Really debated on posting this as it was really stupid on my part. Nearly 2 weeks ago I was in a man lift panning around the top of my pole barn, not realizing how high I as backed my head into a high power transmission line (no insulation, 125k v). The experience was horrific, burned the edges of my tongue and shot a small hole out my right foot, but I walked away from it. My question: Have you or anyone you know ever contacted this high of voltage and survived to talk about it? This is not a contest of stupidity, but rather looking for some insite as what to what later effects I may see. I have a clean bill of heath from the doc for now.
Surviving 125k voltage through the body
- Thread starter cypher
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I have a neighbor that got zapped good from overhead power lines. He now has a bad heart and was never able to have kids. He was probably zapped worse than you. He has bad scars on his hands and all over his lower torso.
Sh!t! Did you gain any super powers from the experience?
Only person I know of is this guy...
Only person I know of is this guy...
you are one lucky SOB.... I have a co workers (electrician) that Was doing work on a main switchgear service a campus. Believe it was 13.8 kv. He dropped a screw driver and it landed just right and arc’d right in front of him knocking him back to his knees. He had 3rd degree burns on al of his chest and arms. Left a black mark on the concrete floor in front of the switchgear all except where he was at. He was still with it enough to crawl out of the room grab the emergency phone on the wall and call for help but he ended up being life flighted to IC. Today I think he has clean health but he has some gnarly scars to show for it.
I am not a EE, but i Think they will tell you it is the amperage that kills, not the voltage. You are extremely lucky that the high lift must have been fairly well insulated from ground! E=R X I. The whole in your foot means it was looking for ground, probably arced thru your shoe, man you are lucky, probably more so than the last lottery winner! Don't think there is anything permanent, especially if Your Doc gave the OK.
A month ago, a guy who was burying fiberoptic in the neighborhood, accidently jackhammer into a 7000 volt line, the jackhammer cut him in half from the power released to ground through the jackhammer and him.
A month ago, a guy who was burying fiberoptic in the neighborhood, accidently jackhammer into a 7000 volt line, the jackhammer cut him in half from the power released to ground through the jackhammer and him.
I was casually reading until this. Wha???
My only real experience personally is with electric fences on the farm. Us idiot kids would see who could hold on the longest.
I think I've had some very close calls with ladders and such though.
Yes, I know I am very lucky, My sock is charred around the hole left behind. My shoe has most of the rubber blown off around the hole. The Alliant Energy line men cant believe I'm alive. they said it's 125k. They think my hair may have insulated me just enough.
I felt like this... for a whileSh!t! Did you gain any super powers from the experience?
Only person I know of is this guy...
Good thing your shoes were rubber and your sweat was not running down your body? Guess the hole was voltage in you trying to find ground. believe those linemen!. Think 125,000 volts is capable of arcing 10-12 inches, WOW, man maybe you better buy a lotto ticket, some of the luck might still be there
At nearly 59 and with 10 Grandchildren, not having anymore children is...ok
Know a guy who lost a leg when the power lines that were supposed to be dead weren’t.
