cut off

[mcelweec@gmail.com]

although this is a controversial subject ,what is your cut off for working live?

 

[daleuger]

Your question is what's the highest V you will work live or am I misinterpreting that?

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

you left out 277
I will only work 277 if under safe situations and prefer never.

 

[1793]

I work mostly all residential "hot". There are times that I will deenergize circuits or call POCO for Off-On.

 

[wireguru]

will working on live 208v/200a kill me less than 208v with more than 200a available?

 

[e57]

The correct answer is not listed...

The factors of PPE, fault current calculations - NFPA 70E - Or putting your personal safety above your customers selfish whims.

That said I work live a bit - it depends on the OCP, situation, the equipment, and the evironment it might be in. Not necessarily the voltage or amperage of the equipment, although more care should be taken with higher voltages - but all should be treated with the same care. See table 130.7(C)(9)

And since I'm an 'employee' I can just say no anytime I want - or just out of principle....

 

[TOOL_5150]

I do service changes, 120/240v hot. I cut the drop and then reconnect it at the end of the day, but thats because my POCO is.... worthless.

Other than service changes.. I see no reason to work hot. It just isnt necessary in a resi situation.

~Matt

 

[LarryFine]

I do service changes, 120/240v hot.

Y'know, if we had more electricians like you, we'd have fewer electricians like you.

 

[Don S.]

We used to work 13800V and everything below it hot, but since NFPA 70-E crept in to our facility, that has changed. Our attitudes of ?I?ve been doing this hot for years, so just leave me alone so I can get it done?, have evolved to accepting the fact that working de-energized really is the smart thing. We rarely work anything hot today.

Not only was Knob & Tube part of my trade training, but it was the only single family residential wiring method permitted in the county at the time. When I showed up at Mike Holt?s code class in 1984, he just had to point out to the entire class that ?can you believe we have a guy here in the first row with an early 60s code book.?

 

[chevyx92]

If someone can work it hot, just as well as dead, then whats the difference? Its comes with the territory. You just have to know what your doing.

 

[iwire]

If someone can work it hot, just as well as dead, then whats the difference?

That is just such a stupid comment I can not come up with a reasonable reply. :roll:

 

[chevyx92]

That is just such a stupid comment I can not come up with a reasonable reply. :roll:

Why cause you have been brain washed into a false pretense of how electrical work is done? Things are worked hot everyday with no problems. Its guys like you that condescend on the guys who work things hot.

 

[mkgrady]

Why cause you have been brain washed into a false pretense of how electrical work is done? Things are worked hot everyday with no problems. Its guys like you that condescend on the guys who work things hot.

I have worked up to 13.8KV hot but it wasn't as safe as working it dead. Are you implying it is just as safe hot? It seems you may be. Is that what you mean?

 

[joebell]

Why cause you have been brain washed into a false pretense of how electrical work is done? Things are worked hot everyday with no problems. Its guys like you that condescend on the guys who work things hot.

Is it safer to work on the system energized or dead? It's that attitude that lands some guys in a burn unit.

 

[hurk27]

Is it safer to work on the system energized or dead? It's that attitude that lands some guys in a burn unit.

I would think dead because you can't feel it when your dead?

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

I would think twice if amperage is over 20. Yes can kill you with 20 amps but arc is also an issue not to be overlooked. Short out 277 at 1,000 amps and you have a ball of fire even if you don't get shocked you might end up dead

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I would think twice if amperage is over 20. Yes can kill you with 20 amps but arc is also an issue not to be overlooked. Short out 277 at 1,000 amps and you have a ball of fire even if you don't get shocked you might end up dead

The rating of the circuit or its OCPD does not really tell you anything about the available fault current and the size of the fireball. You could easily have 1000 amps of fault current on the load side of a 20 amp breaker.

 

[chevyx92]

I have worked up to 13.8KV hot but it wasn't as safe as working it dead.

So have I.

Are you implying it is just as safe hot? It seems you may be. Is that what you mean.

We're not talking about which is "Safer". Talking about working it hot or dead. You can just as easily work something hot as you can dead. I just hate how people categorize something being safe or not. It's all someone's opinion that translates to a practice that somehow might become a standard. One persons way isn't everyones way.

 

[peter d]

You can just as easily work something hot as you can dead.

That's by far one of the dumbest things I have ever read on this forum.

 

[360Youth]

So have I.




We're not talking about which is "Safer". Talking about working it hot or dead. You can just as easily work something hot as you can dead. I just hate how people categorize something being safe or not. It's all someone's opinion that translates to a practice that somehow might become a standard. One persons way isn't everyones way.

Yeah, but safety is usually determined by things a lot more involved than a person's comfort level. The weight of a potential error vs. a particular customer's inconvenience, for example. A breaker/service change done 100 times with no consequence won't matter that one time something goes wrong because the proper precautions weren't taken. That being said, I have done a lot of work energized, and a good portion of it unnecessarily so as not to inconvenience the customer. Thinking about my wife and boy creates a lot of safe thoughts.