Re: Electrical warning ?

[Brett Dikeman <brett@pdikeman.ne.mediaone.net>]

> <snip>
> Anyone
> know for sure if the "spark box" can be damaged if the output is lifted but
> not grounded?
> <snip>
> 
> Done it many many times when testing for spark, etc. No ill effects observed (nice spark though :). YMMV. I *always* make sure that the ultimate path to ground is really directly to ground and not via any wiring or other sensor, etc. I suggest the use o
f caution and that not-so-common commodity - common sense.
Common sense comes(and lacks) in many forms.
I once helped a friend jump start his car.  He knows nothing about cars,
and when I was looking around his engine compartment, looking for a ground
point, he pointed to one spot and said "there.  That looks nice and
clean, hook it up to that."

I patiently explained that the bar he had just pointed to was the feed for
the fuel injectors, and that it would be highly unlikely that we
would be able to start the car if it exploded first.  That was about the
time that he decided things were ok and sat in the car :)

Falls under the category of "people who REALLY don't belong under the hood
of their car"

Brett