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Subject Author Date
Electrical PVR 06-19-2006
---> Re: Electrical Joshua Putnam06-20-2006
`--> Re: Electrical hallerb@aol.com06-20-2006
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Posted by hallerb@aol.com on June 20, 2006, 3:19 pm
no the screwdriver short is the last test to make certain its dead.

every now and then you find a surprise, better the screwdriver than me!

lways turn breakers off, just occasionally you cant be certain you have
the right one


Posted by Jeff on June 19, 2006, 8:37 pm
That is why I always wear sneakers, leather gloves and safety glasses when
working in the breaker box. Worse case grounding a bus bar -- 100 A can
melt quite a bit of metal and spat it towards you.


> Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
> breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
> neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I did
> not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and neutral).
> All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to the neutral
> or earth with the pliers. No effect this time.
>
> So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
> disconnected at the breaker?
>
> I completed replacing the switch, switched on the breaker and everything
> works ok.
>
> Peter.
>



Posted by Joshua Putnam on June 20, 2006, 2:13 am
@nospam.adelphia.com says...
> Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
> breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
> neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I did
> not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and neutral).
> All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to the neutral or
> earth with the pliers. No effect this time.
>
> So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
> disconnected at the breaker?

What all is on the circuit? Anything that would include a large
capacitor?

--
josh@phred.org is Joshua Putnam
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
Updated Bicycle Touring Books List:
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/tourbooks.html>

Posted by PVR on June 20, 2006, 8:51 am
Many answers, for which I'm grateful. None of them applied except possibly
yours. On that 15 amp circuit there are a number of 4ft (80 watt)
fluorescents but collectively well below the 15 amp maximum. All these
lights were ON when I tripped the breaker. Could several starter circuits
store up some energy?

Many thanks for your suggestion.

Peter.

> @nospam.adelphia.com says...
>> Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
>> breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
>> neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I
>> did
>> not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and neutral).
>> All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to the neutral
>> or
>> earth with the pliers. No effect this time.
>>
>> So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
>> disconnected at the breaker?
>
> What all is on the circuit? Anything that would include a large
> capacitor?
>
> --
> josh@phred.org is Joshua Putnam
> <http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
> Updated Bicycle Touring Books List:
> <http://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/tourbooks.html>



Posted by RayV on June 20, 2006, 8:20 am

PVR wrote:
> Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
> breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
> neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I did
> not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and neutral).
> All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to the neutral or
> earth with the pliers. No effect this time.
>
> So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
> disconnected at the breaker?
>
> I completed replacing the switch, switched on the breaker and everything
> works ok.
>
> Peter.

Did any other breakers trip when you got the sparks?

Was there voltage across the neutral and ground?

Could be part of an Edison cicuit.
http://www.phy.ornl.gov/divops/ESH/98-2.html


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