Trying to figure out why I was electrocuted

[magnoliafan89]

Yeah, but even an electric shock can be deadly innit...

If you get what the OP says thats called a shock.
Electrocuted means you get a shock and die.
Getting shocked and surviving is different and is not Electrocuted

 

[telectrix]

i think a better terminology would be "ElectroTerminated". "Fried" may be non-PC.

 

[Vortigern]

From what you describe logically there can be two sources of shock. One is from the lightning, the other is from faulty equipment. If it was lightning then maybe get someone around to look into a system that will protect you and the cost. In any event, I don't know if you do public events?, but if you do then currently there is a growing requirement to have you equipment PAT tested to appear on stage. I suggest you get your equipment PAT tested in any event to rule out faulty equipment. I have heard of many occasions of shock with musical instruments due to faulty equipment. I have heard of while holding the guitar and touching the mic. has caused shock. So it can occur between equipment such as a wah-wah and your guitar.

 

[JayEm96]

Wow, lots of replies! Thank you to everybody who replied. There is to many to quote individually so I'll just answer a few things.

The room is concrete but I have area carpets all over the room. But the spot I was sitting is right on the edge of carpet and concrete. Quite literally, my feet are half on and half off of the carpet.The power line is an overhead line. No breakers tripped.

I have inspected the surge protector and it appears to be fine, mind you I haven't opened it and looked inside but I did replace it with a new surge protector anyways. The wall outlet also looks fine. Both my guitar and amp are fine as well along with everything plugged into that outlet. And yes, poor wording on my part. I was definitely shocked and not electrocuted lol.


I have no idea where the lightning may have hit but I do know it was striking directly above my house or pretty close to it. The loud sound of thunder was basically instantaneous as my guitar left my hands and landed upside down on my table and glancing towards the window it was extremely bright every time it would flash. I just wish I heard it sooner lol.

I do plan to have an electrician come out here as soon as possible and give everything a look over and find a solution so hopefully that doesn't happen again.

 

[James]

As you say the bang and the flash were both at the same time, that would put the lightning strike at less than 200m away.
Any further than that and your mind will note the delay between the flash (first) and the bang, (later)

At that sort of distance, it is possible to get a shock (electric) from many paths, including
Ground (actual terra firma)
electrical supplies , overhead and underground
Telephone cables , overhead and underground
Pipework, both gas and water

It is also possible to have a perception of an electric shock due to the instant bang and flash nearby and the minds ability to create a split second reason about what the hazard is when the body is instantly pumped full of adrenaline.
One of the few things that even as a newborn baby the human mind is programmed with, is a reaction to a sudden loud noise.

 

[pc1966]

The reason for asking about the floor is concrete is often slightly conductive and quite dependent on moisture/humidity levels - not as conductive as a metal obviously - but enough that if you have a few hundred volts in one hand and a foot on it you won't be a happy bunny.

Nearby lightning strikes will produce very large voltage gradients across the Earth's surface and differences between something like the ground/earth conductors of your house and the underlying soil.

 

[static zap]

I going with guitar is properly grounded ,and some current flowed through you from the building that a voltage was induced in .
Any aching / sprained muscles afterwards ?
(Or conact burns on fingers )
(Less people die from landline phones now most have mobiles.-USA)

 

[TJ Anderson]

Must have been playing this!

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[JayEm96]

The lightning was most definitely close by. Even after I got the shock, the proceeding strikes were followed pretty much instantaneously by thunder. It was quite the storm, there was a lot of lightning going on.

And that is good to know about the concrete floor! I've been meaning to order some more area carpet to finish covering the rest of the concrete so I suppose now is as good a time as any lol.

And yes my guitar is definitely properly grounded. I had no contact burns but my fingers and fretting hand were pretty stiff feeling after. It was my fretting hand that really felt the jolt as I was in contact with the strings when it happened.

That high voltage picture is great. I actually said to a friend of mine the next day that "I was quite literally thunderstruck last night" lol! Thank you again everybody for all the input.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

...if you do then currently there is a growing requirement to have you equipment PAT tested to appear on stage. I suggest you get your equipment PAT tested in any event to rule out faulty equipment.

The OP is in Canada, where, AFAIK and please correct me if wrong, PAT (or ISITEE as we should really be calling it) is not routinely carried out on ordinary appliances other than in the maintenance shop after repair. It seems funny after 31 years of it being part of daily life here, but most of the world doesn't do it at all.