Nannies want to stop you from building mains-powered projects

    Just before this issue went to press, I received a product safety
    complaint via NSW Fair Trading, alleging that _Silicon Chip_
    magazine is unsafe. Apparently, this is because we explain how
    to build mains-powered devices, such as the Touch & IR Remote
    Control Dimmer featured in February and March this year. ...

http://www.siliconchip.com.au/Issue/2019/April/Nannies+want+to+stop+you+building+mains-powered+projects

A couple of years ago, the number of people in SED who apparently lack 
any practical experience with full wave bridge rectifiers that plug 
directly into an electrical outlet surprised me. As a teenage circuit 
designer, it was only natural for me to design and build power supplies 
that plugged directly into an electrical outlet. A power supply was 
typically the first phase of any new design because it was needed to 
power sub-circuits in order to verify my design as components were 
assembled.
    What happens after 120VAC becomes taboo? Do we start to take a long
hard look at +48VDC?

Thank you, 73,

-- 
Don Kuenz KB7RPU
There was a young lady named Bright Whose speed was far faster than light;
She set out one day In a relative way And returned on the previous night.

On 2019/04/11 7:10 a.m., Don Kuenz wrote:
>      Just before this issue went to press, I received a product safety
>      complaint via NSW Fair Trading, alleging that _Silicon Chip_
>      magazine is unsafe. Apparently, this is because we explain how
>      to build mains-powered devices, such as the Touch & IR Remote
>      Control Dimmer featured in February and March this year. ...
> 
> http://www.siliconchip.com.au/Issue/2019/April/Nannies+want+to+stop+you+building+mains-powered+projects
> 
> A couple of years ago, the number of people in SED who apparently lack
> any practical experience with full wave bridge rectifiers that plug
> directly into an electrical outlet surprised me. As a teenage circuit
> designer, it was only natural for me to design and build power supplies
> that plugged directly into an electrical outlet. A power supply was
> typically the first phase of any new design because it was needed to
> power sub-circuits in order to verify my design as components were
> assembled.
>      What happens after 120VAC becomes taboo? Do we start to take a long
> hard look at +48VDC?
> 
> Thank you, 73,
> 

Thanks for posting this! If my shop was in NSW, AU would I need an 
electrician to watch over me and my staff?

John :-#(#

-- 
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the USENET newsgroup)
                      John's Jukes Ltd.
MOVED to #7 - 3979 Marine Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5J 5E3
          (604)872-5757 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
                      www.flippers.com
        "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

On 11/04/2019 15:10, Don Kuenz wrote:
>      Just before this issue went to press, I received a product safety
>      complaint via NSW Fair Trading, alleging that _Silicon Chip_
>      magazine is unsafe. Apparently, this is because we explain how
>      to build mains-powered devices, such as the Touch & IR Remote
>      Control Dimmer featured in February and March this year. ...
> 
> http://www.siliconchip.com.au/Issue/2019/April/Nannies+want+to+stop+you+building+mains-powered+projects
> 
> A couple of years ago, the number of people in SED who apparently lack
> any practical experience with full wave bridge rectifiers that plug
> directly into an electrical outlet surprised me. As a teenage circuit
> designer, it was only natural for me to design and build power supplies
> that plugged directly into an electrical outlet. A power supply was
> typically the first phase of any new design because it was needed to
> power sub-circuits in order to verify my design as components were
> assembled.
>      What happens after 120VAC becomes taboo? Do we start to take a long
> hard look at +48VDC?
> 
> Thank you, 73,
> 

Ha.

I was building mains powered stuff at 240V when I was around 8 or 9. 
Heathkit alarm clock was one.

My old mad had me poking in valve TVs and amps before (with the big 
valves that had the anode and 400V odd on the top)

-- 
Email does not work

On Thu, 11 Apr 2019 08:43:52 -0700, John Robertson <spam@flippers.com>
wrote:

