Circuit breaker Explosion Video?

[salm10]

I recall that Bussmann or maybe it was someone else used to have on their website a few clips of small or medium size circuit breakers exploding when subjected to fault currents in excess of their IC rating. I can't find them today and I need to show similar to my client. Does anyone have a link or two or to something like this?

Many Thanks.

 

[sii]

I don't know if you will find exactly what you're looking for but search "arc flash" on YouTube. You will get some amazing videos like this one:

="http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iClXrd50Z8"

The bell at the end like is the best part. Like "Hey, your meatloaf is done".

 

[mxslick]

And there's THIS ONE of a breaker failure, blowing the door open.

As well as a serious accident during a racking-in of a breaker. HERE, sadly this was a fatal incident.

 

[jimday]

That one was hard to watch.....

 

[Karl H]

While watching that video,I couldn't stop thinking to myself, "Man, I've racked
in a lot of breakers wearing only a cotton short-sleeve T-shirt,and didn't even
think twice about it. I am so lucky to be alive today.

 

[mxslick]

Jim and Karl,

I agree that the video was hard to watch..but it does make one more aware of what can go wrong.

In bith my time as an electrician and in my current line of work, I have also been very lucky...I have worked panels hot, reclosed OCPD without giving thought as to why it had tripped, etc.

I am now older and wiser.

Hopefully this forum and the posts save someone's life.

 

[zog]

I recall that Bussmann or maybe it was someone else used to have on their website a few clips of small or medium size circuit breakers exploding when subjected to fault currents in excess of their IC rating. I can't find them today and I need to show similar to my client. Does anyone have a link or two or to something like this?

Many Thanks.

I know the videos you are talking about and might have them somewhere, I will get back to you.

 

[Karl H]

What is really scary to me, is I've reset GFP's and never thought to clear the fault first in my "Younger" years. I bet many lives would of been saved
back then if we would of had a "Internet." Arc flash wasn't even a topic
of the 4 hour safety meetings we used to sit thru back in the day at Exxon,
or Shell. They were all about ladder safety, tie-off,and lock-out-tag-out.
Remember those? Always wear your safety glasses!

 

[RHJohnson]

I watched both those video's. It really makes a person think...... Lucky for me I learned early to test everything after a trip and before re-closing. Hard to understand that arc fault on racking a breaker in. Having worked breakers up to 13.8 kv and 2000 amp - and never knew what PPE was..... it makes me realize how we were taught to be very careful about everything we did.
Now I worry more about poorly trained electricians and their supervisors putting too much emphasis on PPE and not enough on knowing what proper test procedures to follow.

Like on this forum, it seems many have never used a megger. I am sure I missed a few, but generally speaking every wire and cable I ever installed got meggered. A multi meter may pick up a dead short or ground. But what about the scrape or nick in the insulation that does not quite register on your meter. Hope it lasts until "they" forget who did the installation.

You always need to think about safety. We all think we are doing our work safely, and mostly we do....but a top priority should be that the homeowner or small business will be safe. If they have a problem they are going to look for it, or at it, before calling for help - we don't want them to have a shocking experience thanks to us.

 

[jayelvington]

We have seen a large change in the past decade of how companies approach electrical safety. I think we are in a time where customers are starting to change their mindset and budgets accordingly. Most companies have the mindset that PPE is simply one aspect of the safety. We see arc resistant medium voltage gear, remote racking devices and even self racking breakers, policies to rack only with the door door closed, etc. Most want to not only protect there operators, but remove them as far from the situation as possible. They have larger budgets for safety related expenses and don't hedge on using them.

I am glad to see this change taking place as one life lost is one to many.

 

[mxslick]

<snip>I watched both those video's. It really makes a person think...... Lucky for me I learned early to test everything after a trip and before re-closing. Hard to understand that arc fault on racking a breaker in. Having worked breakers up to 13.8 kv and 2000 amp - and never knew what PPE was..... it makes me realize how we were taught to be very careful about everything we did.

I did find in my research about the racking-in video that the problem was a defect in the breaker itself, it wasn't properly tested before being racked in.

Honestly, in the situation in that video, if I had racked in many breakers with no issues I too would have not given thought to something like that happening.

(I have never dealt with that type of gear or breaker. )

 

[Doug S.]

Now I worry more about poorly trained electricians and their supervisors putting too much emphasis on PPE and not enough on knowing what proper test procedures to follow.

I'll second that.

Especially since the protection required is rated so as stop burns from being 3rd degree. ( Basically )

So there you stand, all suited up, protected to the extent the law requires, you could still walk away w/ a bunch of 2nd degree burns.


Doug S.

 

[brother]

I did find in my research about the racking-in video that the problem was a defect in the breaker itself, it wasn't properly tested before being racked in.

Honestly, in the situation in that video, if I had racked in many breakers with no issues I too would have not given thought to something like that happening.

(I have never dealt with that type of gear or breaker. )

do you have info as to where this happen, who this person was, and what voltage/amperage that breaker was. I see you said that this person died, how old was he and how long ago did this happen??

 

[mxslick]

do you have info as to where this happen, who this person was, and what voltage/amperage that breaker was. I see you said that this person died, how old was he and how long ago did this happen??

IIRC, it was in Columbia, the voltage was 480, no idea on the amperage. The source (it was supplied on one of the postings on Youtube I think, there are many "copies" of this video running around.) That source only mentioned the place and voltage and that it was a fatality. No other info about the person involved was given.

 

[Jraef]

There are several reference comments to it being in Columbia, but not everyone is convinced. Some think the basic procedures shown (up to the point where the safety protocols broke down) imply those typical of the US. Also, Columbia would probably not use ANSI switchgear, it would be more likely to be IEC design.


Side note, this is a reenactment, but another cautionary tale.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2098801008541895226

 

[glene77is]

I learned early to test everything after a trip and before re-closing.
.

RH,

Someone should describe a generic 'safe procedure'.

This is a good context for a safety lesson,
since we have arc blasted everybody's attention.

I work industrial and motor controls.
I've been lucky, 44 years.
We talk and practice safe procedures here,
but not on primary power.

 

[LarryFine]

Someone should describe a generic 'safe procedure'.

I'd like to see a how-it's-done video.