Re: NANFA-- GFCI/FIRES/Electrical

psalm119.111_at_juno.com
Wed, 10 Dec 2003 05:30:02 GMT

Rick,
As a teenager I was cleaning my tanks and with the cover removed had to reach over and above a tank to unplug the heater before syphoning out some water. The space between the tank and the next shelf was not adequate and as I pulled the plug my elbow dipped into the water. Apparently my hand was wet as well and electricity surged through my body. The shelf was at a height which required me to be on tiptoe to reach over and above the tank. So for a while I seemed to be stuck there vibrating until I fell back onto the floor. My mother and aunt heard the thud and came in to find me on the floor with my chest visibly vibrating. They drove me to the doctors about 15 minutes away and though still vibrating somewhat it had greatly subsided and the doctor kept us there until it passed.

Though not fish related I also had a shocking experience once while walking in a small creek through some farmer fields scouting spots to set my trap line. My focus being on the banks when I came to a fence kind of drooped over the creek I just reached out to lift it up to pass under it more easily. Yep, it was electric!

As a young adult managing a Chuck E Cheese I had to fix a kiddie ride, so I bent over it's side and stretched barely touching the ground,in fact at times I think my feet were just hanging as it had a very awkward token box placement. I opened the box and saw that the trip wire had bent so it wasn't making contact so I just pushed it with my finger. Contact was made, unfortunately it included me so here I am getting shocked stuck hanging half inside a kiddie ride that now worked quite well, bouncing me all over the place. Apparently it eventually bounced me out as I came to laying on my back on the floor being watched over by a smiling dad and his toddler.

The switch to natives? Well I have less heaters to worry about. May have more stories soon. I need to rewire my fish room one of these days.

Mike Lucas
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