In message , Graham. writes
Not if you're referring to your latest post they're not. To get a shock the person has to be across both output pins of the transformer. Either pin can be dragged to earth without a shock. That's why it's called an isolating transformer.
I don't think 240V is that bad. I did drop a live light socket on a lead into a fish tank and put my hand in when I tried to catch it. At best it was a tingle and all the fish just swam about as normal. I don't think I will do it again but I was only about 10 at the time.
Of course statistically its insignificant and YMMV.
Darwin was at least trying ...
The result would have been far more interesting if the fish had been salt water fish. Fresh water is not a particularly good conductor of electricity.
You don't think that the fish waste products are conductive then?
I've been reading this thread and I'm left wondering two things:
These isolating transformers seem to have been around for decades, whereas RCDs seem to be a more recent invention. Reading Graham's comments (above) is there an argument that bathrooms would be safer if the socket had no transformer and was wired direct to a 30mS RCD?
The other thing I wondered was if the OP decided to fir two isolating sockets, one for each device, or if you had a big bathroom with his and hers sinks and each had its own socket, would two sockets be just as dangerous as running two appliances from one socket?
I'm not an electrician, so I don't know but as the output from the two transformers would be in phase, if you held pole 1 on socket 1 and pole 2 on socket 2, would that have the same unpleasant effects as holding poles 1 and 2 on the same socket or am I barking up the wrong tree (if so, I did say IANAE)
TIA
Two isolating transformers are the way to do it. You can safety touch one wire from each of them.
Thanks. I never knew that.
Isolating transformers are designed to fail safe even in a burn-out scenario.
When RCD's fail it's usually unsafe, and silently. (Fortunately, RCD's in the EU don't fail at anything like the rate they do in the US.)
No, separate isolating transformer per appliance is the correct way to do it.
It would be safe.
I am using electric toothbrush and Internet radio at the same tie my my bathroom, the one i am using works well!
. Some shaver sockets
Slightly worrying - my 1988 house has a MK Socket and there is always a toothbrush plugged in,
Per my other thread, I fitted a double Schuko socket (not inside the bathroom) which solves such problems.
It would be a very poor transformer indeed which came to harm due to being powered up at all times with no load - think a bell transformer.
These shaver outlets often hum. Having it switched when not in use stops this.
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