Comments on: Why a journalist shouldn’t do home-improvement projects

By: doug

doug — Mon, 19 May 2008 19:07:32 +0000

Because I’ve done it that way before. Just flip the switch off, and go at it.

Problem is, I’d already taken the switch out and wired the open circuit closed — so the wires were hot. Shoulda waited until after I put the fan up to close the circuit. Oops, I forgot.

And no, it wasn’t a design solution, just a lapse in judgment.

By: Rknil

Rknil — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:03:16 +0000

Why would you attempt any electrical work without turning off the breaker switch?

By: doug

doug — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:04:02 +0000

I can’t say I’m not shocked that someone corrected my use of the word “electrocute.”

So let’s just say “zapped.”

By: Jim McBee

Jim McBee — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:00:13 +0000

Old copy-editor quibble: Electrocute means to kill by electric shock.

By: mikebraun

mikebraun — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:38:56 +0000

Geez DJ, watch yourself. I learned that the hard way as well. Back in Ohio we had a large saltwater fish tank (How large? Tank on first floor, pumps in basement-large). To store replacement water we had a large Rubbermaid garbage can with a heater in it. One day I stuck my hand in the water to mix in some salt and ZAAAAAP!. The heater had gone bad and electrified the water. HINKY! That little dance of kilowatts shocked the snot outta me and forever prompted me to turn EVERYTHING off at the breaker. And to get rid of that damn tank!