Re: Scary Tingling

On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 21:03:54 -0700, "Alan Robinson" <alr@xxxxxxx>
wrote:


"Hunter" <HHamp5246@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:2oopf2hqeshh11t0r6m49td7jm7f83sfb6@xxxxxxxxxx
On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 11:40:45 -0700, "Alan Robinson" <alr@xxxxxxx>
wrote:

Green/ground
should NEVER have any voltage on it (for longer than it takes to trip a
breaker or blow a fuse, anyway...).

That I do know, that's why he unplugged the side and the green went
dead.

Hunter


Mmmph. Let me try saying that another way. If the ground is correctly
installed and in good condition, the only time it will be POSSIBLE to
measure any voltage on it is in the 1/2 second or so from the time the hot
lead is shorted to it to the time the circuit breaker trips or the fuse
blows. If the green lead was properly grounded, as soon as the 15a string
failed it would have tripped a breaker or blown a fuse - there would have
been no power to give you that tingling -or- to bite the park manager.
That's what the safety ground is THERE for. Since it didn't trip a breaker
or blow a fuse, IT IS DEFECTIVE. Unplugging the 15a string removed the short
that was putting voltage on the ground wire - but it did nothing to fix the
ground.

Alan


Hunter & Alan,

Alan,

I have been loosely monitoring this thread the last couple of days and
I can think of one scenario that could have caused Hunter's problem,
at least I haven't read it in this thread.

If the power supply comes underground (direct burial) to the site
receptacle or it if it comes overhead to a poll and then goes into the
ground there is a possibility (especially if it is direct burial and
not in conduit) that somewhere in the line the insulation has been
damaged and the hot lead is bleeding into the ground. Normally in dry
ground a small area of bare wire the dry ground is pretty good
insulation depending on its composition but if it gets wet....

I think Hunter said that it had been raining pretty hard ( 8" ) if so
and if she were standing on wet ground and touching her rig which is
or should be properly grounded then the voltage coming "from the
ground leakage through her to her rig will he eventually find a
neutral either in her rig our the shore power receptacle. That could
be the reason that the repair person was getting hit.

It happens all the time at dairies where they use direct burial and
with the wet manure and urine that deteriorate the insulation it
starts zapping cows and people.

Just a thought.

We used to use an extension cord with a 36 inch brass welding rod with
handles on each of the two leads (hot and neutral) and "dig" for worms
by sticking them in wet ground about 3 feet to 4 feet apart and boy
with those little buggers come to the surface.

-
Albert
.

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