I came up with this question right after I wanted to take apart a microwave to see why it wasn’t heating anything before I remembered that that’s a very, VERY bad idea

  • AlternateRoute@lemmy.ca
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    1 month ago
    • Laser / LED printers can blind you and may have larger capacitors.
    • Old CRT style TVs / Monitors can get you if not discharged correctly.
      • FromPieces@lemmygrad.ml
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        1 month ago

        That is my understanding. I remember hearing stories about dudes visiting a dump or whatever, kicking through the screen of a CRT and getting zapped like fuck

        • Jimmycrackcrack@lemmy.ml
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          1 month ago

          Do you ever find that sometimes when you intervene in to other people’s conversations to pull out some of your best absolute cracker lines like “why don’t you google that?” that people just don’t react properly at all? Like you’d expect an appropriate response like some light cheering and maybe lifting you up on their shoulders and handing you a medal and at least a couple of trophies. You know, something befitting of your incisive and insightful contributions, and instead they just kinda stop talking to you? That’s so weird huh?

          • AlternateRoute@lemmy.ca
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            1 month ago

            No I expect everyone not to be lazy fucks and do some basic research on one liner facts

            The original question I see as a useful conversation where a simple search would probably not give as valuable resultes.

            Where simple facts like “how long does a crt tube old a charge” is a Google thing.

            • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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              1 month ago

              Why don’t you Google why people don’t Google things instead of asking why they don’t Google it? It’s pretty hypocritical of you to ask that without putting in the research.

    • elucubra@sopuli.xyz
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      1 month ago

      BS. Just drain capacitors. I’ve repaired a few (worthwhile ones) by replacing caps. You just need to know how. As with anything, read up.

  • yeehaw@lemmy.ca
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    1 month ago

    Old CRT monitors. Particularly if they’ve been recently unplugged. There’s a cable in there my old teacher used to call “the superman cable”.

  • CaptainBasculin@lemmy.ml
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    1 month ago

    DO NOT backfeed your house’s electricity with a generator when your electricity gets shut down. You might electrocute someone working on those lines.

    • Sam_Bass@lemmy.ml
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      30 days ago

      At least have it set up downstream of the main shut off and make sure that main is off before firing up the generator. There are devices available commercially that do that for you but they aren’t cheap and require professional installation.

  • Scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech
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    1 month ago

    I’ll expand the microwave to anything that can carry a large electrical charge without you really knowing. I had a UPC that started acting weird, that was one I just sent right back to the manufacturer. I’ll swap out batteries, but I’m not cracking open something with that much potential energy stored in it without me fully understanding everything about it - and unless I helped build the thing I do not know enough about it.

  • absGeekNZ@lemmy.nz
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    1 month ago

    Ok firstly.

    Never, work on anything that is still connected to a power supply.

    This includes any stored energy. Isolate it first. Gravitational, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic and chemical (if possible).

    Don’t fuck with stored energy.

    Secondly.

    Learn how to test if things are live, or have any stored energy.

    Thirdly.

    Once you KNOW you are safe. Go hard, learn all you can.

  • dumbass@leminal.space
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    1 month ago

    If you’re gonna take a washing machine apart and you cut all the wires, make sure you cut the main electrical plug off as well or your dumbass son (me) will plug it in and electrocute himself with it.

  • Cheradenine@sh.itjust.works
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    1 month ago

    You can harvest the transformers for a couple junk microwaves to make an arc welder.

    If you aren’t experienced then pretty much all power supplies, battery backups, and motors should be left to someone else.

    I saw someone lose a finger (later reattached) to a washing machine with a jammed tub. It was plugged in and on when they reached underneath it and yanked the belt, their sleeve ducked their hand into the drive wheel.

    That said, if it fits your personality it can be both fun and satisfying to learn how to fix stuff. I try to teach anyone who’s interested and asks. Except LG washing machines, those things can fuck right off.