[Balkos]

OK. I was wiping down the bulb on my metal halide batwing pendant, stablizing the pendant with one hand and wiping the bulb with a dry rag in the other. When i got electrocuted. NOT shocked, i am talking tear the pendant off the chains and throw it on the ground to let go of it electrocuted. It is probe start ballast and the switch was turned on but the bulb hadn't fired yet, but i think it lit up when i got hit. I can't remember.
My question is, is this normal? Should of have known better than to touch a bulb when it is plugged in? I want to hook it back up cause my corals need the light, but i don't want to kill myself either. I am going to order a new ballast i think.

Any elecritians out there?

 

[greenb]

Wow,,, sorry to hear that... Sounds like you are OK just a little shaken. I would be to..


Edited for bad advice....


I wouldn't turn it on until you had it checked by someone.

 

[DLBerlin]

NO Dont plug it back in!!!
He said DRY rag.
Sounds like there is a short somewhere in the fixture.
I have touched lit bulbs several times -just burned not shocked.
Check out all the wiring VERY well.especially where it enters the fixture.

 

[Mike]

Holy cow!

gald your ok

 

[reefwonders]

I'm glad you're ok. I see a lot of electritians at work only use one hand at a time when working with things like this, something about completing the circuit.

 

[speedstar]

Are the lights wired with just two wires to the mogal socket or is there a thrird wire grounding the reflector?

 

[greenb]

Just got back in ,,,, TOTALLY missed the "dry rag"... I read it 3 times looking for that.


I agree,, I wouldn't turn it back on either,, until you have it checked...

 

[peanut]

With the unit unplugged take a ohm meter and check all wires to the metal surface (aka ground). If you do not know how to do this then don't plug it in again until someone who does can look at it. Sounds like you have a short in the wiring to ground. This must be repaired before you try lighting it again. I would also look carefully at your switch. Are you also sure that you did'nt touch the bulb contacts while cleaning it?? Not sure where you are located but let me know if you need help maybe we can look at it sometime this weekend. I'm in south west Oakland county.

ps missed the part on your post about being in windsor. Still willing to help if you need it.

 

[rainchief]

Sounds like you're missing the chassis ground wire on your fixture. You probably touched some metal that's touching the black or hotwire. Had the green ground wire been connected the circuit breaker would have tripped long before. Have the unit checked or check it yourself like Peanut said. The round pin on your plug (if it has one) should ring to all metal surfaces of the fixture. One of the other two should also ring. The third (large flat pin on the plug) should not. If this checks out then I would go after the wall plug all the back to your circuit box for a disconnected green chassis ground.

Cliff

 

[trick440]

I'm an electrician.. The thing could be wired wrong.

But.. even if its not wired wrong. 'Whiping down a light bulb with a WET rag, while the switch is turned ON?' ??

Yaaaaa, I'm gonna say even if its wired right your chances are very good your gonna get shocked on that one. I suggest you keep the switch off nexttme..

Heres an anti shock tip.. wear rubber soled shoes, when working on a 'hot' device (lightbulb etc.) don't touch any metal or water with the other hand.

Oh ya heres another anti shock tip.... Turn the switch off!!! lol..

.. I got a good dumb story... just like yours..
I hade my MH kinda temped in, the canopy was resting on the tank crooked and I just had bare wirenuts tie'ing the wires together inside at the mogul.... so it was kinda exposed.

Well I was wearing bare feet, and trying to get my overflow to syphon... So i was sucking on this hose connected to the overflow.. finally I get all the air out and water is sucked into the hose and into my mouth... So what do I do... I spit this mouthful of saltwater back into the tank.. and I just happen to spit it on the bare wirenuts .. that hurt... current ran thought the spit water and shocked the crap out of me. Good times...

 

[greenb]

Trick,,, He was using a dry rag..

 

[krusk]

Folks

When you are working with electrical related. TURN OFF THE POWER SWITCH AND UNPLUG THE POWER CORD (double safety) !!!

Move the equidments to flat open area to work with, yes, it is some works for just doing simple maintenance. I'm rather safe then sorry.

Furthur more, I know some of us do not like the use of GFCI because it required you to be there to turn it on if it striped. Other wise your tank will be in trouble.

But, I'm rather safe myself, my family members and friends then the animal in the tank.

GFCI safe me twice !!!

Krusk

 

[Balkos]

Thanks for the advise. The sad part is i have a GFCI breaker sitting on the table in my fishroom. I was waiting for my dad to help me install it. It is getting put in tonight. My dad seems to think that the GFCI by itself won't be enough. He thinks we need somthing between the ballast and the mogal. Does the Ballast store power? I didn't think it did but he seem to think that it does. And even if the GFCI trips the ballast will store enough power to gie me a shock.

 

[180wall]

You also need to be aware that the capacitor that is in-line with the bulb to start it can hold a charge for a while waiting to discharge it on a unsuspecting person.

 

[jimsflies]

If you're getting shocked, it means that you probably have an exposed hot wire in the pendant somewhere...and that it might not be grounded properly.

All components should be connected to ground...the ballast, ballast enclosure, the pendant, the socket (if not screwed directly into the metal parts of the pendant).

I had bought a DIY Regent 150DE setup from someone on this website that was not grounded and I got a jolt when I plugged it in and touched the pendant. The pendant was not properly grounded and a hot wire was touching the pendant next to the socket.

 

[trick440]

Oh it was a dry rag.. my bad...