Anyone else ever been ZAPPED while detecting???

[maggiemacpoe]

Hi everybody,

First I would like to thank all of you that responded to my 'I need some advice...' post of 4/19. I have been out in San Diego for the past two weeks, Family vacation... My husband agreed not to surf if I left my detectors at home. It was still fun.

I was out detecting yesterday, in the rain, at a house that was built in
the early 1800's. Within the first 10 minutes, I found 6 indian head pennys, and a shield nickle. Then it happened....

I was on the grass, standing in a puddle about 2 inches deep. I was bent over swinging my detector under some tree branches that were about 3 feet off the ground. I had on a work belt that was loaded with metal marking flags(the kind used to mark invisible dog fences), 2 hand held electronic probes, a lesche digging tool, and a bunch of rusty nails. I was holding my "lady gardener" shovel in my left hand, horizontally behind my back.

All of a sudden I felt a tugging sensation on the bottom of my left heel.
We have a serious problem with rabid animals where I live, and at first I thought one of them had grabbed ahold of me. My heart jumped up into my throat, and started hammering away. I whipped my head around and jerked my foot up at the same time, and was really surprised that there was no big old fat raccoon, or even a tiny little field mouse there waiting to finish me off. I kind of giggled with relief and put my foot down. this time the tugging sensation was much stronger. I immediately got the heck out of there.

I have had enough electrical shocks to know that's what it really was.
This house is owned by a former state senator, who has lived there for years and is not aware of any electrical wires, etc. out in the area where
I was detecting. Do you think it is possible that with the rain, the puddle, the XLT, and all the metal objects in my work belt, I created the electrical current myself? Or is it more likely that there are some old exposed wires under the ground that my friend is not aware of.

I am afraid to detect there again until I know what the problem is. Has this ever happened to any of you before? If so, what caused it in your case?

Thanks, Maggie Macpoe

 

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[Dominoe]

The voltage generated by the detector would not be enough to be felt. Very few people can feel a voltage that small. There was most likely a buried power line in the ground that has a cut insulator conducting through that wet ground. I have seen this a few times, the one case I was actually working on trying to solve we found the power line about 100 feet away on a neighbors lot. I was getting hammered every time it rained and I had to work outside, I kept telling my boss and he kept saying it was not possible.... Anyways, just don't go back out there when it's raining and you'll be fine.

 

[Lowbatts]

I'd make a mental note and get the owner to have a utility crew check it out for everyone's safety. Who knows when a kid's gonna literally step into it. Hit a shallow electricl cable once with a large shovel, it melted three inches off the tip of the shovel and lit up the ground under me. I was well insulated at the time so no biggie.

Dominoe is right, unless you're using one REAL high powered detector it just won't do it.

 

[Highmountain]

Good advice you're getting.

Another possibility is that the thing you experienced didn't invove any conventional power source, or that the power source was a long way away, but was carried to you through the water.

A lot of strange electrical anomalies exist around this planet and you might have discovered one. Mostly no one understands them or why they exist so it's just shrugged off... stray voltage, it's often called.

Dairy barn operations tend to have them. I came across a dairy lot once where the cows wouldn't eat from one side of the feeders and tried not to venture into that entire side of the lot during a rain. The farmer speculated it was because of a sensation he described feeling on that side of the lot when it was wet that's similar to what you've described.

Demolitions people have a strong interest in this sort of thing because of their use of electrically triggered caps. They are awfully careful about measuring whether there's any stray voltage running around in the areas where they're handling such things. But the voltages aren't usually enough to hurt anyone.

 

[maggiemacpoe]

Thanks Guys....

Thank you for your advice. My friend is giong to have the power company come out and check.

I have been detecting on the property for several years without a problem, but after getting zapped I am a little afraid to go back over there. There are so many other great detecting spots dating back to the 1600's close by that it isn't a big deal, but I am worried that if it happened at my friends place it could happen at any of the others too.

Do you really think it is ok to detect in the area where I was hit as long as it isn't raining, if so I guess the other places will be ok too. I have been detecting for more than 15 years and it has never happened before so do you think this was just a fluke, like being in the wrong place at the wrong time? MaggieMacpoe

 

[Highmountain]

If you feel uncomfortable about going there you probably wouldn't enjoy doing it. I don't think there's any way of knowing with absolute certainty that it won't happen in dry times. I've never heard of anyone being electrocuted standing on dry ground with nothing electrical (other than being lightning-struck) near but that doesn't mean it can't happen. Almost anything can happen and sometimes does.

