Will this kill me?
 

So I'm an idiot and forgot to put a grommet in my firewall for my power cable. If I disconnect the power wire, run it into the cab and drill the hole bigger it will fit. I'm just concerned because the other end of the power wire is connected to my capacitor that is sitting at 13.8 volts (1.2 farad). Technically, if I touch the power wire the capacitor would discharge into me would it not?

Just disconnect the wire at both ends to do the work.... or discharge the cap.

Well here it is
I knew this day would come
someone with a healthy respect for electricity on CCA

thank you

Even if you got shocked it's only 12 volts which I don't think would kill you anyways. But ya disconnect bother ends to work with ur power wire. More safe that way. But I have seen people get shocked with 120 volts and live (dad is an electrician and everyone makes mistakes lol)

Well to disconnect the power wire I would need to touch the terminal on the capacitor with a wrench... And its not the volts that kill you, its the amps. How do I discharge my capacitor?

Lol buddy you can disconnect your capacitor while it's still charged. Just don't touch the ground. I have done it houndreds of times. It's no different then disconnecting the power from your battery

got hit by a faulty 3 phase rooftop disconnect last year when servicing the compressor

but saying 12 v isn't fatal in a misnomer, it's the current (amperage) that can do that damage, 0.2 A is enough to kill

:retard:

Answer me this - if you touch the positive terminal of your car battery and the ground post or car body do you get a shock? 12-14volts with well over 600amps available right there...........

hint - the answer is no.


You won't get shocked - EVEN if you touch both terminals of the CAP with the same FINGER!! :eek: Just don't touch both with metal or you'll get a spark and black marks on the cap.

Either disconnect the power wire at the cap, the ground for the cap, or the ground from the battery to the car (best way *ding ding ding*) and then install your grommet.

it'll kill u.... but only because u'll freak out and get so worried and stressed that it'll kill u , u'll die of a heart attack. now grow and pair and undo the battery ground

ive read too that .2amp can kill but if u hold the terminal for a few seconds i guess u can die but usually when u get shocked ur reflex is get it off of there right! i got shocked in the last 2 weeks alone one by a 24volt loader system. 12volt tri battery tractor trailer system.. my house wireing 120volts and guess what im still alive and with no heart attack.

but besides all this the best thing to do anyhoooo is to allways disconnect the ground and u might as well disconnect the power on each end just to be extra safe

we are dealing with DC voltage... its impossible to get hurt.

just hurts the nerves in the arm and fingers lmao..

HEY ever tried disconnecting ur wire to ur sub while the system is runing and ur finders are wet? lol

it hurts a bit

no. because i'm not a n00b and always turn everything off when i disconnect/connect anything on my system

Pfffft .

Thanks to everyone that posted a serious answer. Its cool that you guys arent being a*ses because I was unsure about something. I appreciate it ;)

ehh happens tho lmao

Just disconnect everything....capacitors can kill you

I thought caps blew up when you short them out.

use a test light to discharge it or a 10k Ohm resistor

hybrid cars have 500+ volts DC, that can kill you.

.....Just sayin

It only takes 3-4 Milli-amps (iirc) across your heart to kill you... think about a pacemaker...

Less than 1 amp that crosses from one hand, across your heart, to your other hand CAN KILL YOU. This is why when working with electrical panels you keep one hand in your pocket. lol It usually will travel from your hand to your feet, which you will feel, but live to tell about it. ;)

Just disconnect from the power source(s). A cap is still a power source... even with the ground removed from the batt. The cap is still grounded, if you touch the positive on the frame that cap IS going to discharge. HUGE SPARK! If you want to discharge it properly, either use a resistor, or small test light till it goes out. OR, do like I said before and just remove both ends of the wire your using. ;)

Safety First.

lol, they invented a little pressure vent in the top of most for several years now, so they will vent internal pressure, but ya... some of the old school ones were bombs waiting to happen. lol

If anyone ever buys used caps they should always be sure to check the vent. If its raised even a slight bit... chances are the cap has had its terminals arced and is likely lacking in capacitance.

What if you just disconnected your power wire up front, taped off the end, put the grommet on and connected the wire back to the battery and didn't worry about dying or the cap blowing up?

^ That would work too if you tape well and take a just a little care while doing it. Based on some of the statements in this thread though..... :sly: :ohwell:

I agree with this though so, to be totally safe, never touch a charged capacitor to your bare heart, especially if sitting in a tub of salt water. Very risky.. :rolleyes:

I believe this post was made in fun
please do not believe this ... generally you just have to fail with more flair
we have lost a couple to DC but it usually involves wrenches and short circuits

guess what i did today... i put one hand on my positive batt terminal, and the other on my negative terminal.

now go to an outlet with a butter knife in each hand and stick each knife into a prong hole.

let me know if you survive to type this

Soffffffft. You're supposed to take a wire from your postive and one from your negative terminal and touch them to your tongue. Everyone knows thats how you test batteries

so in a nutshell, yes it can kill you.

are you still alive?

Lol if he doesn't answer does that mean we are responsible for his death? I would feel bad. although it's very simple to disconnect your capacitor from the positive I never had a problem and did it to mine like 50 times. But mine does have a remote wire to it maybe that makes the difference on why I don't get sparks? Lol

^ You only get a spark the first time, or if the cap is left sitting disconnected for a long time. Some caps even have built in soft charge to eliminate the spark.

Its all done, no shocks ;)

sorry my post was not about an automotive DC circuit... much higher output and voltages and it always involved a metal tool as I read my post that was completely unclear.

Back to car audio, as I watched James "sparky' Toombs work on his car... he is always good for one or two arcs a show.. if anyone can get himself hurt doing car audio electrical...

Glad to hear you survived.