>On 2019/04/11 7:10 a.m., Don Kuenz wrote:
>>      Just before this issue went to press, I received a product safety
>>      complaint via NSW Fair Trading, alleging that _Silicon Chip_
>>      magazine is unsafe. Apparently, this is because we explain how
>>      to build mains-powered devices, such as the Touch & IR Remote
>>      Control Dimmer featured in February and March this year. ...
>> 
>> http://www.siliconchip.com.au/Issue/2019/April/Nannies+want+to+stop+you+building+mains-powered+projects
>> 
>> A couple of years ago, the number of people in SED who apparently lack
>> any practical experience with full wave bridge rectifiers that plug
>> directly into an electrical outlet surprised me. As a teenage circuit
>> designer, it was only natural for me to design and build power supplies
>> that plugged directly into an electrical outlet. A power supply was
>> typically the first phase of any new design because it was needed to
>> power sub-circuits in order to verify my design as components were
>> assembled.
>>      What happens after 120VAC becomes taboo? Do we start to take a long
>> hard look at +48VDC?
>> 
>> Thank you, 73,

>Thanks for posting this! If my shop was in NSW, AU would I need an 
>electrician to watch over me and my staff?
>
>John :-#(#

Here are the numbers on electrocution deaths in Australia:
<https://www.ncis.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Electrocution-Deaths.pdf>
Roughly, about 20 unintentional deaths per year.  Instead of yet
another regulation to protect some industry or job classification, I
propose that 20 electricians be electrocuted by the state, thus
satisfying the statistical requirement for human sacrifice.

See Table 7 for what the deceased were doing when electrocuted. Oddly,
building unsafe electronic devices is not on the list and does not fit
neatly into those that were mentioned. 

Fig 1 shows a pie chart of the activity at the time of electrocution.
Since 54.3% of the deaths were "paid work", it might be prudent to not
charge for electrical work and rely on donations, thus reducing one's
exposure to a hazardous activity.

Drivel:  I grew up on AC-DC 5 tube radios and survived without being
electrocuted.  Plenty of sparks and blown fuses, but no fatalities.

-- 
Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann     AE6KS    831-336-2558

On Thu, 11 Apr 2019 10:14:49 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
wrote:

>On Thu, 11 Apr 2019 08:43:52 -0700, John Robertson <spam@flippers.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On 2019/04/11 7:10 a.m., Don Kuenz wrote:
>>>      Just before this issue went to press, I received a product safety
>>>      complaint via NSW Fair Trading, alleging that _Silicon Chip_
>>>      magazine is unsafe. Apparently, this is because we explain how
>>>      to build mains-powered devices, such as the Touch & IR Remote
>>>      Control Dimmer featured in February and March this year. ...
>>> 
>>> http://www.siliconchip.com.au/Issue/2019/April/Nannies+want+to+stop+you+building+mains-powered+projects
>>> 
>>> A couple of years ago, the number of people in SED who apparently lack
>>> any practical experience with full wave bridge rectifiers that plug
>>> directly into an electrical outlet surprised me. As a teenage circuit
>>> designer, it was only natural for me to design and build power supplies
>>> that plugged directly into an electrical outlet. A power supply was
>>> typically the first phase of any new design because it was needed to
>>> power sub-circuits in order to verify my design as components were
>>> assembled.
>>>      What happens after 120VAC becomes taboo? Do we start to take a long
>>> hard look at +48VDC?
>>> 
>>> Thank you, 73,
>
>>Thanks for posting this! If my shop was in NSW, AU would I need an 
>>electrician to watch over me and my staff?
>>
>>John :-#(#
>
>Here are the numbers on electrocution deaths in Australia:
><https://www.ncis.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Electrocution-Deaths.pdf>
>Roughly, about 20 unintentional deaths per year.  Instead of yet
>another regulation to protect some industry or job classification, I
>propose that 20 electricians be electrocuted by the state, thus
>satisfying the statistical requirement for human sacrifice.

Surprisingly many (1/3) were intentional deaths. What is included in
this count, also all Darwin Award winners ?

On 4/11/19 10:10 AM, Don Kuenz wrote:
>      Just before this issue went to press, I received a product safety
>      complaint via NSW Fair Trading, alleging that _Silicon Chip_
>      magazine is unsafe. Apparently, this is because we explain how
>      to build mains-powered devices, such as the Touch & IR Remote
>      Control Dimmer featured in February and March this year. ...
> 
> http://www.siliconchip.com.au/Issue/2019/April/Nannies+want+to+stop+you+building+mains-powered+projects
> 
> A couple of years ago, the number of people in SED who apparently lack
> any practical experience with full wave bridge rectifiers that plug
> directly into an electrical outlet surprised me. As a teenage circuit
> designer, it was only natural for me to design and build power supplies
> that plugged directly into an electrical outlet. A power supply was
> typically the first phase of any new design because it was needed to
> power sub-circuits in order to verify my design as components were
> assembled.
>      What happens after 120VAC becomes taboo? Do we start to take a long
> hard look at +48VDC?
> 
> Thank you, 73,
> 

You say "via NSW Fair Trading", which makes it sound like they just 
relayed something, was this a complaint drawn up by someone who is 
actually a somebody or with real authority or do they just forward every 
wackadoo's grudge and gripe about a company like the BBB, so long as 
they have the mental capacity to fill out a formal complaint letter?

