# Lightning ballast electric shock



## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

Doby said:


> Hello to everyone,I am new here and I wanted to share a experience that I had 15 days ago. So i've been working as electrician for about 1 year so far and I am mainly doing signs and lights,so we were called to replace bulbs/ballast at a gas station sign. So I get up there with a bucket truck I open the sign and we have the power ON at the time and I reach in there to pull one of the bulbs for an example to go buy them,the very next second I found my self squeezing A a piece of the metal framing between the bulbs with full strength,there was nothing I could do,couldn't even scream at my buddy.electric travelled from left arm to my right wich I was holding the sign open (the latches were on the top of the sign) I was able to move my right hand but my left I couldn't do anything so I don't really know what happen next but I quess I started hitting my legs all around the bucket so I was able to knock my self down it lasted around 3-4 sec. I have entry burn on my little finger and few exit and the other hand. I had severe pain in the back and left arm muscles,now it starts to get better little by little but I wanted to ask,aperanty I got shocked from the ballast output voltage (input is 110v on sign) it's was a t12 ballast but I cannot find anywhere what is the output voltage/amperes on the ballast. Thanks in advance for any answer !



120 volts can do that to you because it is the current that nailed you not the voltage---120 volts has killed many people that is why we have GFCI protection.

I hope that you went to the doctor on this because if you're in pain 2 weeks later the doctor should have taken good care of you.

Welcome to the forum, and remember to "SHUT THAT CHIT OFF".

If you have not seen a Doctor you better go get checked out, this is no joke.


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## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

First off, welcome to the forum. 

And I hate to be rude, but your post was virtually unreadable. Please, in the future, use periods and paragraph breaks. I have fixed the post below:



> Hello to everyone, I am new here and I wanted to share a experience that I had 15 days ago. So i've been working as electrician for about 1 year so far and I am mainly doing signs and lights, so we were called to replace bulbs/ballast at a gas station sign.
> 
> So I get up there with a bucket truck. I open the sign and we have the power ON at the time. I reach in there to pull one of the bulbs for an example to go buy them,the very next second I found my self squeezing A a piece of the metal framing between the bulbs with full strength,there was nothing I could do, couldn't even scream at my buddy.
> 
> ...


Ok, now to some observations and answers for you. 

First off, why were you changing bulbs and ballasts _*with the power on*_? Not only is it dangerous (as you found out) but if you are an employee it is a violation of OSHA regs and can cause you to lose your insurance or get any claims denied. So don't do it again, and if your employer tries to force you to do it, it's time to look for a new employer. 

OSHA allows power to be on ONLY when absolutely necessary for troubleshooting (and changing bulbs in a sign is NOT a valid troubleshooting excuse) or if life safety or severe production process hazards would result from a shutdown. (Neither of which apply to sign maintenance or repair.)

As for the ballast voltage, output open circuit voltage is around 600 volts and the current can be several hundred milliamperes, more than enough to make you very dead. You can google "ballast output voltages" and get the tables from most of the major ballast manufacturers.

You were extremely lucky....and BTW you should have gone to get checked out by a doctor, electricity can cause severe internal injuries that can have lasting effects.

EDITED to add: As Black Dog said, get checked out..and shut that chit off!


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Black Dog said:


> 120 volts can do that to you because it is the current that nailed you not the voltage---120 volts has killed many people that is why we have GFCI protection.
> 
> I hope that you went to the doctor on this because if you're in pain 2 weeks later the doctor should have taken good care of you.
> 
> ...


He already stated he didn't get shocked by the 120 volts.


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

mcclary's electrical said:


> He already stated he didn't get shocked by the 120 volts.


Oh I see with one year in the electrical trade he can tell what voltage he got hit by 

First off the sign is probably on a metal pole sunk into the earth,(Grounded).

Second the sign most likely is not grounded to the electrical system meaning all the metal will be live carrying the current that the sign is drawing, that is enough amperage to kill most people in seconds.

Third, because it is likely that there was no equipment ground conductor present, when he touched the sign he became grounded to the earth along with the sign that is live carrying the current of the sign, the voltage does not matter, but the current does...


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Black Dog said:


> Oh I see with one year in the electrical trade he can tell what voltage he got hit by
> ...




With one year in the trade he is comprehending this better than you. He didn't touch the line side of the ballast, he touched the tube. Are you ok this evening?


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

mcclary's electrical said:


> With one year in the trade he is comprehending this better than you. He didn't touch the line side of the ballast, he touched the tube. Are you ok this evening?