When I was a kid a migrant laborer earned himself a brief place in the hall of fame by spontaneously combusting within a hundred or so feet of a dozen witnesses near my home town. There was more left of his clothing than there was of his body. No one knew why or how it happened and I've never seen explanation of it since, though I've read of enough similar incidents to know it's not unheard of.

In a universe that's unruly enough to allow people to suddenly self-incinerate without explaining themselves you won't get assurances from me that anything is totally safe.

 

[Lowbatts]

A nearby playground is being rebuilt, on one side there is pole with a line coming down it and running under the playground. The city crew working the area wound up pulling a bit of the hot wire out but did not do anything about it such as marking or closing the area. I was detecting there one Sunday a bit and found the dead end, (high coin reading at less than 1" unsder the surface. Now given that they are going to put in some new equipment, and add about 14" to 16" of sand, UI percieve htat to be dangerous.

So I took it on myself to locate the path, exposed the wire and removed those parts they had broken. Getting near to the pole, I wanted to check for voltage. Don't often carry my DMM so I simply shorted the suspect wire to ground using an insulated trowel, with gloves and rubber soles and safety glasses on. No spark, someone had cut the power on that line after the city hit it apparently. Good for me!

I did gripe at the crew yesterday when I stopped in there to see if they had done more digging. Firstly, reminded them kids dig down as deep as they can to bury pop cans for some reason so it's important to reroute or better insulate that wire, secondly, could they take off the top 5" or so in a very trashy area I'm been working on and off. Well, might not always get what you want, but it's worth asking!

Happy Hunting!

 

[coinshooter]

You might be more sensitive than others to voltage. When I am near most microwave ovens, if they are on, I can feel a very weird tingling in my feet. This can happen even if I am 5-6 ft away from it. Once the oven goes off, I don't feel it anymore.
I have been paranoid for a long time about hitting an underground wire, or worse yet, a syringe needle! Anybody had any close calls with this? I know some of the areas I've hunted in over the years have been real sketchy for these types of things. Newly removed building lots where vagrant/drug addicts may have hung out when the building was on it's last legs, etc. I am always cautious of these things and look for wires sticking out from the ground, glass, rattlesnakes, syringes, sharp items, cellar holes in the ground, old wells, etc.
8)

 

[Lowbatts]

Hey Coinshooter, I've pulled syringes out of the sand in the playgrounds and out of the river more than few times. Found a crown Royal bag outside the local police station during some hunting there, had crack pipe, steel wool and assorted supplies in it. Dumped in the police trash promptly!

 

[coinshooter]

Lowbatts,
Just a word of caution with the syringes. I was told to not even touch them at all. Apparently it can be a good way to become infected with Hepatitis C.
I just went into a old park canyon last sunday where there is good detecting, but there are many things that go on down there you really don't want to know about. There were needles/syringes, condom wrappers, clothing, etc. around. I was with a friend and was detecting with one headphone off my ear to listen also for people.
A few weird people came by. Always cautious, I would stop, stand up and take notice of who they were. One guy came by and told us how he had found quite a few wallets, 100 dollar bills, etc. and proceeded to tell us "hey man, just remember, it's all on the surface" , "you don't even need to dig for it". Then we went around the corner into a grove of large trees. It was clearer here and all of a sudden there were two people coming from one side and another coming from another. My partner and I stood up and got a little nervous as the two stopped and started asking us "do you find anything with that". We later saw this guy, high as a kite on ?, big time junkie with wide eyes and a great big smile, stumbling around the park.Where's a cop when you need one?
We continued on and ended up getting seperated. This was not a good move. Always keep an eye on your partner. I saw him one minute and the next he had disappeared. I looked for him for a minute or two and saw a sketchy looking vagabond coming my way, so I headed for the top of the hill where the walkway was. When I got to the car I waited about 5 mins and my partner came up from where we had entered. He looked pretty excited. I asked him what happened and he said when he realized we had gotten seperated, he left. As he was coming back, two guys approached him and asked what he had. He pulled out his "Leshe" digging tool (which is a huge looking knife with a serated edge on the one side), and said, "a big old knife! Now, this thing is really huge and scary looking.
The people who may have been considering doing something to him decided that they would leave quite quickly. I found it quite humorous!
All in all, I had a great hunt down there. I got about $2 in change, a small box knife, a watch, a handful of gold? jewelry (chains and a set of earrings), a nice thick silver ring, and a really cool old National Guard badge from about 1920?
I will post this after our next club meeting. 8) Going back for another round this sunday with three people instead of two. Should make it a little safer.