Battery + Capacitor question

[Konkor]

Well this is my first post so hi, I have messed about with computers for years now since I was like 16 and I am now 19. Recently I have become interested in electronics, like building small circuits and such so I am really new to this. I understand that Capacitors store a charge from the battery and I wanted to test with this but I have a few questions.

I am using a battery pack that stores 3xAA batteries and then I have 4x1UF 50v Capacitors, if these Capacitors fully charged up and somehow accidentally or randomly discharged their stored charge would it harm a person? or just give a little shock. I understand the electric chair was 2,000 volts but had 10 amps, and a taser is 15,000 and has half an amp. So I am just curious if I start messing about with Batteries and Capacitors would this harm someone if left unattended.

 

[jon-ecm]

No. If you charged them all up in individually and then wired them in series you would get 3*1.5 multiplied by the 4 capacitors that are charge which would be 18v
you need alot more than that to even start to feel a shock. Over 50 volts at least.

Have fun playing and don't worry about hurting anybody.
I've been shocked by 450v flash caps several times and am still alive so your totally fine!

Have fun!
Jon

P.S.
Glad to see some younger guys playing with electronics, I'm 16 and enjoy doing it also

 

[Konkor]

I dont suppose you could explain the multiplier for me lol? and I have been interested in computers for ages like I said so I just figured its time to see what else is out there besides computer components. I am studying for an IT Technician level3 course also, so this would come in handy at some point I would presume.

 

[Prototyp_V1.0]

Have fun playing and don't worry about hurting anybody.
I've been shocked by 450v flash caps several times and am still alive so your totally fine!

I got 650V through my left hand several years ago when playing around with microwave transformer. I wasn't hurt then (exept from two small burn marks), but after a year or so, a hunch appear on my wrist that reduced the overall motility to my hand.

So, it's fun now, but electric current can potentially do harm to knuckles and muscles.

I dont suppose you could explain the multiplier for me lol?

Wikipedia have a good article on voltage multiplier here. It explains pretty well.

 

[Konkor]

I worked it out, you times the number of batteries by the multiplier you gave (1.5) and multiply it by the number of capacitors. Just a small question though what would a safe amount of current be that a person could take and feel a small shock without being hurt?

Thanks for the link Proto will take a look now, but could you tell me a voltage that a person would feel a little or medium shock at but would not be hurt. I read on another site 20volts but Jon said that 50volts you would feel a little one.

 

[jon-ecm]

I got 650V through my left hand several years ago when playing around with microwave transformer. I wasn't hurt then (exept from two small burn marks), but after a year or so, a hunch appear on my wrist that reduced the overall motility to my hand.

Yeah AC is kinda different because it damages your muscles/nerves.
DC usally isn't as bad because it brings the area of contact high and keeps it there, AC is constantly creating a positive field and then turning it into a negative field. High frequency AC is a lot safer and usually only causes burns.
It's also rare to have voltage left in a AC cap after the source of power is taken away.