Remarkable electric shock I experienced

[DPG]

I think you are looking for a particular answer. I may be wrong.

 

[nicebutdim]

I get the theory on which the OP thought they could depend as birds do indeed sit on live cables without harm, but I've watched a swan electrocute itself when its wingspan reached to cables on approach for landing.

While I get the theory, I'm not sure it applies to human beings dependant on fibreglass ladders to insulate them from the general mass of earth.

Perhaps the OP might have been safe with a huge air gap between them and the ground (or anything else in contact with the ground). Just need to learn how to float or fly.

 

[westward10]

The bird is completely isolated by the air, the OPs comparison is totally not applicable.

 

[davesparks]

Your analogy of a bird sitting on a wire is flawed.... The cables up there are possibly insulated... not by much, but there will need to be some... just to stop the cables corroding more than anything else.

A lot of overhead lines, particularly HV are uninsulated. Birds sit on them perfectly safely because both feet are on the same wire which is at the same voltage so no current flows through them.

 

[James]

I have never seen a bird stood on a step ladder, put a hand or any other part of their body on a live wire.

 

[R Blankenship]

You have been incredibly lucky not to do any more damage....
In fact, you should mention this to a doctor, just in case.

Your analogy of a bird sitting on a wire is flawed.... The cables up there are possibly insulated... not by much, but there will need to be some... just to stop the cables corroding more than anything else.

Ive never actually tested how resistive a fibreglass ladder is..... but unless its marked as being safe f0r live work.... (like insulated screwdrivers) i would't trust it.

Littlespark, imagine how much weight is added to insulate transmission lines, if this were the standard. Or imagine the usefulness of an insulated electric cattleguard fence that a Rancher uses to discouraged their Cattle from traveling any further and upon which a bird safely perches itself without a shock.... Now,xI failed to mentionbthat on this service-Call, I had trouble-shot, found the motor had failed, cut the feed's "hot"/"live" wire and put a wire nut on its exposed end and set it aside to remove and replace the motor.... -I cut the wire with the same wire-Stripper with my right hand while holding the "live" wire's insulated wire with my left hand..., all without receiving a shock or henerating a spark on that "live" wire in which no current presently traveled.
I can assure that I am NOT the first NOR will I be the last to proceed along this path -That is partly why I posted this remarkable conditions for a shock.

 

[R Blankenship]

I would hope any senior electrical worker wouldn't be stupid enough to work on live wires.

Here, Westward10, is a little more background on that service Call: I trouble-shot the Fan-Coil and found the motor had failed. I then cut the feed's 120vac "live" wire with my wire-Stipper (holding the insulated wire with my left hand) and placed a wire nut on its now exposed tip and set it aside (no shock then, even though I used my hands without gloves or turning the Breaker off), while I replaced the motor. Once replaced, I then needed to remove 11/16" of the feed-Wire's outer -end insulation to "mate" it to the new motor's lead wire. It was then, after crimping and begin leveraging that 11/16" of insulation.off when, I guess, the movement caused the now exposed "live" wire to touch the wire-Stripper's exposed metal and set up a current that traveled back and forth through my left Thumb, hand and arm, chest, heart, right arm hand and index finger... -there was no other circuit components and NO other delta-V other than generated from Harmonics or other dirty signals on that wire.... My guess is that these Harmonics and variants generate a current and yhat this is what cause "heating" on the wire even when the circuit has NO demand from the end-User.

 

[R Blankenship]

I have never seen a bird stood on a step ladder, put a hand or any other part of their body on a live wire.

James, let me assist you, high tension transmission lines would be formidable to transmit long distance if weighted with insulation. But, check out a Rancher's electric fence with its high-tension, uninsulated wire that discourages the Rancher's Cattle from traveling past that point... -waolit and watch a bird safelyvperch itself on that high tension wire -or if in a hurry, go up to it and touch it with your hand while jumping into the air and experience for yourself how you only feel a shock when you land back on the ground while still touching that Rancher's electric Cattle guard fence.

 

[DPG]

James, let me assist you, high tension transmission lines would be formidable to transmit long distance if weighted with insulation. But, check out a Rancher's electric fence with its high-tension, uninsulated wire that discourages the Rancher's Cattle from traveling past that point... -waolit and watch a bird safelyvperch itself on that high tension wire -or if in a hurry, go up to it and touch it with your hand while jumping into the air and experience for yourself how you only feel a shock when you land back on the ground while still touching that Rancher's electric Cattle guard fence.

I think we all know the theory behind this to be honest, it's fairly basic and fundamental.

What you experienced was a completed circuit, however it was formed. Nothing to do with harmonics. And I'm not sure where you are going with your 'delta V' comments.

 

[R Blankenship]

I think we all know the theory behind this to be honest, it's fairly basic and fundamental.

What you experienced was a completed circuit, however it was formed. Nothing to do with harmonics. And I'm not sure where you are going with your 'delta V' comments.

"Delta" is engineering terminology for "difference" -whether 120vac and ground or whatever has a voltage difference in which current can potentially flow -in my circumstance the "delta V" existed on a single 120vac wire.... My guess is that "harmonics" on wires (seen often in commercial electrical wiring systems) generates heat due to the delta V of Harmonics in which multiple frequencies exist and so current will flow in a single "live" wire... -a concept my training never touched upon but nearly ended my life....

So more background on that troubleshooting and replacing a failed motor: Once determined the motor was bad, I cut the feed's "hot"/"live" wire with the same wire-Stripper and bare hands, then wire-nutted its exposed end and set it aside as I replaced the motor... all without being shocked, and my left hand only touching the "live" wire's insulation.