As a point of interest for those people with a pacemaker or a cardioverter (pacemaker / defibrillator) I thought I'd post my latest experience.
I have had a cardioverter for the past 4 years, and the electrophysiologist said that I should not weld using a stick welder as the arc was too big and would generate too much EMI / RFI- and that would interfere with the operation of the cardioverter. On his advice, I've never stick welded.
He said I might be able to MIG weld, but I would have to try it and should never drape the leads over my shoulders as the wire does broadcast EMI/RFI and being that close to the cardioverter would cause interfernce. I have never welded with the leads over my shoulders, so that wasn't really a concern for me. As a test, I tried MIG welding about two years ago with an 80 Amp setting - that didn't go well, as I could feel the irregular heart beats when the arc was on. So, I have given up on MIG welding.
I have tried TIG welding and that seems to go just fine as the arc is so small ....until this week.
I had TIG welded a small flat spring onto a hook that fastens a shoulder strap to my Stihl Kombi system power head. I am right handed, so the torch was always in my right hand when it was active.
I needed to bleed the gas out of the welder, so I closed the valve on the bottle, and proceeded to bleed the gas. For whatever reason, I decided to hold the torch in my left hand and stepped on the foot pedal to start the gas flow - which also starts the high frequency arc starter current.
I pushed down on the pedal and the room faded to black in about 5 seconds - it literally stopped the cardioverter, and apparently, my heart. I was standing up while I did this and stumbled off the foot pedal, which stopped the arc, and the room came back to daylight over a period of about 15 seconds.
Note to self: do not hold the TIG torch in your left hand and activate the machine.
So, for those people with pacemakers or cardioverters who may contemplate attempting to weld - my recommendation is to NOT hold any welding electrode in your left hand.
I have had a cardioverter for the past 4 years, and the electrophysiologist said that I should not weld using a stick welder as the arc was too big and would generate too much EMI / RFI- and that would interfere with the operation of the cardioverter. On his advice, I've never stick welded.
He said I might be able to MIG weld, but I would have to try it and should never drape the leads over my shoulders as the wire does broadcast EMI/RFI and being that close to the cardioverter would cause interfernce. I have never welded with the leads over my shoulders, so that wasn't really a concern for me. As a test, I tried MIG welding about two years ago with an 80 Amp setting - that didn't go well, as I could feel the irregular heart beats when the arc was on. So, I have given up on MIG welding.
I have tried TIG welding and that seems to go just fine as the arc is so small ....until this week.
I had TIG welded a small flat spring onto a hook that fastens a shoulder strap to my Stihl Kombi system power head. I am right handed, so the torch was always in my right hand when it was active.
I needed to bleed the gas out of the welder, so I closed the valve on the bottle, and proceeded to bleed the gas. For whatever reason, I decided to hold the torch in my left hand and stepped on the foot pedal to start the gas flow - which also starts the high frequency arc starter current.
I pushed down on the pedal and the room faded to black in about 5 seconds - it literally stopped the cardioverter, and apparently, my heart. I was standing up while I did this and stumbled off the foot pedal, which stopped the arc, and the room came back to daylight over a period of about 15 seconds.
Note to self: do not hold the TIG torch in your left hand and activate the machine.
So, for those people with pacemakers or cardioverters who may contemplate attempting to weld - my recommendation is to NOT hold any welding electrode in your left hand.
