Why would a TIG welder give me a crazy shock? it was enough to cause me to tighen up and my eyes closed... NOT good...

I dont want this to happen again and I am not sure how it could do that to me...

Was welding an exhaust on my bench and i was just starting to weld and BAM... jolted through me.

Part was directly grounded and i was resting my (bare) arms on the exhaust. This shouldnt have happedned though.

Matt

 

You'll get shocked any time its easier to ground through you than the part.

it happens every once and a while. I've only been shocked to around 100amps AC or DC. it wasn't enough to tighten me up ever, more just an inconvenience.

You could always ground yourself out by grounding a tin bucket to the machine, filling it with water and welding barefoot with your feet in the water. it'd probably keep you cooler in the summer too.

 

Sweaty gloves are what get me shocked mos of the time. That and when my watch is accidentally resting on my table.

 

my water cooled torch had a small leak at the base of the torch... that wasn't a very good surprise... it knocked me out of my chair.

 

wow, i was afraid of this when I help my bro weld my down pipe. I never ask him if he ever got shocked, but he's gonna give me his tig welding machine and I dont ever wanna encounter the shock.

 

Wet gloves = getting shocked sooner or later. Mostly while welding aluminum.

 

been there done that, not the most pleasant experience lol.

 

Don't weld in short sleeves?

 

Summer time is when your more apt to get shocked. If your sweating you can pretty much guarrantee your going to whacked or feel a tingle if your not careful. Metal slivers in your fingers from a die grinder will also attracked the high frequency and it will feel like a buring in your fingers. only way to stop if for sure is to wear long sleeves and good gloves. I rarely wear either unless I am doing high amp somewhat continious welding.

 

yep just got shocked the other day. it happens

 

So... if I avoid sweating my globes and I don't make direct contact with the ground, am I safe?

 

Um, NO.

It will happen from very infrequently to often depending on how much you weld. It is what it is and it happens to everyone.

I have noticed it most when i am sweating or have wet/sweaty gloves.

 

^^Its welding you will get burned and shocked sooner or later..

edit: beat me to it lol

 

You're not a welder till you've been zapped haha. It happens, just watch your body positioning and throw a welding jacket or something else between you and the table. First time I got shocked by a welder, I leaned over the table to grab something and zaap. Couldn't feel my groin area for about 20 minutes. Scared the crap outta me.

 

yeah... thanks guys...


I hadnt been shocked before from welding so i didnt think it was normal. this was about 100x harder of a shock than an electric fencer. was unreal and i can still feel it in my arm (along with the burn mark)

I guess i should wear long sleeves, but it was 110 in my shop and i was sweating out repairing a "stage 3" B5 audi exhaust.

 

Just about everytime I use my buddies welder I get zapped. I still can't figure out why. I never get zapped at my own shop. He does have a metal chair and my sweaty ***** got shocked one time through my jeans. Im guessing the sweat through the jeans cause this and it was at about 175amps. Needless to say, I didn't have any kids for 3 years.

 

the HF start on my Precision 225 bites me fairly often.. but once its already going strong I have never been hit..

-Sam

 

Without any doubt. I have never, ever welded without arm protection. This, and many other bad things can happen. Maybe this has swayed you, but I'd rather sweat any day.
I've used 1 million BTU heating torches before. Just drink lots of water and be safe.

 

The only time I've ever been zapped was when I wasn't working on my table and forgot to ground the piece. Had a friend holding charge pipes together and we never put the ground on, I hit the pedal and both of us hit the ceilling lol.

 

that... would hurt like hell

 

Could try wearing latex gloves under your leathers to keep the sweat out of the leather. The sweat will run down your arm or something else. But at least it will stay out of the leather.

Even if your not "sweating", your body gives off a ton of moisture just normally. This is why socks smell and latex gloves get wet even when you feel fine.

Even though I work around electricity, I am scared to death of it. I haven't worked on that fear, because I know electricity is always waiting and its probably a good fear to have.

 

It is a good fear to have since you cant see it.

Today the area has bruised and is about the size of the footprint of a can of coke.

 

ive got zapped a few times but always welding ac. and i used to never wear gloves now i usually do.