Yes I'm fine, I actually read every word in his post.

Here's what you missed.....




Doby said:


> very next second I found my self squeezing A a piece of the* metal framing* between the bulbs with full strength


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## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

Knock it off both of you. Stay on topic. 

The original post was hard to read and easy to misunderstand.


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## Doby (Mar 25, 2015)

Black Dog said:


> Oh I see with one year in the electrical trade he can tell what voltage he got hit by
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I was up in the bucket and I don't know if there was path to the ground,but it was the worst experience I ever had for sure.

I got my strength back so I am back to work now and there is a little pain behind my shoulders but I can tell its getting better.


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## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

Welcome to ET, Doby.

Glad you're alive man.

Here's a decent read.

http://code-elec.com/content/00/01/53/48/38/userimages/fluorescent ballast troubleshooting guide.pdf


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## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

Doby said:


> I was up in the bucket and I don't know if there was path to the ground,but it was the worst experience I ever had for sure.
> 
> I got my strength back so I am back to work now and *there is a little pain behind my shoulders *but I can tell its getting better.



As Black Dog pointed out you should (must IMHO) go to a doctor and get checked out. Electric shock causes internal burns and damage that can become major issues over time. Anything from long-term (and permanent) muscle damage and infections, to long-term cardiac issues (since you took the hit across the chest.)


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

Doby said:


> I was up in the bucket and I don't know if there was path to the ground,but it was the worst experience I ever had for sure.
> 
> I got my strength back so I am back to work now and there is a little pain behind my shoulders but I can tell its getting better.


I've been there, however from what you describe it seems you were hung up a bit longer, remember milliseconds count when you are hung up like that, thank god you were able to get off in time because your heart can just plain stop, and if your buddy did not know CPR you would be gone.

The only way to find the cause, is to go back there and investigate---With full safety gear and the proper metering tools.

And again, if you have not been checked out, PLEASE DO SO! you could have heart damage that will only get worse without the proper care.

The pain you're feeling is muscles that were burned by the shock, so get checked out.


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## Doby (Mar 25, 2015)

3xdad said:


> Welcome to ET, Doby.
> 
> Glad you're alive man.
> 
> ...



Thanks!
I'll check it out.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Doby said:


> I was up in the bucket and I don't know if there was path to the ground,but it was the worst experience I ever had for sure.
> 
> I got my strength back so I am back to work now and there is a little pain behind my shoulders but I can tell its getting better.


I've been in the trade a long time. You have to get in the habit of mitigating your risk of electrocution or death from falling.
I'm not advocating my suggestions as a first line of safety but just as an extension of common sense.
Buy a non-contact voltage tester and make it your new best friend. It's not a fool proof tester so don't do foolish things with it such as using it for life or death decisions.
Second, wear gloves. It you can't get 00 type, find the type with the PVC dipped palms. That little bit of insulation will give you a second chance, turning a shock into a tingle and keeping your sweaty skin out of direct contact with a grounded surface. They will also reduce the everyday cuts you get from handling sheet metal.

Don't ever grab something that could even remotely be energized while holding on to anything with your other hand. Don't hold cabinet doors open with your head.
Don't bet your life or the life of others on a non- contact tester or cheap PVC dipped gloves. Use them for what they are but, don't leave home without them.
Find out what the proper safety procedures are for your type of work and take the lead in your shop by following them. People respect that.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I don't know if it was 120V but, when I was an apprentice wiring cheap condos, I had 120V go from hand to hand and it threw me across a bedroom. If voltage throws you and you're in a bucket, that might not turn out well.


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## Michigan Master (Feb 25, 2013)

Black Dog said:


> Welcome to the forum, and remember to "SHUT THAT CHIT OFF".
> 
> If you have not seen a Doctor you better go get checked out, this is no joke.


In addition to shutting the circuit off, lock it out to prevent re-energization, and wear rubber insulating gloves until it is verified with a meter as actually being de-energized.

And as others have mentioned, seeing a doctor for a checkup is a good idea. There are cases where a shock like that can have long-term negative health effects (Diffuse Electrical Injury); there was also an article in EC&M about DEI.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

Almost sounds like the current went from his hand to his shoulder that must have been grounded. Either he got zapped by line voltage or ballast voltage. They probably were HO fixtures otherwise some of the old T12's had line voltage to one end of the fixture. Another thing, after he's been in the trade for a number of years, he won't post about the dumb things that he does...........:laughing:


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