Electrical shock? from getting a fan

[OzAndrew]

Hi, I was wondering if you guys knew wether or not it was safe to remove the metal casing of a 17 year old 286's power thing with the fan in it, I want to get the fan out to whack it onto my processor, as the 286 is so old it's lost all the information to find it, and it's a guessing game setting it up.

[Kruzin]

As this has nothing to do with Matrox or gaming, this thread has been relocated to the General Hardware forum...

[Wombat]

Hmmm. Personally, I would do it, but that's because I know what's in there. I don't recommend you do it though, if you call it a "power thing". There's a capacitor in there that could give you a nice little jolt if it's been plugged in recently.

[Guyver]

It should be ok...

Take the computer that it came from.

Disconnect the power cord,

Turn the system on (with the power connectors connected to the motherboard, hd, floppy, etc...)

Let it sit in this position for a while (you decide how long you'd want to wait - a few seconds should be sufficient, give it a minute or two if you feel extremely cautious).

Disconnect all power connectors from the motherboard, hd, floppy, etc..

You should have a discharged power supply.

If you are still uncertain, take a plastic/rubber handled screw-driver (not a jewelers screw-driver), ground it to the case of the power supply with a test lead, then go around zapping the leads on the capacitors to discharge them to your hearts content).

Or if you really want to have fun, ask your sibling to stand in a tub full of water and "Wash" the power supply... Seriously, though - don't do that... It was just a joke.... - My brother's hair still doesn't sit right to this day ....

Guyv

[OzAndrew]

thank you very much for your help, I pulled it apart, my only problem now is cleaning away 17 years of dust *yuck*

[Greebe]

Switching PWS capacitors don't hold charges like linear power supplies do. Just unplug and let rest a few minutes then clean it up. If you ground out a cap using the above mention, be prepared to wear safety goggles, major arcy sparky will occur if there was a charge! The use of a bleeder resistor (value of ~100ohms 5 watt) work fine for discharging caps in supplies. Never directly short them out!!!

[Jon P. Inghram]

The capacitors that come in disposable cameras make nice loud BANGS when you short them... :-)

[OzAndrew]

I have done that myself, my friend works for a photo developement place, and the first day you get there they get you to touch this camera part, and you trust them and you get a sizeable shock, then they teach you how to avoid doing that, we mucked around with one at home, big badaboom scared the crap outta him cos he wasn't expecting it.

[Guyver]

Ooops - forgot that bleeder resistor... I once welded a set of contacts to a file cabinet playing around with a home made stun gun. Tied the camera flash assembly to a set of electrodes, then set a box that attached to the front electrodes containing the capacitor. Once turned on, the output voltage was high, but the current was low - picture a frog-leg kicking very-very hard (dead, in a science lab - not live), then attach the extra box, and the leg went so rigid, it broke the bone. We then recharged and touched the teachers file cabinet, where we had to use a pliers to pry the contacts from the cabinet.... It was fun... Ahh, those were the days... You could have fun, and not worry about some teacher thinking you were out to get the whole school...

Ever play around with a Monster or Lightning cap for Car Audio?

Those buggers are massive...

I have a 1Farad (1,000,000 microfarad) 20V (only getting 14V) hooked into my car stereo system, tied into a PPI Pro 650 (6 channel x 50 Watts, 3 way crossover network with integrated controls, q-bass module, first 2 channel sets tied into JL Audios new line of seperates, and the last 2 bridged mono (1 ohm) load into a set of 3 JL 8W6's (total power to the subs at 300Watts) this puppy humms, and has a very flat curve for competitions, but I adjust for listening preferences. This is all in a '90 T-Bird 35th Anniversary Super Coupe...

Sorry, got off the subject, but I do like my other Rig!!!

Guyv

[This message has been edited by Guyver (edited 05 May 2000).]

[Greebe]

LOL, Yah Guyv I sure do know where your coming from... I have a 800watt car amp driving my custom built subwoofer with a linear powersupply supporting it for my computer! It luckily has bleeder resisitor on the 500,000uF cap!
Someone I know used to work on highend audio (other than myself) was working on a huge amp that was sitting on the shelf for a month awaiting parts. When they arrived he forgot to discharge them... his forearm replaced the normal bleeder resisitor and now cannot use it! Sad but true.

[The PIT]

Look why not have fun. Get a very large Cap from the local electrical store plus power supply connect it the wrong way round and then hide. It makes a lovely bang.
KIDS DONT DO THIS. IT'S DANGEROUS.

[Guyver]

Ouch, sorry to hear about your friend. I used to work in the software side of the utility industry, and got to work with a lot of individuals in it. You'd be amazed at the number of "Office" people that were "re-assigned" linemen. Even with all their safety equipment, electricity is still extremely dangerous if the right things go wrong.

Be careful, play safe, and live.

Guvy

[Greebe]

PIT, better yet take any sizable high voltage axial lead cap (photo flash caps are great for this) and bend the leads down the sides, leaving a 1/4" gap. Charge it and toss to a freind... he'll get the point! LOL

[Technoid]

Try puting your index finger to the tre piged power inlet on a standard atx powersuply after it has been powered.

Or showe a metal pike trough a 300V line like my grandpa did!
It had been placed under his lawn before he moved in and no one thought it was important to tell.

After that encounter he could almost impersonate Fester Adams!

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INTEL PIII550 MSI 6163
G400Mill 32MB SGRAM + RRG
SBlive
256 MB RAM CAS2
43GB HDD Space!(Actual 40GB) (13+30 Quantum drives)
Pioneer 104S DVD 10x CD 40x SLOT IN
SONY CRX100E 4/2/24 CDRW

[Scout255]

Or get a <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=324355252">High Voltage</a> capacitor, charge it, and drop an aluminum can on it....