Mmmm, tasty volts.
When I was young, we had a set of Christmas tree lights which had a star at the end. This lasted us several years until too many of the bulbs had gone and we couldn't get replacements.

My parents purchased a new set of lights but this new set didn't have a star. In a flash of genius, I realised I could transplant the star into the new set of lights! Win!

I joined the wires together by cutting, stripping and twisting them together and it all worked, hurrah! I then noticed that one of the connections wasn't very good and I needed to strip some more insulation off the wire so that I could twist the copper wires together (soldering is for wimps)

Knowing that the lights were still plugged in, I decided that the best option was to strip the wire using my teeth.

My reasoning behind this was thus:

1 - There was 20 bulbs in the set. 240V / 20 = 12V! I was safe! 12V is nothing! (yes, I know..)
2 - I was sat on a sofa. I wasn't earthed. The electricity had nowhere to go.

Holding a wire in each hand (by the insulation) I proceeded to place one of the wires between my teeth and bit down.

Ah.. so this is what being electrocuted is like...

I couldn't see anything. At all. The mains cable in my mouth replaced my vision with a strobe. My whole body buzzed and shook with a powerful and extremely unpleasant 50Hz pulse.

Ooookay, so I'm still being electrocuted.. I'm going to die, aren't I?.. Hmm.. shit.

I knew I needed help and that the living room door was to the right of me. I'd have to try and get to the door. This isn't very easy when none of your senses are working properly. I had a vague far-away sense of touch and that would have to do.

Luckily, trying to get to the door was enough to dislodge the wire. Or maybe the fuse had blown. Either way, I was "back" in the room which stunk of burnt flesh. I looked at my hand to find that the wire had burnt through the insulation and into my hand - my thumb and index finger were completely white but burnt and blackened where it had singed my flesh. On the upside, it had cauterised the wound so there was no blood.

My hand is still scarred to this day and, in cold weather, I can suck air through a small hole in the roof of my mouth which I assume leads to my nasal cavity. Nice.
( mugwump In summary then, oh no. Chris., Fri 13 Feb 2009, 13:38, 2 replies)

Thats...
...just fucking scary. Click.
(Cluckles, Fri 13 Feb 2009, 13:59, closed)

I've always wondered
What being shocked in the head is like (I've been shocked elsewhere many, many times). So thanks for this :D *click*
(ZoFreX is cleaner than smoked trout, Sat 14 Feb 2009, 9:02, closed)