Today I got zapped… and not in a good way.
The Sitatuation
I’d been asked to take a look at a persistently annoying PC. There had been problems with the installed wireless card for some time, and now it wasn’t picking up the printer.
Malware, possibly?
So, I booted it up. Only to find myself being thrown across the room.
What in the hey?
After picking myself up, I wandered back over to it. Trying to clear my head and figure out what had happened.
So that’s what an electric shock feels like.
Let’s Brake This Down
At some point between my finger making contact with the PLASTIC power button, an electric shock had been sent through me (as I provided less resistance) and into the floor.
That certainly makes sense. Wait!
But, I was wearing rubber soled training shoes. Neither rubber or plastic conduct electricity, right?
Then I took a look at my finger.
Wow! Where’d my finger print go?
Not only was the shock powerful enough to send me across the room, it also seems to have disintegrated the top layer of skin on my finger.
Nice! … Also, ow!
The Result?
Needless to say, I managed to get the PC shut down and unplugged from the power supply. I’ve called an electrician round to check the wiring of the socket. When the results of that come back, I MIGHT check the wiring of the PC.
Then, of course, I have to check to see why the PC is acting all screwy with the wireless card and printer. Maybe the shock was the reason for the problem.
In Fact
After a short confab, I find that this isn’t an isolated incident.
Why continue to use a PC that is shocking you!? You didn’t know what to do? First thing you should do is stop using it. Hopefully that makes sense to you now that I’ve been fired across the room, and am missing part of my finger.
Idiots
J
