JWW
New member
- Location
- Hanahan, SC
Why is it recommended to open or close 480 volt breakers etc...with your left hand? Many electricians are concerned that they are exposed to greater danger if the equipment blows and the door opens.
Opening and Closing 480 volt breakers
- Thread starter JWW
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K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
It has been shown that we cannot count on the door of an enclosure to completely contain a high energy arc blast.
The idea is to not be in front of the panel. Since most discos have the lever on the right, using your left hand should put you to the side of the disco instead of directly in front of it.
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
I don't think it matters which hand you use as long as there is no short circuit present then you shoud be fine either way...
I pretend that I know as soon as I hit the switch, a bomb inside the enclosure will go off. I figure out where I would like to be standing when the bomb goes off and that is where I position myself when I operate the switch.
Hopefully I will always be wrong about the bomb.
zog
Senior Member
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
I don't use either hand, we use remote operators for all breaker operations nowadays.
masterinbama
Senior Member
- Location
- Huntsville Alabama
zog
Senior Member
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
That thing is worthless, remote operator for remote operated breakers. Just a one trick pony for pistol grips. Mine can wirelessly close any breaker, switch, or MCC out there.
earlejohnson
Member
- Location
- ga.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Cow
Senior Member
- Location
- Eastern Oregon
- Occupation
- Electrician
weressl
Esteemed Member
It depends which side of the door the handle is. You're poking around the right idea though. That is that whichever hand one uses the person should not be standing directly front of the equipment. So if the handle is on the right side - most disconnects and some MCC's - then using your left hand your body would be to the right from the expectable energy release path. When the handle is on the left side - most MCC's - the whole thing is opposite of the above. Of course always wear the PPE level warranted by the available energy.
weressl
Esteemed Member
eric9822
Senior Member
- Location
- Camarillo, CA
- Occupation
- Electrical and Instrumentation Tech
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
I was taught to operate from the hinge side of the enclosure.
zog
Senior Member
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
Agreed, it works fine for pistol grips, if the cord is long enough, which it usually is for MV breakers. But usually even pistol grip equiped main LV breakers have too large of an arc flash boundary.
zog
Senior Member
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
Here you go, EC&M 2011 POY winner. You use the same base system and different attachments for different styles of breakers, MCC's, molded case, switches, etc.. They even have attachments that can charge manually operated breakers, close, and trip them without getting near the breaker. Everything is attached magnetically, no need to modify the equipment. http://www.remoterackingsolutions.com/remote-switch-operators.htm
earlejohnson
Member
- Location
- ga.
tish53
Member
- Location
- richmond, VA
Many of our older MCC's have the handle on the left side. Newer MCC's and fused disconnects have handles on the right side. We train everyone to wear the proper PPE and stand to the appropriate side ( side that puts most of you away from the front of the door).
I like the bomb thought. May be stealing that one.
I like the bomb thought. May be stealing that one.
Our operators are on the side opposite the hinge. That would stretch you across the main path of the blast.
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