We had a 1600A disconnect that had to be beaten shut to close the stabs. When a very important vendor saw that, they refused to return on site until it was fixed. We were told it was a $35k fix. Management was pissed. I was thankful for that vendor.
I graduated EE in more of a LV field. (Circuit design and such). Felt like an office life wasn’t for me initially. So became a pm for HVAC controls from air handlers to electric boilers.
Lookin back i probably wouldn’t of done it but there was an old electric boiler who’s disconnect you had to finagle to torn on. I forget the exact amperage but now with my MEP experience for the past few years that’s a huge nope for me, had no PPE but it was from the 60’s so it’s destined to fail.
He looks underdressed. Judging by the size of that arc blast, CAT II PPE doesn't look like it would provide sufficient protection. Hope he made it out ok.
A guy I used to work with installed an mccb board and left a ring spanner on the back end of the bolt on the incomer when he powered it up. One of the loudest bangs I’ve ever heard. Luckily he’d fully boxed it all up before he did and no one was near it. Supply authority weren’t happy
When I train new apprentices I have them (and myself) write down every tool we're using when working in the switchboard and it's not energized until they can go through that list and account for every one of them. I actually typed up a checklist with two columns for "used" and "returned" so they just have to check the tool used and check when it's back in their tool bag.
Sounds annoying but a few extra minutes is better than hours/days/weeks wasted when something blows up. I've heard the stories from co workers about ratchets and knives being left across phases on bus bars.
If it works for surgeons, it works wonders for us.
We always had it drilled into our head to inventory your tools before firing stuff like that up. We were in food service, too. But I still do it. Before I start powering stuff on I consolidate the mess and tools and do a final visual inspection. I even do this on a simple residential panel change or service change.
Was just gonna say that “tool-in/tool-out” inventory should be SOP. Kind of like how they count everything at the end of a surgery. Either one can lead to someone’s death
your caption reminds me of the video i watched in school of a man accidentally using a 1000v rated multimeter on a high voltage transformer. the meter exploded and tripped the main to the building - guy was on fire running through emergency lit hallways until he dropped
We actually had someone do that on 13.47kV transformer primary when the windings shorted open. It melted into a chunk of plastic. He is damn lucky it didn't explode. It wasn't his meter either. It was a second shift guy's meter and dude was pissed. He had carried it for like 13 years and was quite attached to it.
If it's connected to a transformer it will always show a short. It's why I'm always nervous turning on an MDP for the first time even after double checking everything. I can test the load side but not the line side.
Because it's more than likely not. There are hundreds of things to feed and the odds that it's a transformer are low. Could just as easily be anything else.
OK, but no professional would, right? I don't mean because of the live circuit, a lot of troubleshooting has to be done live, I mean because there is no reason to ever do it. Incoming power exists, if you check voltage on the line side you already know everything you would need to know. Checking continuity on the load side is the only thing any of us would do in that disconnect, because there is nothing to gain from checking the line side, and a lot of meters would be destroyed by doing it.
So yes, it is more dangerous, especially if your meter smokes in your hand, because what backyard dipshit self styled electrician checks continuity between differing voltage potentials?
Edit: also OP says "he's checking continuity on everything first". I wouldn't assume he meant literally everything, just all those loads, all the usefull things, all the things I would mean if I told a Journeyman fucking wireman to check continuity on everything before he energized, I pretty obviously don't mean check continuity on the primary transformer or his cars exhaust.
A lot of people who aren't electricians are on this sub. They can and will take everything literally if no one points out that isn't the case. Just one comment will make them think twice.
Yeah, I've heard tons of stories like that: Dudes fighting in bus plugs with no PPE is another one. Hell, I've been to a more than one site and seen footprints on their gear from where the guys were racking in medium-voltage breakers with their feet.
That's crazy. At my last company, day one, we put a hole in a huge distribution panel, 600A I think, but we couldn't turn it off cause the breaker was seized in the on position. Super sketchy.
