[Avulon]

Originally Posted by edwardmk

Thought this might reassure you.
https://www.metroid.net.au/engineeri...lectric-shock/
Basically you need about 50v or above to drive enough current to kill a person.
Holding a spanner will make no difference to the resistance of your skin( but can increase the capacitance of your connection which is more relevant to AC than DC.)
https://www.recorbatteries.gr/en/can...%20shock%20you.
For more detail. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/art...tric%20current.

As a rough rule of thumb, more than fifty volts is sufficient

Well, that doesn't say that any particular voltage is insufficient. And I'd rather excercise caution than be dead. Especially one anecdotal evidence suggests that there are circumstances where 12v is sufficient.

Originally Posted by mileshawk56

Maybe the poor old Frenchman had some problem, or weakness. Chris.S

Possibly. we can't know now.

Originally Posted by oldie

Thank you for the many informed and informative posts. However, I think I'll still exercise due reserve when working with electricity. As mentioned earlier I've had a coupe of avoidable toastings from mains AC leaving me with a much weaker shoulder/elbow and a permanent mild tremor to my right arm/hand (always prompts some additional investigation whenever I meet whichever GP is on duty nowadays). I've no idea what actually did for the far travelled Frenchman (the car was registered in Languedoc) but I can't help but think it was damp/metal/battery-terminals/congenital heart problem(?) related. Mind, I bet it was quick.

Quite right