[ot] use of a long coaxial cable <OT>

[David Bandel]

On 1/22/07, Ric Moore <wayward4now at gmail.com> wrote:

[snip]

> When I was in my 20's my soon-to-be "step-dad", the MASTER Electrician
> had strung 4 light sockets over head in a pole barn.
> "Rick-ah-ey" (ALabama) One of these sockets ain't workin'... can you
> check 'em?" Not volt meter anywhere in sight. Right, I'm seeing this
> picture. So, I walked along sticking two fingers into each one and got a
> jolt on #'s 1,2,4 with 3 being a no shocker. I just kept my finger in
> number 4 and calmly told him "...this must be it, nothing." I got the
> eyeball for several seconds and so Mr. MASTER Electrician comes up and
> sticks his finger in number 4, just like I planned. "YEOW!" I said,
> "Damn, I didn't get anything at all on that one." and looked all
> innocent. He said that he thought it was number 3. <sly grin> The juice
> has just never bothered me, not that I'm gonna jump into a substation
> with a running garden hose, a bag of rock salt and a trampoline. Nah...
> I'm not a MASTER Electrician either. 30 some years later, he still gives
> me this sideways look. Go figure. Ric
>

A lot of old electricians checked for power this way.  Trick was to
put your finger to the nuetral first, then then the hot to make sure
the tickle stayed in your one hand.  That's where the "keep one hand
in your pocket while working on a hot circuit" came from.  That way
you wouldn't run current from one hand to the other through your
heart.

Your father-in-law probably just thought you were an idiot. ;-)

Ciao,

David-
-- 
Focus on the dream, not the competition.
            - Nemesis Air Racing Team motto