Was trying to fix a damaged outlet in my rental unit, as per usual landlord didn’t want to fix it.

I don’t have a breaker /fuse box in my room.

So, tired of the outlet, I decided to change the outlet entirely with the breaker turned ON. I considered putting a friend on speaker in case I died, but in my fever pitch I decided against it.

So here I am wearing 2 pairs of rubber gloves per hand, with random unrubered wire wrapped around my body in a way so that if I got shocked, the electricity would have a path to travel to not blast my heart / chest / head.

I do the outlet swap a roo. Ancient super boomer outlet, it’s wired differently. Wires charred to hell. One of the wires is brittle and snaps. Half way through random arc, a loud pop, my screw driver goes flying the live wire hit something.

My entire unit lost power.

Panic slightly before realizing that it’s not so bad, now I won’t die. I finish the swaparoo.

I call up the landlord, with some bs excuse ready.

He doesn’t ask and just goes and flicks the fuse back on.

My fuse works. My actual face: XD

Ps:

The outlet doesn’t put out enough to kill a person iirc

Get wrecked landlord, guess who just increased the value of your unit!!

I have another damaged outlet to fix, but part 2 will have to wait!

(Also, wtf one 15a circuit for the whole unit?)

I still don’t know where the screw driver flew)

  • @roastpotatothief
    4•2 years ago

    If working with live wires, do the whole thing standing on a wooden stool. You must have a thick insulator between you and ground. You will probably touch a live wire at some point, and the size of shock you get depends on how well insulated you are from the ground, walls, and other objects around you.

    Don’t bother wrapping wires around you.

    If you connect the live to the earth wire, you will blow the fuse, and probably destroy the wires too. Then you’ll have to rip out the plaster to lay new wires.

    This is not difficult if you are careful, not tired, and have good common sense.

    Wrap the live in electrical tape first. Only unwrap it for the few seconds where you are putting it into its connector. That’s the only step you need to do carefully.