Electric Shock but Mains Off?

[cervezaman]

Hi All, currently in our very modest 20 year old place in Spain. I decided to change the light fitting in the lounge. I put the RCD breaker down and also the main breaker. Thought all was good! Nearly knocked off the ladder from a shock from one of three wires!! It’s a simple single switched light fitting. I’ve managed to fit it now with the help of some pliers to help locate the wires in the terminal block. But, what could have caused this? Off is off no?!

[cervezaman]

Simpo Two said:

cervezaman said:

Hi All, currently in our very modest 20 year old place in Spain. I decided to change the light fitting in the lounge. I put the RCD breaker down and also the main breaker. Thought all was good! Nearly knocked off the ladder from a shock from one of three wires!! It’s a simple single switched light fitting. I’ve managed to fit it now with the help of some pliers to help locate the wires in the terminal block. But, what could have caused this? Off is off no?!

'Hot working' eh!

I always have the appliance/light on to start with and make sure it goes off when I throw the breaker. Would that precaution have saved you or was it more subtle than that?

I don’t think it would have helped, but good idea! Basically I have a small led light fitting which I installed a couple of years back. It stopped working a couple of months ago and I realized I’d bought a spare at the time as they were pretty cheap. It should have been a simple swap over job 😂

[cervezaman]

crispian22 said:

Have you got solar panels?;-)

Sadly no space for solar panels!!!! Lower your expectations!!

[cervezaman]

monoloco said:

Did pretty much the same myself a few years back -effectively put myself in series with a 60W light bulb. Still gave me enough of a kick that my arm shot back and the screwdriver I had in my hand ended up embedded in the wall on the opposite side of the room like a circus knife thrower. Turned out one of the previous occupants of the place was either an utter bodge artist or a thief (or both!) and had hooked up one of the lighting circuits in a way that bypassed the electric meter -and the fuse box unit so it wasn't even fused. 'kin crazy.

Result is I would NEVER touch any electrics without using a mains tester as recommended above. They're cheap as chips and could just save your life.

(PS the embarrassing bit is I'm a full member of the IET which makes me a Chartered Electrical Engineer so I really should have know better!)

Yep, I have a mains tester in my UK tool box but not here! Will get one ASAP!

[cervezaman]

Spare tyre said:

My first test would be to turn the light on and see what happens when the circuit is off via the breaker

Just done that and the light goes off when I flip the breaker down.....

[cervezaman]

rossw46 said:

Exactly how many cervezas were consumed prior to this undertaking?

All of them :-)