Switch locked out...still shocked. - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

RIVETER · 11-06-2009, 12:09 AM

I know that this is an unusual post/thread. But has anyone been shocked, even with the disconnect turned off and locked out?

EDM · 11-06-2009, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIVETER

I know that this is an unusual post/thread. But has anyone been shocked, even with the disconnect turned off and locked out?

Of course, anything from capacitors to bastard splices down the line.

What does this have to do with union topics?

nolabama · 11-06-2009, 12:12 AM

No I have not, and the only situation I can see where this would happen is if the circuit was feed from two directions. Highly unlikely.

nolabama · 11-06-2009, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDM

Of course, anything from capacitors to bastard splices down the line.

What does this have to do with union topics?

I stand corrected - did not consider capacitors.

480sparky · 11-06-2009, 12:15 AM

Not when the circuit was off and locked, but power to the building turned off:

Large wires are the mains coming in. Go figure.

Probably some rat wired it.

cdnelectrician · 11-06-2009, 12:15 AM

Wouldn't you test the circuit in question even if the switch is locked out before putting your hands anywhere near it?

cdnelectrician · 11-06-2009, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 480sparky

Not when the circuit was off and locked, but power to the building turned off:

Large wires are the mains coming in. Go figure.

How did this happen????

RIVETER · 11-06-2009, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDM

Of course, anything from capacitors to bastard splices down the line.

What does this have to do with union topics?

I am really into the safety at our plant. Sharing experiences could possibly enlighten others as to the possibilities that seem impossible. That's all.

EDM · 11-06-2009, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIVETER

I am really into the safety at our plant. Sharing experiences could possibly enlighten others as to the possibilities that seem impossible. That's all.

All I am saying is that you should have put it in one of the electrical forums.

RIVETER · 11-06-2009, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDM

All I am saying is that you should have put it in one of the electrical forums.

Maybe you are right. Have you ever experienced a situation such as this?

nolabama · 11-06-2009, 12:25 AM

This is not in the safety forum?
480 - barring a rat wiring the house, how did this happen?

EDM · 11-06-2009, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIVETER

Maybe you are right. Have you ever experienced a situation such as this?

Such as what?

RIVETER · 11-06-2009, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nolabama

This is not in the safety forum?
480 - barring a rat wiring the house, how did this happen?

It seems simple enough to me now but when it occurred it seemed a bit strange.
I was working on an underground sump pump at a power house. It was a pit out in the open. The service drop was about 100 yards from the pit; rest of the way...underground. I turned the disconnect at the drop, off and locked it out. At the pit I was getting ready to verify that the supply was, indeed OFF.
Somehow my knuckle contacted the line side of the maint. disconnect and I felt a definite shock. I brought my simpson meter over to measure. On the line side of the maint. disconnect, I had something like 80 volts on the A phase...95volts...on the B phase, and 95volts on C phase.
I went over to the service drop and opened the disconnect that I had previously LOCKED OUT. It turned out to be a FUSED disconnect. Some water trickled out but what I noticed was the large amount of condensation all over the inside of the disconnect, including the fuses.
I measured the LOAD side of THAT disconnect and the voltages were the same as before...with it locked out.
The moisture had become a Path, of sorts with very low current carrying capabilities, but a good shock.

480sparky · 11-06-2009, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdnelectrician

How did this happen????

Quote:

Originally Posted by nolabama

This is not in the safety forum?
480 - barring a rat wiring the house, how did this happen?

It was in a duplex, and the meter was pulled for the one side I was replacing the panel in. I can only assume there was a circuit that was tied into both panels so both tenants paid their half for the house lighting.

I didn't want to bother finding out, so I just capped off the hot and left it in the new panel.

RIVETER · 11-06-2009, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdnelectrician

Wouldn't you test the circuit in question even if the switch is locked out before putting your hands anywhere near it?

Absolutely!

nolabama · 11-06-2009, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 480sparky

It was in a duplex, and the meter was pulled for the one side I was replacing the panel in. I can only assume there was a circuit that was tied into both panels so both tenants paid their half for the house lighting.

I didn't want to bother finding out, so I just capped off the hot and left it in the new panel.

Well, clearly no union man wired that duplex.
I once had a carpenter tell me the first thing he does when renting a new apartment is to turn all the breakers off and see if any outlets are still hot. If he found one he would run an extension cord to his fridge.

RIVETER · 11-06-2009, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nolabama

Well, clearly no union man wired that duplex.
I once had a carpenter tell me the first thing he does when renting a new apartment is to turn all the breakers off and see if any outlets are still hot. If he found one he would run an extension cord to his fridge.

He WOOD.

EDM · 11-06-2009, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nolabama

Well, clearly no union man wired that duplex.
I once had a carpenter tell me the first thing he does when renting a new apartment is to turn all the breakers off and see if any outlets are still hot. If he found one he would run an extension cord to his fridge.

I had a friend who did the EXACT same thing, only he ran a cord to his window air conditioner and blasted it at 65 degrees 24/7 for the whole first month he was there (it was August).

His bill was over $400 (it's usually around $100 for that time of year in his size place).

We found out that altho that receptacle wasn't fed from the panel in his unit, it was fed from a panel downstairs that was on his meter and covered some of the circuits in his unit.

cdnelectrician · 11-06-2009, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDM

I had a friend who did the EXACT same thing, only he ran a cord to his window air conditioner and blasted it at 65 degrees 24/7 for the whole first month he was there (it was August).

His bill was over $400 (it's usually around $100 for that time of year in his size place).

We found out that altho that receptacle wasn't fed from the panel in his unit, it was fed from a panel downstairs that was on his meter and covered some of the circuits in his unit.

Hahahaha oh sh!t

drsparky · 11-06-2009, 08:07 AM

I worked on a house that once belonged to a "wise guy", it had 20 two lamp flood lights with motion sensors covering the perimeter of the house. The new home owner wanted to remove them because they were ugly. I followed the conduit to the panel, shut off the breaker and they were still hot. I followed the conduit around the house and found the second panel. The security lights were fed from two panels both using breaker #1. I guess he was afraid of getting “whacked”.