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So I want to build a little "setup" with a led strip, using an arduino and a seperate psu to power the led strip. The psu outputs 12v 5A dc. Before I start connecting anything and might hurt myself, is the output of the psu deadly? I want to connect the the psu to the led strip through one of these: http://www.gearbest.com/diy-parts-components/pp_530107.html?. Any help would be highly appreciated. (Not very known with electricity)

Anonymus
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12V won't kill you, unless you hook it to a sword and stab yourself with the sword.

As Oli Glaser answered on this question. 20V can kill you, but then you have to be very unlucky and unaware of your surroundings.

And as GreatScott has shown in one of his videos, he can handle around 60VDC and 20VAC. That's when he pushes his hands flat onto conducting plates => he tries to minimize the resistance.

But again, 12V will be safe. unless...

Also, you can lick the contacts of the 12V supply, it will sting a lot but you will survive, and possibly evolve into some lightning mutant from X-men. You'll be the next spiderman.

Harry Svensson
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You can think of some rough figures and and calculate the power delivered to your body for eg. Under dry conditions, the resistance offered by the human body may be as high as 100,000 Ohms. Wet or broken skin may drop the body's resistance to 1,000 Ohms, as you can see where this sequence is going deep open wounds(as said by Harry above) can be more dangerous, so in conclusion you will be safe for 12v.

Biological FSM
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  • As an (ex) vehicle electrician I could test if wires in cars were live just by touch... quite handy saved lots of time getting a test lamp but was not always reliable.... – Solar Mike Aug 04 '17 at 08:56
  • i see you like the "buzz" feeling in your body ;D haha. – Biological FSM Aug 04 '17 at 09:00
  • I didn't expect it, but from years of handling the wires I became sensitive to the feeling... – Solar Mike Aug 04 '17 at 09:04
  • I did read somewhere that 0.2v directly across the heart at the "right"(well wrong...) point in the rhythm can kill you... – Solar Mike Aug 04 '17 at 09:13
  • yes, i remember once i asked my mom(she is a doctor) about this and she told me something about slight disturbance in the rhythms can result in "ventricular fibrillation". – Biological FSM Aug 04 '17 at 09:24
  • And it's the bad or good timing that means people can survive high voltage shocks sometimes.... – Solar Mike Aug 04 '17 at 09:25