Can electricity conduct through a fine spray of water?

[John S]

Do they have those kinds of systems for 400kV?

[John S]

They produce a megavolt?

[Rod Speed]

No they don't with 350KV and 500KV transmission lines.

That isnt true either with 350KV and 500KV transmission lines. and we know that because there have been some catastrophes when a mega ice storm or massive gale has brought an entire transmission line down. collapsed some of the towers.

[micky]

I watched a composite video today of lots of interesting things, and one was a couple fire engines pumping water on a fairly big fire.

Between one of the fire engines and the fire were 4 or 5 wires between "telephone" poles. Each wire was almost a foot for any other. Eventually there was enormous sparking, a bright white spot equivalent to 3 feet wide that lasted for few seconds followed by flames from the wires for 3 or 4 more seconds and then the video stopped.

The narrator said 10,000 people lost power but he may have just made that up.

But still, the fire department should use deionized water. Maybe that wodld help.

[Rod Speed]

Just not feasible, particularly with a major fire where they need to use water from the hydrants.

[Jasen Betts]

If that electricity supply is properly maintained, A few seconds later the recloser would kick in and reconnect the power.

Probably not ecconomical re-plumbing all the streets to add pipes for DI water or adding fast-enough processing plants to the fire appliances...

I think this is a risk that's worth taking. perhaps some extra training would be more effective.

[Colin Bignell]

There is a hint in the title to the video, where it is described as live line washing.

[Colin Bignell]

According to this site, water mist is suitable for sub-station fires because the mist does not conduct electricity:

[Scott Lurndal]

I used to watch PG&E crews clean the insulators on 115Kv lines on the hill behind my house every couple of years. With a helicopter hovering near the tower, one of the crew would hose down the insulator with a power washer. The lines were not de-energized.

[micky]

I was kidding.

[micky]

Maybe. I don't think I could have been able to tell even if I'd replayed it and looked for that. I did replay it once.

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

IIRC, that unit (mho) is now supposed to be called the Siemens. I like mho better.

[Mark Lloyd]

When I was little, I accidentally sprayed a 120V outlet and felt a little tingle. It wasn't nearly enough to hurt.

[Carlos E.R.]

Ok.

Then you are talking of those transformers typical in the USA sitting on the top of a pole, serving a few houses. I was thinking of the transformers here, and I could not imagine how it could happen :-D

[Commander Kinsey]

With conductive rainwater, not the purified stuff they were using, evaporation?

[Commander Kinsey]

I meant normal water, not purified. And that's not a fine mist, that's continuous water.

[Commander Kinsey]

And yet the fire brigade wouldn't put out my neighbour's 240V roof fire.

[maus]

Just passing by and noticed the headline.

When I was young, early 1950's or so, Electric Fencers were coming in use. There was a trick among young men, they would piss across a electric fence line. The ability to stop the flow almost immediately made the possible with out much pain, compared to older men, who were inclined to dribble for a time, made thetrick possible.

[Commander Kinsey]

Presumably it was continuous water, not a mist like I'm spraying the parrot with.

Do you guys have 120V because you still haven't invented outlets with switches on them, or plugs with sleeved pins, so every time you put a plug in our out, you've got live pins right next to your fingers?

[Commander Kinsey]

I would never call a parrot obnoxious. I guess Blue Fronted Amazons can be loud, but so can seagulls.