If it's the latter it hardly sounds like news. so some griper in a 
population of millions doesn't like it. so what.

On 12/4/19 3:14 am, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
> Drivel:  I grew up on AC-DC 5 tube radios and survived without being
> electrocuted.  Plenty of sparks and blown fuses, but no fatalities.

Survivorship bias? :)

Seriously though Jeff, thanks for your useful comments.

Too many people now assume that all tech products magically appear off a 
boat from somewhere, with no-one having the skills to understand, repair 
or (least of all) to design them.

Clifford Heath

Jeff Liebermann wrote:

>
>
>
 http://www.siliconchip.com.au/Issue/2019/April/Nannies+want+to+stop+you+building+mains-powered+projects


> 
> Here are the numbers on electrocution deaths in Australia:
> <https://www.ncis.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Electrocution-Deaths.pdf>
>

** The death stats are not a relevant measure for or proof of safety.

For every death, count on there being thousands of serious electric shocks and tens of thousands of very frightening ones. 


> Roughly, about 20 unintentional deaths per year.  Instead of yet
> another regulation to protect some industry or job classification, I
> propose that 20 electricians be electrocuted by the state, thus
> satisfying the statistical requirement for human sacrifice.
> 

** Completely fuckwit remark form a complete fuckwit. 


> See Table 7 for what the deceased were doing when electrocuted. Oddly,
> building unsafe electronic devices is not on the list and does not fit
> neatly into those that were mentioned. 
> 

** The same magazine editorial mentions a fatal shock delivered to a kit builder here in Australia. I happen to know the kit was sold by Dick Smith Electronics and it was for a "Musicolour Mk 4"  -  a multi-channel light dimmer using audio drive. Full of exposed live parts, it was very risky item for novice constructors to go anywhere near.


> Fig 1 shows a pie chart of the activity at the time of electrocution.
> Since 54.3% of the deaths were "paid work", it might be prudent to not
> charge for electrical work and rely on donations, thus reducing one's
> exposure to a hazardous activity.
> 

** Another utterly fuckwit remark - what an utter ASS you are Jeff. 


> Drivel:  I grew up on AC-DC 5 tube radios and survived without being
> electrocuted.
>

 ** Utterly irrelevant. 

 Jeff Liebermann is a dangerous hee-hawing ass. 



 ....   Phil

On Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 8:45:18 PM UTC-4, palli...@gmail.com wrote:
> 
>  Jeff Liebermann is a dangerous hee-hawing ass. 
> 
> 
> 
>  ....   Phil

Jeff is not alone.... 

-- 

  Rick C.

  - Get a 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
  - Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

>"Jeff is not alone.... "

We are an army. ...

I remember yearsa go I knew someone, in the business but was giving some electronics lases somewhere and I offered him a scope. 

Nope. 

Can't have anything that plugs into the wall. 

Now think when I took two power transformers from tube units, TVs or something and ran them in tandem a touch of that is fatal. 

So I had this Styrofoam and found me some coat hangers. I made one of those tall "V" things and had this going in the basement. 

But then that is stretching it, it was dangerous but you know what ? So what ? Hopefully you live. I was like 12 or 13 when I did that. 

If I owned the house back then, would I let my kid do that ? 

OK that part is just tertiary bullshit, you would think in a properly supervised environment kids should be able to experiment, "...". 

Another thing, remember chemistry sets ? That would be a terrorist training kit and the whole extended family back three generations gets a visit from some guys in suits. 

Hmmm.

If there is such a thing today it is probably all colored water. Can you imagine the lawsuits possible ? 

We pretty much chose this, for better or worse. It was that or the jungle, desert, bayou, tundra, Kansas, Canada or Mexico.