Nearly got myself electrocuted swapping out a ceiling fan last weekend

I turned off the wall switch but forgot the breaker was still live, and got a nasty jolt when I touched the wires. Scared me bad enough that I called an electrician friend who told me never trust wall switches since they can be wired wrong. Anyone else here had a close call with something you thought was simple and safe?

2 comments

2 Comments

ross.kim14d ago

Oh man, "never trust wall switches since they can be wired wrong" is exactly what my uncle told me after I did something similar a few years back. I swear I read somewhere that about half of all homes have some kind of wiring mistake in at least one switch or outlet - my dad was an electrician and he said people flip wires all the time and then forget. It really makes you think twice about assuming anything is off just because the light doesn't come on. I keep a little voltage tester in my tool drawer now and always check before I even look at a wire. That jolt you got could have been way worse if your hands were wet or if you were standing on something that grounded you better.

the_elizabeth14d ago

Ngl @ross.kim, that stat about half of homes having wiring mistakes actually makes me feel a little better about my own dumb moments. Last year I spent twenty minutes changing a switch plate I thought was live, only to realize I'd flipped the wrong breaker and my wife was just sitting in the dark watching me panic with a screwdriver. A voltage tester is a godsend, I keep one clipped to my tool belt like a security blanket now. My grandpa used to say the only thing worse than getting zapped is telling your electrician buddy you didn't check the wires first. I'm just glad I wasn't standing in a puddle of water when I had my moment, that would have been a whole different level of regret.