It's not the volts, it's the amps that kill.
Myth.
<sigh> No, that's a fact. How else do you explain Tesla Coils? People touch "live" Tesla Coils and don't drop dead instantly. That's because a Tesla Coil generates high voltage, low current electricity.
Please watch this. It explains exactly why it's not true.
In general,this video "tells it like it is".
It's a bit unfortunate,though, that they show a CRT EHT connector with
"Finger under here-dead!",as these supplies are most unlikely to cause a fatal injury.
EHT supplies of this kind are fairly well able to supply enough current for their normal load,but the application of an excessively low resistance load across them (like a person),causes their output to drop radically,so that the initial current is quite high,rapidly falling to a very much lower level.--In other words ,their REGULATION is quite poor.(Just another way of looking at high internal resistance).
You will find it extremely painful,you may have a heart attack,& if everything goes just right(or wrong
![Grin ;D](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xgrin.gif.pagespeed.ic.QVVz6XIT20.png)
),it
may give you a fatal shock!
I reiterate,however,it is very unlikely!
Another thing that freaks out a lot of people is that CRTs maintain a charge after the supply is off,& the EHT lead is removed.
Again,this residual charge is not dangerous,unless it makes you drop the CRT on your big toe !
(By the way,many computer people have the habit of calling the whole monitor a CRT,& produce a lot of crud about them,such as
"Your CRT has umpteen pounds of lead in it!"
Anything about CRT monitors from computer sites should be treated with a very large "pinch of salt"!)Back to our point:
If you were to start piddling around inside a 2KV DC supply in a radio transmitter,say,it's another story.
Lower voltage,much better regulation (lower internal resistance),designed to supply Amps of current!
You may
well be "sent to your reward",but no doubt will be gratified to know that the fatal current followed "Ohm's Law"!
About the insulating tape----it is
INSULATING tape,& that is exactly what it does!
Many years ago,at work we tested two layers of PVC tape,up to about 12-13kV,so it is pretty good!
Its main problem is that it is really only very good for wrapping around things where it can cover the whole of the conductive surface,with no gaps.
Wrapped around a large power socket,it is quite difficult to obtain a really satisfactory wrap,so there may be gaps you could touch the "biteys" through!