GEC explodes in my face

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ramsy

Roger Ruhle dba NoFixNoPay
Location
LA basin, CA
Occupation
Service Electrician 2020 NEC
While repairing a building electrode system, and installing the 2nd ground rod, a bare #6 GEC was routed behind the meter, shorting to exposed phase lugs and energizing the rods. I discovered this as I went to bond it to the panel, and it exploded in my face. I was OK, wearing gloves and 600 volt boots, but still lucky to be alive.

After clipping this crap out of my panel & bonding a new GEC, owner claimed they never received my invoices, gripped about my final (peanuts) payment. I decided it was a good time to call the utility and request an emergency shut down. After notifying owner of shutdown schedule, my check miraculously arrived before the shut down.

Utility demanded no permit was needed to fix this, guys arrived unlocked the meter, ripped out the lead seals for wireway covers, and pulled that bare EGC so fast I couldn't get any pictures of it. They said several of these were installed this way in the mid 1960's, as they removed more bare GEC next to un-fused meter-bank lungs with their bare hands. This whole thing was unbelievable.

Utility crew asked me why I touched it, and explained it could burn until nothing was left. I didn't think EGC's are normally a hazard, and explained we must properly bond the EGC to panel, plumping or rods with properly-listed materials. I didn't recognize the existing bare wire, going into the service panel as a hazard, until it was too late. But I had no problem agreeing with the utility crew chief not to touch another one of those, before getting them there first.
 

ramsy

Roger Ruhle dba NoFixNoPay
Location
LA basin, CA
Occupation
Service Electrician 2020 NEC
Thats amazing advise, I would have never imagined necessary.

Next time I will clamp and wiggle.

PS. Thanks for contributing to my delinquency.
 
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mdshunk said:
It's always a good practice to snap an amp clamp around a GEC before you go mussing around with it.

This is advice that is probably more applicable today than in the past. Most would not even think about it, but it is good advice and should become standard OP.

Glad to see you were using PPE.
 

sparky_magoo

Senior Member
Location
Reno
brantmacga said:
wow. glad you're okay!

Dittos.

Because of this forum, I have worried about DX'ing the GEC. I admit, I have never changed my ways.

In the future, I will whip out my Fluke 337. I was using it today for other reasons.

I bought a new pair of Redwings about a month ago. I bought them because I liked the style. They happen to be electrical hazzard (EH) boots. The tag said they are insulated to 14,000 volts.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
sparky_magoo said:
I bought a new pair of Redwings about a month ago. I bought them because I liked the style. They happen to be electrical hazzard (EH) boots. The tag said they are insulated to 14,000 volts.
Yeah, but don't they restrict the use of your hands just a bit? :D
 

sparky_magoo

Senior Member
Location
Reno
Years ago, when I was in the union, we had a rule. When working on hot wires, always have one hand in the pocket. That way, you can never provide a path to ground.
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
sparky_magoo said:
Years ago, when I was in the union, we had a rule. When working on hot wires, always have one hand in the pocket. That way, you can never provide a path to ground.

Yeah, but that you could never get those union guys to take their hand out of their pocket. :grin:
 

LawnGuyLandSparky

Senior Member
sparky_magoo said:
Years ago, when I was in the union, we had a rule. When working on hot wires, always have one hand in the pocket. That way, you can never provide a path to ground.

Well, the rule has changed since you left the union. Now the rule is BOTH hands in pockets AT ALL TIMES! That way, we'll never get hurt!


J/K.
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480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
sparky_magoo said:
Years ago, when I was in the union, we had a rule. When working on hot wires, always have one hand in the pocket. That way, you can never provide a path to ground.

Keeping one hand in your pocket won't prevent you from getting shocked. Doing so only gives you a false sense of security.

How easy would it be to put your finger on a energized lug, and your wrist or elbow on the (grounded) enclosure?
 

sparky_magoo

Senior Member
Location
Reno
I would really love to make a union comment, but I have great respect for George.:D

That being said, the one hand rule was stupid. If I needed to disco one wire, I unscrew it with one hand and pull out the wire with the other hand.
 

LawnGuyLandSparky

Senior Member
sparky_magoo said:
I would really love to make a union comment, but I have great respect for George.:D

That being said, the one hand rule was stupid. If I needed to disco one wire, I unscrew it with one hand and pull out the wire with the other hand.

That's what PMs are for!
 

wwhitney

Senior Member
Location
Berkeley, CA
Occupation
Retired
480sparky said:
Keeping one hand in your pocket won't prevent you from getting shocked. Doing so only gives you a false sense of security.
How easy would it be to put your finger on a energized lug, and your wrist or elbow on the (grounded) enclosure?
I thought the idea was that if you did get shocked while using only one hand, the current path wouldn't cross over your heart, so you would be less likely to be electrocuted. Is this true?

Thanks, Wayne
 
wwhitney said:
I thought the idea was that if you did get shocked while using only one hand, the current path wouldn't cross over your heart, so you would be less likely to be electrocuted. Is this true?

Thanks, Wayne

Right, unless you were a lefty in which case your heart is closer to the path to the ground than if you're a righty.
 

goindowner

Member
Location
Tallahassee.Fl
I was working for our local teephone company Cad Welding GEC's. When I took the GEC off of the ground rod at one of the services at a sub station,I received a good shock. I discovered the grounded conductor from the poco was broke lose. I learned to check for voltage after that. Glad you are okay.
 
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MAK

Senior Member
wwhitney said:
I thought the idea was that if you did get shocked while using only one hand, the current path wouldn't cross over your heart, so you would be less likely to be electrocuted. Is this true?

Thanks, Wayne

True, but what if you "wear your heart on you' re sleeve"?:grin:
 
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