Off-topic: danger of 120v mains?

[Dave Krooshof]

>OK, this is a peripherally off-topic question, and some of you may actually
>lose some respect for me by asking it, but anyway -
>
>How dangerous is household US AC to a toddler?
What's a toddler? (I'm Dutch)

110 volts is dangerus. And it damn well hurts. Actually, more people get
hurt by these voltages, mainly because they underesitmate it.

The lethal effect depends on how well your connected to it, and how well
the electricity can pass through your body, as it is damaging in passing.

So dripping your hairdryer in the bathtub is not wise (good earth contact).
Also, getting a broken of piece of bread from a toaster with a silver spoon
is not a good idea. (good mains contact).
Being wet and standing in a salted bath while rinsing the inside of your
hairdryer with a silver spoon is a very stupid thing to do.

>
>I ask this because, while I want to protect my new son from things that can
>kill or maim him, I don't want to go overboard on protecting him from
>things that can just "hurt" him. There's a movement in the US to eliminate
>all risk from life, and I don't buy into it; but that does make it hard to
>tell what is a sensible precaution, and what is overkill.
Generally, all normal equipment is within safety laws.
An extra would be to get plastic covers for your wall sockets, to prevent
your son from sticking knitting pins in. But most lifesaving is a earth
leakage switch, a device that switches of the mains when contact with earth
is made, as happens through your son when he's doing the knittingpin
experiment. That saved my life when I was a kid as well as yours, I read
below.

>
>Make no mistake: I'll be fencing in the fish pond, putting child-proof
>latches on the cabinets with the cleaners, and padding the brick hearth
>(ouch!) But I've been shocked many times by AC, starting when I was about 4
>(stuck my tongue in an outlet), and I'm none the worse for it. Is there a
>>real< risk here?
Have a look around. Your common sense will tell you. And don't put
wallsockets near water, or well conducting toys next to semi open stuff
like toasters.

>My former brother-in-law pee'd in a light socket at an early age..
>everything still works, AFAIK :^)
Ough. A kid in my class pee'd agains electric cow wire. That did cause trouble.

>And please - no harsh attacks on my child-raising approach, here. I'm
>trying to get knowledge so I can make an informed decision.
Man, are people being dissed about this so often where you live?


Dave

--------------------------------------------
Dave Krooshof http://www.xs4all.nl/~krooshof
geluidstechnicus @ http://www.ahk.nl/the/theatertechniek_ov.html
webmaster: http://www.popronde.nl