Here is a WEIRD one......

[Tony (NC)]

I only had about an hour to hunt all weekend. I played park pirate for a few minutes so I could take my daughter to play practice. We all need battery money right? Anyway, I was near some of the playground equipment and the hair on my arms started standing up ( I told you it was weird) Well all of a sudden I got POPPED! I got the SNOT shocked out of me through the headphones! It happend twice. My ear still hurts today! I was using the C$ with Killer B's. Anyone ever had anything like that happen?

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Twice? Yikes!! I have never had that happen and hope it never does. I have to wonder if it is something to do with the detector or if there was some external factor ivolved. At any rate that would certainly make a person gun shy about using the detector.

Tom

 

[Tony (NC)]

The last time something like that happened, I was fishing below a dam on the Catawba River about 2am. All of a sudden the hair on the arms stood up and my line started lifting up out of the water, just then lightning struck the dam! (I'm a retired fisherman now too!) I think this must have just been static electricity

 

[BarnacleBill]

not unusual and is a pre-cursor event to a lightning strike. You're lucky to be alive! Next time, drop fishing pole, and hunch down, not sit down. Wrap your arms around your knees and make yourself into a ball as low to the ground as possible. Also back away from the water line, but not under/near trees or poles(high objects). I know that the geographic circumstances don't always allow all the above to be done.

As a means of providing some level of warning, carry an AM transistor radio. At the sign of inclement weather, you want to tune between AM radio stations anywhere on the dial, and listen for the lightning approaching. You will be able to hear cloud to cloud, and cloud to ground strikes.

The park events are most likely caused by what clothing and shoes you were wearing, and the ambient humidity. Did the shock occur when the detector coil came close to the steel support poles of the playground equipment?

Keep in mind the levels of ESD(electrostatic discharge) you described could possibly damage the detector. I would suggest touching the coil to the ground every couple swings to dissipate the charge before it has a chance to build to the level you described.

HH
BarnacleBill

 

[Tony (NC)]

It had been raining for a while but the lightning had been WAY OFF in the distance. A big down pour had started so we had just walked back about 50 feet from the river to get under a bridge. That's when the earth shook! That bolt came a LONG WAY! We were a good 350 yards from the dam, but that'll still "Put the brown in your britches!" You know, I like fried catfish, but I prefer to fry them after I get them out of the water!

 

[Gatehider]

Tony,

Were there any power lines nearby? This is pure speculation on my part as to what may have happened: electrical power lines either buried or in the air created a build up of electrical charge in the playground equipment. When you came by with the detector(with conductive wiring), you created a convenient discharge for the built up electrical potential.

PS - Should we call you Sparky now??? ; )

Gatehider

 

[Bill Ladd]

of Tony.......
Or at least this should be his new avitar

 

[Tony (NC)]

No power lines anywhere close by. I'm just thinking it was just static charge. I've seen my kids go down the slides and their hair stand straight up on end afterward. And to anticipate your next question....No the fat guy wasn't going down the slide! Barnacle Bill has me thinking.....I believe it must have happened when the coil got next to a pole. I think it would have shocked my arm or hand if I had touched it. I was just trying to figure out how a yellow jacket could get inside my headphones.....Hey is that why they call 'em Killer B's ?

 

[Tony (NC)]

I'll say this though....I may be the next spokesmodel for Depends if that keeps happening! Coulda melted my brain!

 

[Jackpine Savage]

<center>[attachment 24025 Young_Frank1.jpg]

 

[Bill Ladd]

Tony plugging in his cieling fan....
[attachment 24026 shockGIF.gif]

Hey, at least you got out....Don't expect many great finds posts for me anytime soon...I've been a little "busy" lately

Anyone wanna host??

 

[Tony (NC)]

That I am a retired electrician too? Just about burnt the house down trying to put a light kit on a ceiling fan! That electricity is MEAN! You can't see it coming!

 

[Mark in NC]

vinyl raincoats? I'm talking about the thin ones you can roll up.

 

[Gatehider]

Safety 1st!

flying kites - Don't! regardless of the the weather!

Power tools - return them!

light bulb replacement - let your wife do it!

Mountain climbing and biking - Make sure you do it in the desert!

Golfing - same as above!

Good Luck !!!!

GH

 

[Tony (NC)]

No....no raincoat. It was beautiful here yesterday. The story about fishing in the rain was back in the mid 90's. How you been Mark? Anything good coming out of the ground down your way?

 

[Tony (NC)]

You left one out.....

NEVER eat at Checkers in Fredericksburg on the way to a relic hunt!

 

[Bill Ladd]

maybe they meant to spit on the Yankee's burger you U gut the one meant for me?

You forgot this one too.....
Never put your shovel down while your night hunting in Spotsylvaina if you expect to find it again
(otherwise you end up at the DIV with a Martha Stewart shovel like me)

 

[Bavaria Mike]

n/t

 

[Mark in NC]

the first case of spontaneous electrocution i've heard of If u could just bottle that stuff you're generatin', you would never have to buy batteries for the ol' Coinstrike again.

I've been doing fine... not getting out to hunt much except park piratin' as you say. I hope to get to hunt some old spots again soon...

HEH (happy electrical hunting)

Mark in NC

 

[mtdoramike]

But I'm not liking the sound of it. I would have the Headphones checked out. May have gooten water in them or something.