5 Feb
2011
5 Feb
'11
7:16 a.m.
Nevertheless, I've often heard it argued that
voltages around 230V RMS are
safer than, say, 110V RMS, on the grounds that a casual brush with a 230V
live conductor will cause a very rapid reaction in humans, often jerking the
contact free, whereas voltages around the 100-150V range don't. ?I can't
remember where I read supporting evidence, but it's certainly something I've
often heard mentioned, and is one reason we think American voltages are
actually more dangerous than ours.
This reasoning sounds really flawed. A jolt of unexpected 120 V AC
will certainly make the muscles do uncontrolled things.
It is the "uncontrolled things" that cause nearly all the injuries and
deaths - things like falling off ladders, whacking elbows against
walls, hitting oneself in the face with tools, etc..
--
Will