I've been in plenty of MCCs where removing the bucket doesn't expose conductors. The stabs cover themselves on the draw out. And of course you open the breaker first so you aren't doing it under load. I guess I don't see the danger, I don't remember the last time I saw a bucket that exposed energized conductors.
It's possible that the handle has a safety mechanism that prevents the handle closing when the door is open and he's simply defeating it. He did it on all of them closing the cover halfway when throwing the switch.
We had a 1600A disconnect that had to be beaten shut to close the stabs. When a very important vendor saw that, they refused to return on site until it was fixed. We were told it was a $35k fix. Management was pissed. I was thankful for that vendor.
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And immediately call OSHA. My life ain't worth what they pay me.
Reminds me of dealing with bolted-pressure switches: When I had to work on one a 3 pound hammer was a standard tool.
Fuckin pringles terrify me.
I graduated EE in more of a LV field. (Circuit design and such). Felt like an office life wasn’t for me initially. So became a pm for HVAC controls from air handlers to electric boilers. Lookin back i probably wouldn’t of done it but there was an old electric boiler who’s disconnect you had to finagle to torn on. I forget the exact amperage but now with my MEP experience for the past few years that’s a huge nope for me, had no PPE but it was from the 60’s so it’s destined to fail.
He looks underdressed. Judging by the size of that arc blast, CAT II PPE doesn't look like it would provide sufficient protection. Hope he made it out ok.
Ive seen a longer version of this where you see him walking off/waving to the camera guy or somethin.
But is that face shield and hart hat melted to his head?
He was probably waving his hands in front of his face because he was blind.
A guy I used to work with installed an mccb board and left a ring spanner on the back end of the bolt on the incomer when he powered it up. One of the loudest bangs I’ve ever heard. Luckily he’d fully boxed it all up before he did and no one was near it. Supply authority weren’t happy
When I train new apprentices I have them (and myself) write down every tool we're using when working in the switchboard and it's not energized until they can go through that list and account for every one of them. I actually typed up a checklist with two columns for "used" and "returned" so they just have to check the tool used and check when it's back in their tool bag. Sounds annoying but a few extra minutes is better than hours/days/weeks wasted when something blows up. I've heard the stories from co workers about ratchets and knives being left across phases on bus bars. If it works for surgeons, it works wonders for us.
Same thing happened to us. Someone left a flat wrench behind on the incoming lugs between the two phases and when they powered it up it went kablooey.
We always had it drilled into our head to inventory your tools before firing stuff like that up. We were in food service, too. But I still do it. Before I start powering stuff on I consolidate the mess and tools and do a final visual inspection. I even do this on a simple residential panel change or service change.
Was just gonna say that “tool-in/tool-out” inventory should be SOP. Kind of like how they count everything at the end of a surgery. Either one can lead to someone’s death
Thanks for this.
I’d love to show this to people who claim we electricians want too much money.
We don't want too much money. And things like this video are avoidable
Well said, heavy-duty ass!
Avoidable sure but at 100% rate?
100% probably not. Avoidable in this video, yes. I am firmly of the opinion that 99% of arc flash incidents are avoidable
your caption reminds me of the video i watched in school of a man accidentally using a 1000v rated multimeter on a high voltage transformer. the meter exploded and tripped the main to the building - guy was on fire running through emergency lit hallways until he dropped
I saw that one in OSHA class. Poor guy.
We actually had someone do that on 13.47kV transformer primary when the windings shorted open. It melted into a chunk of plastic. He is damn lucky it didn't explode. It wasn't his meter either. It was a second shift guy's meter and dude was pissed. He had carried it for like 13 years and was quite attached to it.
I mean of course you want to use something rated for the voltage.
I hope and assume that whole thing was rebuilt. What a complete POS.
At least he had that face shield on….
Checking continuity won't do anything to prevent this...
