splicing while hot

[6pack]

Removed, when first shown thought to be good idea.Was meant for that once in ahwhile situation.(gen commercial) IF any good was to come from it, it tought one to always work thinking power is on! Kind of how you treat a gun as always being loaded. Both can be deadly.

[Unregistered]

Sorry wannabee, with all due respect, circuits should only be worked on when de-energized.

This being a site for diy'ers, I think this post should be removed.

[6pack]

Sight not only for DIY's. Glad to hear any tips about anything if it would help me or any one. Actually very little that does'nt require the possibilty of DIY working some way with power on. Leave it up to the sight if they wish to remove. The point was for those more knowledgeble and some time's power can not be interupted, that's all. Besides I diffinately would be DIY if not from what I have learned here in many ways.

[rlfrazee]

Hey Wannabee cant say as I have ever spliced hot before but seems this surely needs to be done at times. Hospitals maybe? Anyway was wondering if a insulation piercing tap connector would do this , of course all saftey measures taken for granted....RL

[Wgoodrich]

I am reluctant to freeze out any comments if at all possible on our forum. Best way is not to play ostridge and hide your head in the sand from controversial subjects, but rather speak openly and provide knowledge of dangers and concerns when present. In my opinion to sensor one's thoughts is a crime in itself. Everyone has an opinion and has a right to that opinion to be expressed whether right or wrong. When others have an opposing opinion they too have a right and often times a responsibility to provide that opposing opinion. Only rule of major concern is provide knowledge with warnings and to show each and everyone else respect in the process.

I too am concerned about anyone [even skilled electricians] making an energized splice without proper saftey equipment according to personel safety rules. To say that I have never made energized splices would be a far stretch of the truth over my years. However some consider me to be somewhat experienced in the electrical industry. That experienced bit was earned when I spent 60 days totally blind from 87 hot metal burns on my eyeballs from a fire ball flashed out of a hot connection I was working on. I was lucky, Doctors worked on my eyes and prevented scarring and only lost some vision. Considering the fact they would not tell me until the bandages came off is I would ever be able to see daylight again, I was lucky.

If you must perform hot connetions do not take short cuts, use proper safety equipment and require yourself to be skilled at what you are doing.

Remember a 20 amp 120 volt circuit carries about 900 times enough power to kill you DEAD ! Rule of thumb at 120 volts it is considered lethal to come into contact with 6/1000ths of one amp [approximately 6 milliamps] of current to your body.

Doubt it check the limit allowed on a GFI protective device considered to be within tolerances of safety.

BE CAREFUL

Wg

[jmerritt]

Was reading this topic and wondered what do utility workers do when they have to energize a new service for either overhead or underground and connect to a live circuit. :)

[Frank]

I was wondering the same thing. They seem to have lots of specialty PPE but it would be very interesting to hear from a professional lineman.

[mdshunk]

Some of the electric utilities in my area allow us to tap up our own services when we're upgrading a service to an existing utility customer. We carry meter seals on the truck for these POCO's, and call in with the new seal number when we're done. Hardhat, lineman's gloves, leather over gloves, rubber sleeves, and faceshield. The tap is accomplished with fiberglass handled crimpers (or fiberglass handled cutters). Takes about 5 minutes to disconnect a service. Takes about 15-20 minutes to reconnect a service. I have "zero" formal safety training on the matter, other than take your time and be careful. We're supposed to wear this gear just pulling a meter, but not even the utilitiy's own employees do this.

[Ken]

I agree that live wiring should be done by experienced professionals and only with proper saftey equipment. If posssiable I try to denergize all circuits I am working on. Specializing in institutional surroundings that is not always possiable. I remember being told in school that there is never a good reason for working on circuits while they are live. I have since found out that the man in room 302 with oxygen, heart monitor, and other such needs may not see it exactly the same way. I just compleated a job for a local hospital in which I had to wire a transfer switch into a 480V 1600 Amp panel while energized. I also had linemans gloves, sheild, and 1000V insulated tools to perform this work.

Just my 2 cents