Screwdriver with neon electricity tester

[Bill Wright]

No, that would be impractical.

Bill

[Lieutenant Scott]

I do have good eyesight :-P

[Lieutenant Scott]

Then they are useless, wires are very sharp.

[Bill Wright]

So, having isolated the circuit, we are 100% certain that it is dead. But I have in my life been 100% certain of quite a few facts that have turned out to be wrong. So we arrive at a decision. We are looking at a Line and Neutral bare pair and we are about to touch them. We are 100% sure the circuit is dead. Should we touch L and N together? Reason not to do it: If our certainty is misplaced there will be a frightening bang and a flash. It will be a really bad moment. Reason to do it: If our certainty is misplaced and we don't do it we will probably die.

So, let's weigh it up. It's either risk a bang and a flash, or risk death. Which is it to be? Well... to be honest, I hate bangs and flashes... but on the other hand I don't think I want to be dead. It would last longer than a bang and flash, and because I sometimes waste time on here I will probably go to Hell.

So, having thought it out, I think I'll touch the wires together.

Bill

[John Rumm]

I presume you are just trolling, but just in case anyone reading actually thinks that this is a even vaguely plausible line of reasoning, perhaps they would care to look at the fault current required to open a BS3036 rewireable fuse in 0.1 secs:

for 100ms (assuming the loop impedance is low enough for this magnitude).

The let through energy of the fuse is given by I^2t, so we are talking about 20kJ in that case.

[Lieutenant Scott]

When I said "30 amps", I was talking about a 30A fuse on a cable designed for 30 amps.

[John Rumm]

They have lower breaking ability in the first place.

Words fail me...

[John Rumm]

OK, I give in. Confronted by such logic and erudite argument, I have to concede that is proof beyond doubt...

[Lieutenant Scott]

You mean they're for lower currents? I've seen 15A ones.

I've tried it, you haven't.

[brass monkey]

ROF Ever thought of hairdressing?

[brass monkey]

2 bloody right, John. Never mind, he has a degree. LMFAO

[brass monkey]

Yea? Ever had anyone call you a d*****ad? Out of interest, how old are you?

[brass monkey]

ROFLMFAO :D

[Lieutenant Scott]

My point is, on hundreds of occasions it didn't happen, and on no occasions it did. Hence the probability of it happening is next to nothing.

[Lieutenant Scott]

Ever thought of being a Mathematician? They're pretty pedantic.

[Lieutenant Scott]

There is nothing inaccurate in what I wrote.

[Lieutenant Scott]

And that has what to do with sparks?

36.

[brass monkey]

But they're usually not stupid. You're typing questions and comments like a

10 year old. I'm very sorry but that's how you appear.

[brass monkey]

Jesus.

[brass monkey]

"The wires have to touch before you get the short" Really? Shock horror. Who woulda thunk it.