Truck + 7200V goes all wrong

[rarefish383]

In one of our classes an instrutor took a roll of dry cotton kite string, the stuff that comes with every cheap kite. He tied a lead fishing sinker to one end and wrapped the other end around a light bulb. He then threw the weight over an energized line and instantly the bulb flashed and the line turned to ashes. Don't remember details like how much voltage. His point was don't think because it's in the middle of the dry season and your rope hasn't seen any water in months that your safe, your not. The higher the voltage the more incredible things it can do, Joe.

 

[RVALUE]

My possibly flawed memory tells me that 7200 vac can jump 7 feet in the right conditions.
And in a completely wrong situation the lower usually grounded wire could have been energized. Especially if the fellow had thrown two cables, etc.

 

[ropensaddle]

My possibly flawed memory tells me that 7200 vac can jump 7 feet in the right conditions.
And in a completely wrong situation the lower usually grounded wire could have been energized. Especially if the fellow had thrown two cables, etc.

If it could I would have been dead years ago lol. I believe my memory for Qualified line clearance personal minimum approach on voltage to 15kva was 2.1 phase to ground or 2.2 phase to phase at sea level. Minimum approach for non-qualified workers is 10 foot voltages to 50 kva.

 

[ropensaddle]

the lower usually grounded wire could have been energized. Especially if the fellow had thrown two cables, etc.

Locations for neutral change per construction method and sometimes goal. Some construction for transmission run ungrounded with static wire overhead in which case all conductors are energized except the static wire on top. Any wire on the pole including phone cable has the potential to carry the same voltage as the highest rated conductor on the pole. Some construction calls for storm guard which seems similar to the set-up pictured.

 

[RVALUE]

Locations for neutral change per construction method and sometimes goal. Some construction for transmission run ungrounded with static wire overhead in which case all conductors are energized except the static wire on top. Any wire on the pole including phone cable has the potential to carry the same voltage as the highest rated conductor on the pole. Some construction calls for storm guard which seems similar to the set-up pictured.

Much better put than I did. Coming from a true, trained professional.