Yet another Earth question

How did this happen, and what could have been done to prevent it.

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Reply to
jon
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Lightning by proxy?

Reply to
Mike Halmarack

Don't go in for total immersion baptism?

Somehow the microphone or stand had become live.

That requires at least a double fault - no effective earth and live-to-earth fault (and no RCD - Residual Current Device - see

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somebody really didn't want to hear his sermons drone on and on again.

Earth faults may be more common on audio equipment as the incompetant randomly cut earth wires whilst attempting to cure earth-loops causing humming noises.

Immediate recourse to prayer is possibly not the best course of action in an emergency. Disconnecting the power and CPR is.

Reply to
dom

The life insurance co. will claim it was an act of God.

john2

Reply to
john2

higher standards in both wiring and amplifier safety. Of course this doesn't include old wiring or gear.

Trouble with churches is many totally unskilled amateurs in the congregation think they have to help out with this sort of thing, and cut corners as long as it works. Sort of.

The microphone casing is usually grounded to the amplifier chassis at some point. That is usually connected to earth - although not necessarily if the amp is double insulated.

So it could be any number of things - faulty safety earth and then a fault in the amp, or a fault in any equipment connected to it.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

The message from "jon" contains these words:

Obeying the word of God, probably.

Reply to
Guy King

The message from " snipped-for-privacy@gglz.com" contains these words:

Get round the immediate problem by using a radio-mike, I s'pose.

Reply to
Guy King

Shame they didn't use a radio microphone.

Reply to
Helen Deborah Vecht

Guy King typed

You beat me to it by 11 seconds, buggrit!

Reply to
Helen Deborah Vecht

Or don't use a mike at all.

Reply to
John Cartmell

an RCD would trip preventing this type of thing.

Reply to
Ian_m

The message from Helen Deborah Vecht contains these words:

Radio-rays, innit.

Reply to
Guy King

AIUI more commonly termed Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) in the US.

Quoting indirectly from National Electrical Code (US)

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"A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is required on all outlets in bathrooms, outdoors and kitchens, and, in addition, for dwelling units: crawl-spaces, garages, boathouses, unfinished basements, and within 6 feet (1.8 m) of a wet-bar sink, with limited exceptions."

But maybe they forgot to specify baptismal fonts!!!

But then does the UK for that matter? Is a font considered Zone 0, the same as a bath or washbasin?

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Reply to
dom

AIUI, it is considered a different type of special location than a bathroom, but restrictions are similar.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Yes - shouldn't be needed in a proper church. With a proper minister.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

If the Lord wanted the minister to be heard, he would have given the minister a louder voice.

On the other hand, induction loop might have to be provided to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Owain

Reply to
Owain

Lots of older equipment in the USA has its exposed metalwork "grounded" through the neutral, which is bonded to a ground rod at the main service inlet. But when someone is standing up to his thighs in a tank of water, he could get a generous share of the equipment's neutral return current.

There may also be an electric water heater involved. Even if it wasn't faulty, it very likely *would* have had its own protective ground conductor... making the situation even worse.

Definitely something must have been "not to code". The US National Electrical Code must cover such situations, as ours does, or else we'd be losing Baptist ministers at an unholy rate.

Reply to
Ian White

There is not enough information available to give a definite answer.

Scenario #1 microphone became energized while baptismal pool was earthed.

Scenario #2 baptismal pool became energized while microphone remained earthed.

Scenario #3 Another piece of electrically connected equipment was involved. (see Google for news reports & witness statements)

Scenario #4 He was not actually electrocuted and died of some other cause.

For the first three scenarios

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advise that would greatly reduce the danger.

Remove SPAMX from email address

Reply to
Jim Michaels

To prevent it :-)

don't believe in gods, hence no christianity(or is it insanity?), hence no baptisms, hence no heaven - hence only Earth.

Keith G. Powell

Reply to
Keith G. Powell

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