Almost lost a finger on a capacitor that still had juice after 2 weeks

Last Tuesday I was pulling a power supply out of an old monitor I had sitting on the bench since the 5th. I figured after 14 days unplugged it was safe, so I just grabbed it bare handed. That 200 volt cap zapped me good and threw my hand back into a sharp bracket edge. I ended up with a gash across my thumb and a nasty shock. It took 4 stitches at urgent care and I still can't grip pliers right. Anyone else skip discharging and regret it? What's your routine for old gear?

3 comments

3 Comments

patriciareed23d ago

200 volts is nothing to sneeze at, I always use a resistor to drain caps first.

charlie_ellis23d ago

Honestly curious though @patriciareed, isn't the risk kinda minimal if you just short them with an insulated screwdriver? Resistors take forever and I've never had one bite me.

hunt.quinn8d ago

My dad actually told me a story about a guy he worked with back in the 80s, @charlie_ellis, who swore by the screwdriver method for decades. One day his hand slipped just a little and the screwdriver touched the wrong spot. It sent a jolt through his whole arm and he chucked the screwdriver across the room. He was fine, but he said his fingers tingled for like two days after that. My dad never used a screwdriver again after hearing that, and he's been doing electronics since before I was born. I get that resistors take time, but messing up once could wreck your hand or worse.