I cut through the cable!

TimW · 2018-06-10T19:15:41+00:00

Outside with my electric hedge trimmer thingy I didn't get much done because there was a visible flash and a quiet 'pop' as I cut through the power cable. I repaired it with a cable connector fitting, and was suprised to find no fuse blown, nothing tripped. Is that normal? or desirable? TW

Jun 10, 2018 28 Replies

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ARW 8 years ago

It could be, however it is far more likely IMHO not to actually be a short.

The regs when calculating for short circuits assume that the short is of zero resistance. I would suspect that the hedge cutters blades resistance - it's not copper and not a clean cut[1]) did not allow a high enough current to pass to blow anything.

If you have a look at these

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I believe that you could probably have a good 60A flash and not trip a

13A fuse or 32A MCB in 0.1 seconds. Just a big enough a flash and bang to scare you though. [1] Saying nothing but my finger really ougt to have had stitches after the new hedge cutter had a bite:-(

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ARW 8 years ago

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Jimmy Wilkinson Knife 8 years ago

What fool would pick up the exposed end and suck it?

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JoeJoe 8 years ago

Many many years ago I did some work placement with this electrician, who was really nice, but totally clueless and dangerous and didn't know what he was doing.

However, he could touch live wires and not get electrocuted, which I thought was pretty amazing. I have never seen or heard of anybody else who can do that since.

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John Rumm 8 years ago

Much depends on your skin resistance, plus how well isolated you are from ground. If you have very dray and/or very callused skin, then you will often get away with it even if grounded. Obviously if you are well insulated from ground (and neutral!) then you are also ok.

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Steve Walker 8 years ago

My grandfather was like that - would touch a conductor, then grip it between his thumb and forefinger and pronounce it dead, only for the next person to touch it to be thrown half-way across the room.

SteveW

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TimW 8 years ago

Some people can pick up poisonous snakes and not be bitten. They can drink poison and not die. it is a very special sign. TW

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Martin Brown 8 years ago

It isn't that uncommon if you don't draw all that much current for not very long and most all of it goes from live to neutral. A 13A fuse will probably support 150A for a single mains cycle without blowing.

Having a joint in the cable is frowned upon these days you are supposed to shorten the cable.

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Graeme 8 years ago

In message , ARW writes

Watched that without seeing the caption, and immediately recognised and named Nick Brimble, The Sweeney. Sad.

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