Now I remember why I became an electrician

[Snattlerake]

I have watched sparkies from across the room using hydraulic? actuators to energize systems with full arc flash suits on. They opened the cabinets and were using a pump handle like on a jack to start closing a breaker. When it energized, it made a WHAM and a CRACK at the same time. They were satisfied it was working I guess because they slapped each other on the back and left.

Did I get this description of events right?

I was also at a few plants where if you stepped over a painted line in the electrical room you were ushered out and only came back after you watched the safety movie again and signing a write up.

The line was supposedly the safe distance from the wall of electrical panels and it was more than the normal 3 ft.

I never crossed that line.

 

[mtnboomr]

Electricity is one of the most powerful energies on Earth. When you're in a high-voltage area, that normal distance of 3 feet is a moot point. The more powerful the amperage the farther the arc will jump to reach ground. Those "Sparkys" were likely congratulating each other for still being alive. Racking in high-voltage breakers is one of the most dangerous jobs in the electrical field.

 

[Firpo]

Weirdest place electrically I’ve ever been was on the pot line at an Intalco Aluminum foundry where they trucked in the bauxite refining it to aluminum. I believe they told me they were running 100,000 Amps at 12 volts. All I know is that it erased your credit cards and stopped your wrist watches just being in the building. Made my stomach feel like I’d just gone over the the apex of a roller coaster and was screaming downward.

 

[dennishoddy]

I have watched sparkies from across the room using hydraulic? actuators to energize systems with full arc flash suits on. They opened the cabinets and were using a pump handle like on a jack to start closing a breaker. When it energized, it made a WHAM and a CRACK at the same time. They were satisfied it was working I guess because they slapped each other on the back and left.

Did I get this description of events right?

I was also at a few plants where if you stepped over a painted line in the electrical room you were ushered out and only came back after you watched the safety movie again and signing a write up.

The line was supposedly the safe distance from the wall of electrical panels and it was more than the normal 3 ft.

I never crossed that line.

The actuators are electrically charged by the control system at the plant I worked at with big springs to keep them in place using an interlock.
When testing before the end of an overhaul, us control guys were only interested if the trips and interlocks worked in case of a fault. The trip would be set and held in the ready position with a piece of baling wire using a half wrap. A jumper wire was installed to fool the control system that the breaker was normal and in operation.
The control room operators would manually trip the system causing the wire to unspool and result in the slam as the actuators opening the breaker. Loud enough to require hearing protection.
When the CR operators saw the “trip” that was one more test of the checks that were completed before putting the unit back online.
The actual links were removed from the breakers. After control testing, the electricians in arc suits did their thing to install and megger the links before operations could put the unit back online.
Trips and interlocks testing would take almost a week of 12-15 hour days for the controls guys to complete before the unit could come back online after a 6-8 week overhaul.

 

[Snattlerake]

The actuators are electrically charged by the control system at the plant I worked at with big springs to keep them in place using an interlock.
When testing before the end of an overhaul, us control guys were only interested if the trips and interlocks worked in case of a fault. The trip would be set and held in the ready position with a piece of baling wire using a half wrap. A jumper wire was installed to fool the control system that the breaker was normal and in operation.
The control room operators would manually trip the system causing the wire to unspool and result in the slam as the actuators opening the breaker. Loud enough to require hearing protection.
When the CR operators saw the “trip” that was one more test of the checks that were completed before putting the unit back online.
The actual links were removed from the breakers. After control testing, the electricians in arc suits did their thing to install and megger the links before operations could put the unit back online.
Trips and interlocks testing would take almost a week of 12-15 hour days for the controls guys to complete before the unit could come back online after a 6-8 week overhaul.

Was I right about the possibility of hydraulics being involved? I swear they were pumping a lever to slowly move the switchgear into position. Maybe they were using a jack on a stuck unit?

 

[dennishoddy]

Was I right about the possibility of hydraulics being involved? I swear they were pumping a lever to slowly move the switchgear into position. Maybe they were using a jack on a stuck unit?

It’s a mechanical jack.

 

[TerryMiller]

Electricity is one of the most powerful energies on Earth. When you're in a high-voltage area, that normal distance of 3 feet is a moot point. The more powerful the amperage the farther the arc will jump to reach ground. Those "Sparkys" were likely congratulating each other for still being alive. Racking in high-voltage breakers is one of the most dangerous jobs in the electrical field.

Yeppers...

 

[mtnboomr]

I've watched the lighting as they open and close those contacts at OG&E substations. It will make your skin crawl.

 

[Raido Free America]

We had a camera to install at the Boeing plant in Wichita. They had to take down a line 50 ft away from where I would be working. No idea the voltages involved but they were adamant no work until that line was down. Works for me.

Sand Springs fire dept. back in the early 70's, when I first started, ran on two guys that were electrocuted, Not a pretty site. They were working on the flat f roof of the box factory, carrying an aluminum ladder, and accidentally stuck the ladder into the main power supply for this factory! One survived and one didn't!!

 

[turkeyrun]

I was called out to calibrate a transformer breaker test unit. 100,000 A output.

When I arrived, there was a guy in the shop working on it. Another man threw a tin hard hat and hit the floor just behind guy working. The fight was on.