High Voltage dangerous?

[bigbassman]

Re: high voltage dangerous

Hello-
I have heard 2 things that are contradictory.
One is that the amps are more dangerous than the volts. That the amps can kill you, but the volts will not.
The other is that certain codes (CE,UL) have a low-voltage directive where low voltage is defined as < 24V.

So using two examples, can anyone explain which version is less dangerous.

I have a toaster with four (20 ohms each) resistive heat load element wired in series (80ohms) and the toaster takes line voltage 220V. So the amperage is fairly low, i=V/R = 2.75A. My heat output is P=iV = 605W

I have a toaster with four (4 ohms each) resistive heat load element wired in parallel (1 ohm) and the toaster takes voltage 24V. Amps = 24/1 = 24.
My heat output is 576W.

Thanks!
Nora

1 amp can kill you. Ohm's law says I = V/R. If your hands are damp, they could represesent a resistance as low as a few ohms. if your hand-to-hand resistance is, say, 100 ohms one day, and you touch a voltage source of 220 volts, you can easily die. In fact, many people are electrocuted every year by touching household appliances the wrong way.

 

[karesz]

As I know, mans hand to hand resistance is at tent of K Ohms, not at 100 Ohms_am I right?
OK, I agree; 22=V can be dangerous_is often the end for the person...

to sheraz.pervaiz;
I did never heard it so! In all cases I learned it others...

Up to date are HV sources/lines of trains are in Europe DC (!!) between 66 - 132KV.
K.

 

[sheraz.pervaiz]

You can checkout on wikipedia, about thomas edison
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

Under the article, "War of current", you can see that AC is slightly more dangerous than DC.

Regarding HVDC system, I am not sure.

 

[karesz]

...Regarding HVDC system, I am not sure.

Sorry, this is not my problem, then what a person dont know, means not that it can not be true!!
You can checkout on wikipedia too(I found it only in German..):
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahnstrom
Others-----Sorry, as is overall knowed, that Edison was a fals/blind +incorrect guy, & full for DC powering...Read some over edisons methodes & fighting with Tesla_i.e.! I readed such more serious/scientific books over both as "wiki"...
Greatings!
K.

 

[raiya_23]

DC is more dangerous than AC cx u get zero crossing in AC but not in DC

 

[mishra.sanjeev2008]

yes.you are right...
But just answer my question?
Take 220V DC and 220V AC supply(just assume)
DC VOLTAGE=220V
AC PEAK VOLTAGE=√2×rms Voltage=√2×220≈310.2 V
Now tell me 220V is more dangerous or 310V??
So i think AC is more dangerous.

 

[karesz]

Hi,
I think the degree of danger is depending of the peak voltage!
That has nothing to do with our allday style; that we are speeking by AC usually over rms...
K.

 

[snafflekid]

I have read that voltage clamping the heart is less dangerous than a voltage which can cause the heart to fibrillate, and that happens at lower voltage. Also enough power applied to the skin will burn through the skin and at that point the body's resistance drops significantly.

How gory!

 

[whoyou1]

I got hit today with 10Ampers and 220V electricity. While i was holding a metal desk with one hand I touched the power line of 10A 220V with other. The force went in from my hand through my heart and chest and went out from other hand.
I read that even 0.2A is lethal, so why didnt it strike me down?
I felt a bit bad and nauseous. I then called an ambulance and they took me to hospital where they kept me for 3-4 hours, and let home after checking all the data, which came out clear.
For now its been about 8 hours and i still feel a bit bad and little pain in chest, but nothing else. Should i be worried at all anymore?

 

[final9]

The most important is energy,i used to touch the 240v ,but nothing happened,so high voltage is not dangerous in some categry!!!

 

[theflyingsquirrel]

The most important is energy,i used to touch the 240v ,but nothing happened,so high voltage is not dangerous in some categry!!!

Wow. you have a brave heart!!!
You probably has a high resistance in your body.
A high voltage will cause more current to flow through your body.
V=IR
R in your body is fairly constant.
When V is high, I is high.

Also, when the circuit is flowing through your skin is different than when it is flowing inside the skin. Let's say you use a needle as a contact and it is penetrated through your skin. You are more volnerable to the current. It flows through your blood to your heart.

 

[Terentia]

can high voltage kill you

The problem is not the current flowing through the equipment but the current that can flow through your body. That´s the current that can kill you. A high voltage can make a large current flow through you body and kill you. Lower voltages can´t.

that i s really danger,oh my **broken link removed**.

 

[Nik_2213]

" 60 Hz frequency system is usually more dangerous than 50 Hz system,"

Er, no, IMHO, there's not enough frequency difference to make a difference...

What *will* make a difference is that Euro-area power lines at 50 Hz are ~220 V, while US-area lines at 60 Hz are either two-pin ~100 V or three-pin ~220 V. Also, because of their higher default voltage, Euro-area circuits are generally better earthed and interrupt protected, so gaffes are more survivable.

Whatever, please, please try not to get any circuit across your heart. You can be unlucky and die of it so easily...

 

[Zanderist]

Thomas Eddy, the inventor of bulb.

He didn't invent it, he improved it.