Ouch- eletrocution

[David Hansen]

On Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:11:58 +0100 someone who may be andrew wrote this:-

I don't know about railways on the sub-continent, but I understand that in the UK circuit breakers are left open for a few minutes to see if something is reported [1] and only then do the control staff try and close it. I imagine something similar is done there too, though in view of the large distances there may be automatic reclosure.

It will be possible, though I don't have time to look into it.

[1] though when electrification telephones were replaced by NRN I imagine that getting a message to the electrical control staff became a longer process, though one which can be initiated from more places.

[David Hansen]

On Sat, 6 Jun 2009 21:27:19 +0100 someone who may be geoff wrote this:-

The background would be interesting. It obviously wasn't a busy train, people were not hanging out of the doors.

[Dave Liquorice]

Others have mentioned DC or AC at 25kV. How far will 25Kv jump in dry air? Note jump not sustain an arc once it has started.

The sound is of two bangs. Other arcs that I've seen on youtube etc on AC systems have a definate buzz sound. Of course the explosive vaporisation of body fluids will make quite a bang and could mask any AC buzz.

[Toby]

There is a Convert Video link below this one

will allow you to download it to a file.

Toby...

[David Hansen]

On Sun, 07 Jun 2009 10:39:03 +0100 (BST) someone who may be "Dave Liquorice" wrote this:-

Not very far. However, there is a difference between laboratory conditions, where such things are measured using precise devices, and the outside world where safety distances are set [1].

I was surprised by how close he got to the line without an arc, but it was presumably dry air.

[1] in the outside world the energised conductor and thing near it may be moving, as well as the air and the ground being damp. There is also the question of voltage gradients in the ground.

[The Natural Philosopher]

25kv will just about jump a spark plug gap/.

[Tim Downie]

Seemed pretty obvious to me that folk were trying to talk him down and he wasn't having any of it. Looked like a very deliberate suicide.

Tim

[Fredxx]

Sad that it's perfectly legal to download and watch this clip, yet a similar clip of young children running around on a beach would put you behind bars. One where someone dies is perfectly ok, yet the other of children enjoying themselves is not. It's a weird world of strange values.

[Bob Minchin]

I seem to recall 30kV per centimetre between pointed electrodes from way way back. Don't know if this is correct or my memory has gone out of calibration over the years! lol Obviously humidity will make a big difference so I suspect my figure would have been in dry air. Bob

[ARWadsworth]

Did you see the guy in China that was threatening to jump off a bridge and a member of the public climbed up and shoved him?

Adam

[ARWadsworth]

That would explain why his head was on fire.

Adam

[Davey]

I've told you a trillion times about exaggerating.

[Davey]

Link?

[PeterC]

Yes, it was on YouTube.

Like India, they have plenty to spare.

[PeterC]

Unless it's for training purposes in a catholic [in]seminary.

[Mike Tomlinson]

In article , ARWadsworth writes

Yes, I thought "good on you mate!" The backstory is that the bridge was a popular spot for suicides and the traffic was stopped each time someone decided to do themselves in, and the travelling public were getting fed up with all the delays.

I've always though that those who jump off bridges, in front of trains, etc. are selfish bastards. Someone's gotta clean up the mess, and I feel sorry for train drivers that have that happen to them.

[David Hansen]

On Sun, 7 Jun 2009 12:54:51 +0100 someone who may be Mike Tomlinson wrote this:-

They are in so much mental turmoil that they want to kill themselves. That is extremely sad and calling them selfish doesn't help improve things.

Sympathising for those who are involved does not mean that one should not also have sympathy for the disturbed too.

[Bill]

In message , Davey writes

[Mike Tomlinson]

In article , David Hansen writes

Thank you.

Since the body is mostly water, that's gonna be a hell of a current. In that clip, there's a bright reddish flash surrounding the body as he touches the wire. I wonder: is that a camera artifact, or would someone there have actually seen it?

[tony sayer]

In article , Dave Liquorice scribeth thus

I rather think that the current flow wasn't that much, well on the scale of the power that the OHL can supply. Remember thats at 25 kV and matey wasn't much of a load. Normally such a supply can shift around quite heavy trains some 8 megawatts IIRC in the case of a Eurostar trainset...

Theres been a lot of debate over on UK Railway as to whether or not a video such as depicted there should be used as a public info film to warn of what can happen if you should touch those harmless looking wires..

Course they still cook people to death like that tho not as dramatically in parts of the USA still.

Anyways lets hope he's at peace now .. poor sod;(..