On a sunny day (Wed, 27 Apr 2005 21:48:01 +0100) it happened "Mary Fisher"
wrote in
:


"Lars" wrote in message
...

Today I touched the outside of the lampshade and got a sort of vey
mild tingle feeling which felt "odd". When I used a mains tester
screwdriver on the exposed metal (at the joint of the lampshade
and support arm) then it glowed as if the metal of the Anglepoise
lamp was live.


We have an Art Deco brass lamp which I can feel 'tingling'or 'trembling'
when I touch the base or the stem. The wiring has been checked and renewed
several times and it still happens - and Spouse is absolutely thorough about
doing a good job mainly to prove me wrong because he can't feel it. I can
still feel it.

I could also, once upon a time, feel the same thing from a metal electric
kettle and nobody else could. The kettle was taken away by the first child
to go to university. Over the years we lost all our electric kettles like
that which is why we're left with an ancient copper one on the gas hob, it
used to be used by Spouse's grandmother on their coal fire. But that's a
different story.

It's not a shock and it can only be felt with the lightest possible touch -
but it's very definitely there and can only be sensed when the lamp is
plugged in and the outlet switch is on. The lamp itself doesn't have to be
lit.

I've never suffered and I doubt that the OT will either. If he were going to
he would have done by now.

Mary
It is a common case, and possibly capacitive coupling between the hot wire
and the metal frame (if no isolation problem).
The responsible things to do is use a 3 lead mains cable and plug, and connect
the ground to the metal frame.
Problem solved.
ANY other configuration will leave the possiblity of a short between a live
wire and the frame, causing the metal to become live.
When ground is connected a short will blow the fuse.