New York, NY – The city is working to take the amps out of its lamps.
All 160,000 city lampposts will be coated with a special nonconductive paint that should minimize the risk of stray voltage injuring or killing people and pets.
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In 2004, stray voltage from one of Con Edison's metal plates killed Jodie Lane, a 30-year old student, and similar incidents have since taken the lives of several dogs.
The nonconductive paint provides 20 volts of resistance, which, along with new grounding straps, should prevent future deadly incidents. [nypost]
Correction to my post of 8:59PM
less than 5ma. Because 5ma. 
120 Volts could be fatal.
The sensitivity (electromagnet) [of the GFCI] is set to trip
thekvetcher 10:44AM Did you ever look at the kishkes (guts) of a lamppost. There are scores of wires
running through it. The insulation on any one wire can disintegrate and make contact with the frame of the lamppost. That’s how we get stray voltage. But ensuring that the frame is grounded would prevent that.
Anon. 12:01 PM Aditionally, he (your stepgranddad) was lucky that the tort (litigation) system wasn’t as developed as it is today.
OK, now we’ll start a pilpul in the sugiya of electricity; So let me put in my 2 cents. The reason that the sensitivity of the GFCI (Ground fault circuit interruptor) is set
5ma. (milliamps) is because above that, under certain conditions (wet ground) 120 volts could be fatal. That’s why the NEC requires GFI protection in wet locations. Also wondering, if the AHJ is so makpid on electrical systems being grounded, why is it not required that each lamppost be “Bonded”?!
9:55,
That was the point of my comment. Cutting the voltage when the amperage will still arc to you or to ground does not solve the problem.
The shock from a regular 110 line is not actually painful. It’s something we don’t expect and are un comfortable with. I often lick my finger and stick it in the light socket when a customer tells me his fixture doesn’t work. It’s easier than the taking out my meter and unwrapping the leads just to tell the guy his bulb is bad not his fixture. (This usually occurs when a brand new defective bulb is put in the socket.) My comment at 8:41 was 40-60,000 VOLTS. My step grandfather told me he used to wire a model T ignition coil (wooden boox packed in tar) to a door knob as a prank. As it happens I came across a model T Coil. The T was 6 volt, I wired it with a 12 Volt battery and it arcs a nice blue spark 6 inches to ground. My stepgranddad was one sick puppy, he’s lucky he didn’t kill somebody.
there shouldnt be any stray voltage to begin with
shocker said…
And that hurts too. Dont kid yourself . Been there done that. Ever gotten a 70 volt telephone line shock? I have. its far from the way u are describing it.
Besides, people whith heart conditions and animals can withstand much less then a regular healthy person.
December 24, 2007 9:43 AM
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your insane comment does not surprise me. Sounds to me like you got just 1 tooo many of those 60,000 VOLT (NOT AMP) shocks. Not to be confused with amp shocks.
8:41’s comment is as silly as saying that the bullets kill you, not the gun.
There’s no shortage of amperage in the lamposts.
And that hurts too. Dont kid yourself . Been there done that. Ever gotten a 70 volt telephone line shock? I have. its far from the way u are describing it.
Besides, people whith heart conditions and animals can withstand much less then a regular healthy person.
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It’s the amperage that kills you not the volts. Auto mechanics get zapped by 40,000-60,000 spark plug wires all the time.