left hand safer!!!

[maxrom]

Always cut off or open on power by left hand
Yesterday had a little issue with equipment
Aproche myself by lthe right side of the power box and reach handle with left hand
As i was at half inch of the handle to cut power off
Big bang, cover open by explosion and energy ball (arc flash) of 30`` diameter went out.
If i was`nt gone safety way, i would have burn my right for-arm

Just a shareunk:

 

[tothemax93]

Wow maxrom Glad your OK.

 

[DMAN999]

WOW, Glad you're OK.

 

[blaxmax]

Jesus, glad your ok and thank for that info. I have 50 solar panels and they backload energy. You flip ALL the breakers and they can still hold enough power to set you on your behind if not take you out!!!

 

[marsmax85]

I've had similar experience always to the side I don't care size of amperage .. Glad you ok also !!

 

[Miles Long]

Une seule chose pire que d'oublier de mettre votre béquille latérale :bang head:..... oublier d'éteindre un cicuit avant de travailler dessus .
Ne me demandez pas comment je le sais !

Bonjour!

 

[Traumahawk]

Glad that your ok. Definitely something to remember.

 

[jfeagins]

Glad the arc didn't get you maxron. Are you an electrician? Any idea of what may have caused this cut-off switch to blow up like that?

 

[blaxmax]

Une seule chose pire que d'oublier de mettre votre béquille latérale :bang head:..... oublier d'éteindre un cicuit avant de travailler dessus .
Ne me demandez pas comment je le sais !

Bonjour!

Canooks!!!!!!:bang head:

Only one thing worse than forgetting to put your side stand ..... forget to turn off a cicuit before working on it . Do not ask me how I know !

 

[Fire-medic]

So I am a bit mystified by what happened. The box was energized.

You reached to throw the knife switch off, out of continuity.

As your hand was about to touch the cut-off lever, the box exploded.

A fireball 2-1/2' in diameter came out of the box from the arc fault.

You narrowly avoided a serious burn.

Is this correct?

If you were to the right side of the box and reaching for the knife switch w/your left hand, wouldn't that have put you into direct position to be burned by the arc fault energy?

I read Miles' comment about working on energized electrical equipment.

Did you have a big static charge built-up on you, that somehow jumped to the box?

 

[maxrom]

Une seule chose pire que d'oublier de mettre votre béquille latérale :bang head:..... oublier d'éteindre un cicuit avant de travailler dessus .
Ne me demandez pas comment je le sais !

Bonjour!

Wow, you have French Friend in New Brunswick :clapping: Or maybe it`s you :eusa_dance:
And yes, check twice circuit power before anything
My Lovely Wife comme from Kedgwick, N.-B. where is ``Rivière Restigouche chalet`` wich is wounderfull site
Ciaow

 

[maxrom]

Glad the arc didn't get you maxron. Are you an electrician? Any idea of what may have caused this cut-off switch to blow up like that?

Millwright / maintenance supervisor at;

http://pmistructures.com/?lang=en

The on roof `air make up` motor burn one phase of its stator wich cause to weld the motor contactor contact and also perforated the plastic case. Just think this was only 30 amp wich is small circuit.

Wyle working for Alcoa (7 years) we where sensitize a lot on safety working pratices and the way to aproach a power box was verry severe.

Did not think to get old enought to live this experience:damn angry:

 

[maxrom]

So I am a bit mystified by what happened. The box was energized.

You reached to throw the knife switch off, out of continuity.

As your hand was about to touch the cut-off lever, the box exploded.

A fireball 2-1/2' in diameter came out of the box from the arc fault.

You narrowly avoided a serious burn.

Is this correct?

If you were to the right side of the box and reaching for the knife switch w/your left hand, wouldn't that have put you into direct position to be burned by the arc fault energy?

I read Miles' comment about working on energized electrical equipment.

Did you have a big static charge built-up on you, that somehow jumped to the box?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

No static involved, only bad timing, smoke had start to come out of power box; so had to shut to power off.

All boxes open from its right side, the cut off handle is also at its far right,

so, when you have to shut it off or put it back on, we always use left hand palm freeing fingers from an expeted exploded opening door.

Also, you should look at oposite side of power box and put your right hand on your face left side and ears, protecting from arc.
It`s done mecanicaly, so when you look at experienced worker doing it; you maybe not remark all those moves.

Shut off power or put it back on by using right arm wich need you to put that fore arm in front of power box is verry dangerous; burning your arm and maybe get the power box cover in your face.

In my case, 600volt 30amp box was connected to a truf wich is protec by a 200 amp braker in electric room. I tell you, that 200 amp braker jumped off.

It`s not verry rare, but not an often issue,
first time in my working life wich is neerer to the end then the begening:biglaugh:

 

[maxrom]

Here`s one
100 amp by the right hand and in front of power box


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA-w0QAaxRU&feature=youtu.be

 

[sdt354]

Max,I'm glad you didn't get cooked. I'm a lefty by birth, so I'd most likely do it that way. I'd be interested in what really happened. I've had 440 3 phase do crazy stuff to me. Verified shut off was how I tried to work, but not always possible. I think there was a surge & arch at the wrong time. Angels were there with you.
Steve-o

 

[[email protected]]

When the switch is big enough to stand in, it doesn't really matter what hand you use :biglaugh:

I was involved in a 2000A, 480V arc flash.
It was scary.
I was lucky!

 

[jfeagins]

The video sure puts things into better perspective! Glad you were following safety protocols and were not injured Maxrom.

 

[Fire-medic]

Yes, the bottom line is, "Vivant un autre jour!"

I have an acquaintance who lost part of his hand in an arc fault, not really sure if it was his fault or not. I'm sure he would gladly give-back the $$$$ he got to be whole once-again.

So it was a piece of air handling equipment which had failed, and short-circuited? The air make-up supply? I wonder why the circuit didn't trip? You would think that as-soon as it overloaded from the failed phase, the fuse would have opened. I guess you were right there, trying to de-energize the equipment, when it arced.

 

[leecifer]

I'm happy you are ok. That would be very scary. I'm an industrial maintenance electrician and the place I work is very big on arc falt/flash safety. We generally don't do any kind of energized work anymore. If we do then there is alot of paper work and you have to wear the proper safety suit with gloves and face sheild. I personally think that some of it is a bit over kill but I guess with electricity it is better to error on the side of caution. Turning off/on disconnects is not considered hot work so we don't have to wear protective gear to do this. There are a lot of machine operators that turn off disconnects for lock out when setting up the machine for new products. Kind of scary.