studio light that's my first project and I don't want to kill myself

[Mechatrommer]

My worst experience was as a musician in a recording studio that had just been rewired...

your experience was not during tinkering project, but just a result of bad wiring practice made by others, you are the victim of their stupidity. during project making, one suppose to have higher level of alert and carefulness compared to when using electrical appliances that we thought is safe. my bro wrapped power cord of soldering iron around his wrist and the rubber shield got torn at some part in the cord. so while soldering, the exposed copper contacted his skin and the unit got thrown few meters away, luckily the cord didnt stuck on his wrist otherwise we know what happen. this is an example of bad product safety and ignorance and stupid practice (wrap mains cord around wrist/body). if the cord got no torn or strong shield, this will not be happening. death report i've heard only involving accidental situation like this, but i never heard people dead because just testing the "home" mains by touching it with finger.

[Zero999]

At high frequencies, skin effect begins to play a role and the danger of fibrillation decreases.

That's not true, the skin effect has no role in protecting one from electrocution. The skin depth of human flesh at say 200kHz is very deep as it's a poor conductor and is non-magnetic, the same is true even at GHz frequencies, otherwise microwaves wouldn't penetrate the surface of meat to cook it below the surface.

The protection against shock comes from the fact that the nervous system doesn't respond to frequencies higher than around 20kHz.

RF is more likely to cause life threatening burns than to electrocute you.

An arc could also connect you to dangerous a lower voltage, DC/lower frequency energy source which is common in a Tesla coil.

[Kiriakos-GR]

It's normally recommended not to use mains voltages in the first projects you do. It is much safer to stick with battery power.

... no its perfectly safe working with home mains. a good first lesson is to touch a life wire. that was me when i was like 7-9 years old.

I fuckin' give up.

No no, do not do it ...   
Be brave .

I have read and more stupid things than that.
Some one was interested to measure the amperes in the output of one transformer operating at 8KV.
I had to tell him that he can do that from the input of 220V.

Now I feel like to was a lifeguard of Baywatch  (TV series)   I save him..  LOL 

[IanB]

Some one was interested to measure the amperes in the output of one transformer operating at 8KV.
I had to tell him that he can do that from the input of 220V.

Which reminds me of one of the classic mistakes you can make when working on a step down transformer, for example one which steps down from 11 kV to 240 V. You isolate the 11 kV primary side to make the transformer safe and go to work. Only to be surprised when the transformer is still energized at 11 kV and kills you. (Because another circuit may energize the low voltage side and turn it into a step-up transformer. Always isolate all windings on a transformer before thinking it safe.)

[Kiriakos-GR]

Well we starting to have a real problem with all those high voltage Tesla coils.
Many young ones loves the sparks.
And they fantasize about making an such device.
And so they jump in forums asking questions like:

What it will happen if I try to measure 8KV with my DMM ?

Answer:  You will be Toast , you need a special HV probe 15KV or 40KV. 

I do not like to spent that money for the probe,  its just an experiment not a job.

Answer: There is no answer ...

Few months back we had a fever about blown DMM,  thanks God  as community we get over it.
Today the new exciting idea are the Tesla coils,  more sparks and more silly questions. 

[Mechatrommer]

Today the new exciting idea are the Tesla coils,  more sparks and more silly questions. 

whose fault? if i have to find someone to blame, nobody else other than Mr Tesla (or simon the photoinductionist) or even mikeelectronicstuff! he got that cool jacob ladder in his Fluke LVD2 review. and there's one section overlay with text "DONT DO THIS" with his HV variac, the funny thing is he just did that! sorry mike, i didnt mean to, but its just slipped away.

[jahonen]

Few months back we had a fever about blown DMM,  thanks God  as community we get over it.
Today the new exciting idea are the Tesla coils,  more sparks and more silly questions. 

Do you mean something like this:



Regards,
Janne

[Kiriakos-GR]

Few months back we had a fever about blown DMM,  thanks God  as community we get over it.
Today the new exciting idea are the Tesla coils,  more sparks and more silly questions. 

Do you mean something like this:

Regards,
Janne

What the F*** is this ?  LOL 
The most wild thing that I had ever did , was to touch the anode with a single finger of one tube that was transmitting in FM band with 40W of power,
and  310 DC on the anode, coming from 220 AC directly from the mains = Plus active phase . 

[alm]

What it will happen if I try to measure 8KV with my DMM ?

Answer:  You will be Toast , you need a special HV probe 15KV or 40KV.

If you got a good DMM and probes, you'll likely survive. A CAT III 1000V or CAT IV 600V rated meter is designed to stay safe under 8kV transients. Granted, this is a peak value, and not continuous, but the chances of the meter not blowing up are fairly good. Doesn't mean that it's a good idea at all of course. For low energy circuits (eg. CRT), a cheap HV probe like you suggest is sufficient. Otherwise, you need more specialized and expensive tools.

I do not like to spent that money for the probe,  its just an experiment not a job.

Answer: There is no answer ...

If you can't do something safely, don't do it at all.