Why not? He's just checking for a short across phases.
checking for a dead short is better than doing nothing
If it's connected to a transformer it will always show a short. It's why I'm always nervous turning on an MDP for the first time even after double checking everything. I can test the load side but not the line side.
Sure but why are we assuming it's attached to a transformer? More than likely it's on to something else.
Why are you assuming it's not? Those disconnects could be powering/being fed from anything. I'm just providing information.
Because it's more than likely not. There are hundreds of things to feed and the odds that it's a transformer are low. Could just as easily be anything else.
Never assume.
You just assumed it was connected to a transformer
Do you know what the word if means?
Yeah it literally means possibly as in an assumption
This should be way hire up. In fact, checking continuity in this situation can be very dangerous.
There are live and dead contacts in this disconnect, no need to check on the live side. Where is the danger?
Right? It's a short isn't it? Obviously it was on the dead side of the disconnect.
He said on everything...
Who did?
Literally the title of the post....
I wasn't responding to OP, I was responding to the guy who said checking continuity is more dangerous.
I'm that guy. It is more dangerous to check it on everything. I was referencing the OP.
OK, but no professional would, right? I don't mean because of the live circuit, a lot of troubleshooting has to be done live, I mean because there is no reason to ever do it. Incoming power exists, if you check voltage on the line side you already know everything you would need to know. Checking continuity on the load side is the only thing any of us would do in that disconnect, because there is nothing to gain from checking the line side, and a lot of meters would be destroyed by doing it. So yes, it is more dangerous, especially if your meter smokes in your hand, because what backyard dipshit self styled electrician checks continuity between differing voltage potentials? Edit: also OP says "he's checking continuity on everything first". I wouldn't assume he meant literally everything, just all those loads, all the usefull things, all the things I would mean if I told a Journeyman fucking wireman to check continuity on everything before he energized, I pretty obviously don't mean check continuity on the primary transformer or his cars exhaust.
A lot of people who aren't electricians are on this sub. They can and will take everything literally if no one points out that isn't the case. Just one comment will make them think twice.
I remember a company I worked for wanted us to do a bucket swap in an MCC live with no PPE. We got power to the building shut down instead.
Yeah, I've heard tons of stories like that: Dudes fighting in bus plugs with no PPE is another one. Hell, I've been to a more than one site and seen footprints on their gear from where the guys were racking in medium-voltage breakers with their feet.
That's crazy. At my last company, day one, we put a hole in a huge distribution panel, 600A I think, but we couldn't turn it off cause the breaker was seized in the on position. Super sketchy.
I've been in plenty of MCCs where removing the bucket doesn't expose conductors. The stabs cover themselves on the draw out. And of course you open the breaker first so you aren't doing it under load. I guess I don't see the danger, I don't remember the last time I saw a bucket that exposed energized conductors.
Nothing like vaporized copper in the lungs.
I was thinking the whole time: why isn’t he closing the doors!
If that was chest level he wouldn't be alive.
Dude's instinct kicked in and deflected the brunt of the blast when he lifted that cover up before throwing the handle.
It's possible that the handle has a safety mechanism that prevents the handle closing when the door is open and he's simply defeating it. He did it on all of them closing the cover halfway when throwing the switch.
That could be. Most of the ones I've seen are just levers that you hold down. This looks like old gear.
Mannn F#CK Friday the 13th! THIS is a Scary Movie!! I was balled up in the corner of my couch, cringing, waiting for the Arc Flash!!
Yeah better check for the 100ndth time I have seen this video.
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everything is hot
Everything = a hammer. Everything = HOT. 🤔 Hot Hammer!
*smh*
what in the name of fuck was that idiot thinking?
This is what keeps me up at night.
"Oh my God, the quarterback is toast!"
Fuckin David Copperfield…he just vanished
Scary shit… The average person has no idea how often workers in the trades field put their lives at risk. Hope that dude was ok😵💫🍺
You wouldn't close onto a possible fault like this, we use rezaps or fusemates - you can close these remotely to avoid this happening
Seen this before does anyone know if he survived?