Welding 101 Practice Test

Shocks from welding equipment come from two separate parts of the power system, each with its own voltage range and path through the body. The primary side is the mains supply, which is high voltage—typically about 230 to 460 volts. If you place a hand on a live hot part inside the machine while also touching the welded case or any grounded metal, current can flow through you from that high-voltage point to ground, giving you a shock. The secondary side provides the welding output and operates at a much lower voltage, usually around 20 to 100 volts. A shock here happens when you touch the bare electrode cable while also touching the workpiece, because your body completes a circuit between the electrode and the grounded work, with current limited by the secondary output.

This matches the described scenario: high-voltage primary shock from inside-the-machine contact with grounded metal, and low-voltage secondary shock from the arc-related circuit between the electrode and the work. The other ideas misstate the voltage ranges or ignore the two distinct circuits, which is why this description is the correct one. Always treat both as hazardous and follow proper safety practices.