OT what is that vibrating sensation you get when you lightly touch the metal on a mains appliance?

I've long wondered this but have never had a knowledgeable bunch of people sitting there with idle time just waiting to jump up and offer me an explanation... ;-)

What is that vibrating sensation you get when you lightly touch the metal on a mains appliance?

What causes it? Is it a sign of inadequate earthing?

Reply to
me
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Get your wife a cordless vibrator, it'll solve the problem. Alternatively, lower the light switch to buttock height and get her to turn the lights on with her cheeks, you'll then have a happy wife and no need to worry about vibrating switches.

Rgds

Andy R

Reply to
Andy R

That and a current leakage through the insulation in the appliance ...

Reply to
Mike Faithfull

In message , Mike Faithfull writes

Hmmm, - okie thanks - is it dangerous?

Reply to
me

On Tue, 18 May 2004 18:06:22 +0100, in uk.d-i-y "dave @ stejonda" strung together this:

Yes, I would get that looked at. There's the dodgy earthing, inadequate circuit protection and the source of the leakage to find!

Reply to
Lurch

"dave @ stejonda" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@stejonda.freeuk.com:

What sort of appliance - does it have a nenjin in it; a transformer, which AFAIK is needed in just about any appliance can vibrate.

Try unplugging it - if it still vibrates send for an exorcist.

The truth is out there

mike

Reply to
mike ring

In message , Lurch writes

eeek - a job starting tomorrow - you're really suggesting that an RCD (or whatever it is) in the CU should've been tripping then...

Reply to
me

In general, no. Unless it happens to be fatal. It should be at least investigated. Do you own a multimeter, and what is the appliance?

Reply to
Ian Stirling

And I thought it was just me! See the thread "My buzzing wall lights" of September 2003... didn't come up with any definitive answers.

David

Reply to
Lobster

On Tue, 18 May 2004 19:30:52 +0100, in uk.d-i-y "dave @ stejonda" strung together this:

Well, I thought that after I posted, possibly not. But it wants checking to make sure it is functioning correctly. It depends what the leakage on the appliance is, you could measure it with a meter to check it against the RCD In rating.

Reply to
Lurch

Yup. You can detect extremely small amounts of leakage by that method - I've discovered quite a few metal lightswitches in this house which were not properly earthed. It does not necessarily mean there is an insulation fault, but it certainly indicates an earthing fault, and you should investigate.

Rick

Reply to
Richard Sterry

We used to have an electric kettle - back in the sixties and it ws second hand even then - which we knew was switched on because it gave us a buzz if it was.

We also had one of those electric one bar fires, with the curved back, which received the Home Service.

No, straight ...

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

You're thinking of when the Home Service was called 2LO, Mary.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Reply to
Andy Hall

It was never called that. 2LO was the service before it was divided into regions.

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

LO standing for London, the ident of the actual transmitter.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

If you're saying you feel it on every appliance you touch then it indicates a fault in you :-)

If it's a specific appliance then tell us more about it.

Are you talking bare metal or insulated?

What if you touch a plastic part of the same appliance?

It could be an earth fault (the conclusion most other posters have somehow jumped to) or a mechanical vibration. It's impossible to say without further information.

MBQ

Reply to
MBQ

Or an earth fault in the house?

Reply to
Dave Plowman

No, Its what alternating current does when it goes through wires. It sets up an alternating magnetic field and lots of things will react to this by vibrating in sympathy. Like sex really.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

o_O

Yup - a rather elderly(!) Skywood Model 500 (as advertised in Practical Wireless in the 60's and possibly earlier)

The one I keep resting my arm gently against is a floor-standing lamp which has metal tubing as the upright. But I've also had the effect from the metal fascia of a Technics hi-fi amp.

Reply to
me

In message , mike ring writes

Lol.

The effect is not a physical vibration but an electrical/charged one.

Reply to
me

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