average, there are about 7 people killed by unprovoked shark attacks every year. In the entire world. This is much deadlier.