2026-04-22 10:59 UTC
@fae @lynn
While almost everyone is aware of the dangers of AC line voltage, it is uncommon for people to be aware of the potential danger of low voltages. Skin contact with the +/-16V DC in an S-100 system is incredibly unlikely to cause any harm. You can grab the +16 with one hand, and -16 with the other, and your skin has high enough resistance that nothing happens.
3/
Replies (1)
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@brouhaha@mastodon.social 2026-04-22 11:02
@fae @lynn But if you are wearing a metal watch, ring, etc, and get one of the supply rails shorted through it to ground or another supply rail, the supply will give all of the amps it can (usually much beyond its rated output, at least for seconds) through that metal. It can't electrocute you, but the metal can heat up enough to cause a serious burn. With a ring, potentially serious enough to lose the finger. Lesson: remove watch and hand jewelry while working inside computers. Even PCs. 4/