Electrical Shock Hazard

[Randy]

I got a call today from a gentleman who was trying to diagnose the problem he was having with his bill changer and got one hell of an electrical shock and is very lucky to be alive. He said he had just got done washing down the bays so his hands were damp and his shoes were wet. When he removed the stacker from the rear of the changer 2 of the wires that go into the plug that plugs into the stacker came out and shorted out against the side of the stacker, he got the shock of his life, knocked him to the floor, tripped the breaker in the breaker panel. Someone had bypassed the Red On/Off switch, which is also a 5 amp fuse and they had cut off the grounding pin off the wall plug of the changer, that grounding pin on the wall plug is here for a reason. Always make sure that you have the power off or the wall plug for the bill changer unpluged whenever you connect or disconnect any of the components inside a bill changer. When the power is On to the changer and it’s in a standby condition there is always power to the Out of service light, Stacker, and Hopper. Always make sure you turn Off or unplug the Bill changer from its power source when you perform any work inside the bill changer. It’s also a good idea to use a GFI wall receptacle on your power source. The gentlemen who got shocked was very lucky to be able to go home. He said he had a stiff/sore hand and his arm and elbow hurt.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Turn off power before servicing. Where do you come up with this stuff?

 

[rph9168]

Turn off power before servicing. Where do you come up with this stuff?

I have been around the car wash business for over 35 years and know about only 1 death due to electrocution. (Coincidentally it was not the individual's fault. It was a brand new wash and the electrician had mislabeled the breakers.) He was working on some changes in the equipment room and touched the wrong wires with a screw driver. The shock blew him right out of his shoes and he flew all the way across the room. He never knew what hit him. Unfortunately there were also several severe injuries caused by electricity I have known about as well but not causing death. Frankly I am amazed that I didn't hear about more after seeing how some work in their back rooms.

I will never understand how someone working with electricity in or around where contact with water is very possible does not take the precaution of turning off the power before working on anything electric. You got lucky this time. Hopefully you will never do that again.