Why wasn't I electrocuted?

Ben84

Rockingit wrote: »

Yep, that's good advice. Best practice would be to install whole-house RCD protection by (probably) investing in a consumer unit change, but not everyone can afford to get that done.

That's also a good option, and it protects the wiring in the house as well as the appliances. The down side however is that I think unwanted trips are also more likely with a whole house unit, simply because the earth leakage of everything in the house is going through it. Well, experiences vary, but I've known it cause problems sometimes.

Myser

Ben84 wrote: »

That's also a good option, and it protects the wiring in the house as well as the appliances. The down side however is that I think unwanted trips are also more likely with a whole house unit, simply because the earth leakage of everything in the house is going through it. Well, experiences vary, but I've known it cause problems sometimes.

More importantly, it protects the occupants! MCBs protect wiring and against over-current faults in appliances. To counteract the high earth leakage from many modern appliances, you can split the circuits across multiple RCDs or even use RCBOs instead.

Hopefully the OP has purchased a new pump with SELV isolation and has RCD protection in place?

onejontwo

Myser wrote: »

Hopefully the OP has purchased a new pump with SELV isolation and has RCD protection in place?

Well I've kept my flip flops!
BTW what is SELV insulation? I've fitted a new pump and my next stop is to get a RCD.
I must be pushing my luck here as this incident reminded me of the time when I was a kid when we were lighting paper off the bar of an electric fire when, silly me, I used a foil backed piece of paper and next thing I was thrown against the wall on the opposite side of the room! I suppose this should have taught me to be more careful.

Myser

SELV - Safety Extra Low Voltage. These pumps will run off a mains to low voltage power supply and have sufficient isolation in place to prevent an electric shock.

Commonly found in outdoor equipment such as lighting and pond pumps etc.

cyclonebri1

I just want to add the fact that many "tinkerers" have had a jolt whilst messing about with electrics at home or even at work. Many think that it's minor.
Well it is usually as it's normally the hand with the live wire in it that touches to earth. The circuit is more or less limited from 1 part of the hand to the other.

Now do the same thing again but touch the other hand to earth, the circuit is through the whole body including the chest.
That's not minor:eek::eek:

Weird_Nev

Just a note, but you can get individual RCD's for about £20 that slot into older consumer units, and can provide RCD protection on that circuit.
Our electrician fitted a few for us, as our consumer unit was not RCD protected.
Well worth doing for at least the circuit the Fish tank is on!

SplanK

You should always disconnect fsh tank equipment when inserting your hand.

I've seen stories where people bave had jolts, pulling their hand violently towards them with an object in hand, breaking through the glass and cutting deeply into their arm

vaio

SplanK wrote: »

You should always disconnect fsh tank equipment when inserting your hand.

I've seen stories where people bave had jolts, pulling their hand violently towards them with an object in hand, breaking through the glass and cutting deeply into their arm

I agree about unplugging the mains before working in a fish tank and your second paragraph get my vote for "urban myth of the month"

[Deleted User]

onejontwo wrote: »

I pulled the pump out of the water only to find out what I initially thought was steam coming from the top of the pump, only to find it was smoke coming from a split live wire

Not smoke or steam, it was a stream of oxygen and hydrogen bubbles liberated by the electrolysis of the water. (Unless your aquarium uses salt water, in which case there would have been chlorine).

macman

Myser wrote: »

If you die as a result of contact with electricity, that would be electrocution.

There are two contexts for electrocution: One as in the US death penalty where you die by electric chair. The other, where you are killed as a result of malicious/self-inflicted or accidental contact with electricity. Malicious could be someone purposely leaving some equipment live or unsafe so that the intended victim is killed as a result. Self-inflicted to commit suicide by placing an electric appliance into a bath full of water whilst inside.

Here is a page on First Aid advice from the ESC on how to assist someone experiencing an electric shock:

http://www.esc.org.uk/public/guides-and-advice/first-aid/

Note that it doesn't mention dying anywhere.

Pedant's corner: electrocution is no longer used in any US state as the sole means of inflicting capital punishment since Nebraska abolished it in 2008. Several states (Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Virginia) do however allow the condemned to choose it as an alternative to lethal injection if they wish (truly the land of the free, eh?).
Only Vermont retains it, but since the sole capital crime on the statute books there is treason, it's never likely to be used in practice.