Safety Rules - RF Burn Lower Limit

I've been burned by 3.5 MHz (80 meter dipole / 800W). Power level and SWR are also important to consider.

Yeah - I think 3MHz was what burned me - it was a single stage class A tube amp, and I touched the plate terminal.

I'm not concerned about burns from antennas - we don't have any. But we do poke around in the innards of some high power (500w) switching power supplies that operate in the 100's of KHz.

This should provide a plethora of information... Good luck.

http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/rf-faqs.html

It should perhaps - but it doesn't. I'm not interested in radiation effects, but rather the burn you get when you touch an RF circuit. I guess my question wasn't clear enough.

Thanks anyway.

I've been burnt by a 100 kHz/80V signal...

I have used your second quote as the search for this as the first quote, it the OP just got back RF through the air type burns and shocks.

This first site deal specifically with RF power and transceivers.If it is anywhere near the mark please let me know one way or the other OK?

http://www.qsl.net/k3pd/chap14.pdf

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This is the googled search I did and the returns I got which I think are what you want.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=30&hl=en&rlz=1T4GGLJ_enGB294GB294&q=burn+you+get+when+you+touch+an+RF+circuit.+&btnG=Search&meta=

Good luck and please let me know if these are what you want.

A far as I am aware there is no "safe" lower frequency limit for RF burns.

If you are concerned about contact rather than radiation initiated burns, then its important to recognise that the burn is a reaction to the current flowing through that part or parts of the skin which has been introduced into the "live" circuit under examination.

Though burns can occur also when coming in contact with components operating at elevated temperatures around and above 50Deg C.

Ionising radiation is the culprit for causing RF burns, and there are numerous documents to be found under (Australian) OH&S regulatory documents regarding this.

Being an old radio techie I'll give you this advice which I give to all my apprentices.

Always keep one hand in your pocket whilst working on "live" equipment. It'll keep you from lighting up your back teeth if you do come in contact with something "hot"...

I learnt that from working on (steam powered) valve two way base radio stations as a boy apprentice. That of course was a time when people died on the job and were proud of it!

Hope that helps

Cheers

Pez