Screws in your wall can kill you

[Fedorgasm]

I just heard a story about this musician, maybe some of you have heard of him, from a band called herbaliser, lost his wife because they had some kind of rack on the wall and the screws that held it up made contact with the wiring inside the wall. When she touched the rack, it electrocuted her.

Now I'm paranoid. I've hung a ton of things on my walls with screws, how do I know I never screwed into a hot wire?

 

[RightToBareKnuckles]

suck when people die from these very random/unique ways...though I wonder why the person who first put in the screws wasn't electrocuted. maybe gloves or the power drill stopped it?

 

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

triyng not ot make jokes about racks and sscrews
rip person

 

[William Munny]

talk about royally getting ....SCREWED over!!

this is some Final Destination type of material

 

[KeepingItReal]

I just heard a story about this musician, maybe some of you have heard of him, from a band called herbaliser, lost his wife because they had some kind of rack on the wall and the screws that held it up made contact with the wiring inside the wall. When she touched the rack, it electrocuted her.

Now I'm paranoid. I've hung a ton of things on my walls with screws, how do I know I never screwed into a hot wire?

You can buy a voltage measuring device from the hardware store. There are also stud finders with live wire detection available. With their powers combined you can check to see if your screws have voltage running through them and if you have any live wires close to the screws.

 

[ssBaldy]

I just heard a story about this musician, maybe some of you have heard of him, from a band called herbaliser, lost his wife because they had some kind of rack on the wall and the screws that held it up made contact with the wiring inside the wall. When she touched the rack, it electrocuted her.

Now I'm paranoid. I've hung a ton of things on my walls with screws, how do I know I never screwed into a hot wire?

that is why you make a plan while laying cabling and dont lay them where you'll be hanging shelves.
If you are paranoid buy a cable finder. it finds hot wires in the walls.

 

[terrapin]

talk about royally getting ....SCREWED over!!

this is some Final Destination type of material

It's shocking really.

 

[GSP_37]

That's why I don't puncture the walls. Can't see dangers on the other side. Some drivers drive like that speeding turns around corners without seeing oncoming cars. It's stupid.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

That's some Lifetime Movie type stuff...

 

[Streeter]

That why you pipe your electric. When you cheap it with Romex it's alot less safe an tough to re wire of needed.

 

[StonedLemur]

I just heard a story about this musician, maybe some of you have heard of him, from a band called herbaliser, lost his wife because they had some kind of rack on the wall and the screws that held it up made contact with the wiring inside the wall. When she touched the rack, it electrocuted her.

Now I'm paranoid. I've hung a ton of things on my walls with screws, how do I know I never screwed into a hot wire?

I use a stud finder that has an A/C detector on it.
Works pretty good.

 

[Tone C]

Now I'm paranoid. I've hung a ton of things on my walls with screws, how do I know I never screwed into a hot wire?

Go round to all the places you've put screws etc into the wall and liberally lick all of the screws. If you don't get a shock / die they're probably okay.

 

[djacobox372]

One of the reasons the US is lucky to have 110 instead of 220 standard house voltage.

 

[Pliny Pete]

She shouldve stopped touching the shelf

 

[gondo]

Must’ve been a big wire that was hit. A 15 or 20 amp circuit which is most commonly used for lights and plugs shouldn’t kill someone by only touching one phase. If the screw hit multiple conductors then the breaker should’ve tripped. I’ve had to fix this issue at work with shelving guys using 3” screws to mount tiny closet shelving. When I discover the problem screw I used to purposely touch it just to see how good of a shock it would give me. It was never bad one.

The only other possibility is it was 347V which is the real killer.

 

[Fedorgasm]

One of the reasons the US is lucky to have 110 instead of 220 standard house voltage.

Nice. I didn't think of that but yeah the guy sounds British.

So maybe I'm safe with my weak American voltage

 

[Batjester]

I use a stud finder that has an A/C detector on it.
Works pretty good.

Every one I've ever used has sucked.

The absolute best stud finder I've ever used in 20+ years of construction is a simple magnetic stud finder.

 

[gondo]

For those that are worried about this issue at home. To get a serious poke from a live wire you need to also be touching the ground or neutral at the same time creating a difference in potential. 120v isn’t bad depending on where the wires make contact on your body. 240v makes you feel little pain but a very slight out of body experience is the best way I can explain it. You have to touch both wires at the same time of a 240v circuit to get a real 240v poke. 347v is commercial/industrial use. If you grab a 347v line your body locks up and you can’t let go. That’s why it’s the killer voltage. As you increase the voltage when you get poked it shoots you backwards minimizing your time getting electrocuted. It will still seriously mess you up but you still have a chance to survive.

 

[The Dark Knight]

Most modern electrical wiring uses nailguards ..i would assume she lived in either an older home or one with illegal wiring and unfortunately she died .. also most wiring is done only a ft or 2 above floor level nothing should be at a height where a shelf would be installed ... also house current cant really kill you unless you are in the big fuse box touching the lead from the pole ..

 

[Fedorgasm]

For those that are worried about this issue at home. To get a serious poke from a live wire you need to also be touching the ground or neutral at the same time creating a difference in potential. 120v isn’t bad depending on where the wires make contact on your body. 240v makes you feel little pain but a very slight out of body experience is the best way I can explain it. You have to touch both wires at the same time of a 240v circuit to get a real 240v poke. 347v is commercial/industrial use. If you grab a 347v line your body locks up and you can’t let go. That’s why it’s the killer voltage. As you increase the voltage when you get poked it shoots you backwards minimizing your time getting electrocuted. It will still seriously mess you up but you still have a chance to survive.

I wonder how she died then.

Maybe the rack was metal and grounded somehow?