testing gfci with a wood head

[don_resqcapt19]

Tom,

The path is you, if no EG is present. It hurts like HELL, so I have been told, but you should live if you are healthy, between such & such ages and all the other disclaimers that apply.

The path is you no matter what when the GFCI is doing its job to protect you. The only time that the EGC would make any difference is that if you are touching the hot and some conductive object that is directly connected to the EGC, the GFCI may trip a bit fasater. The time to trip goes down as the ground fault current goes up.

 

[roger3829]

Yes, GFCIs need a path to ground to operate. The path is you, if no EG is present. It hurts like HELL, so I have been told, but you should live if you are healthy, between such & such ages and all the other disclaimers that apply.

If you are in contact with the line and there is no ground, then you shouldn't get a shock.

If you are in contact with the line and come in contact with something that is grounded, then the GFCI will trip.

 

[ptonsparky]

Tom,

The path is you no matter what when the GFCI is doing its job to protect you. The only time that the EGC would make any difference is that if you are touching the hot and some conductive object that is directly connected to the EGC, the GFCI may trip a bit fasater. The time to trip goes down as the ground fault current goes up.

I think we are trying to say the same thing. An appliance with a three wire cord plugged into a GFCI with no EG will not necessarily trip until the appliance shell finds a way to ground. You via the sink. Ouch. Had the GFCI been installed with EG. No pain. Just a tripped unit. Pull the trigger on a faulty drill, again tripped GFCI. No pain, even though you are momentarily part of the return path.

 

[charlie b]

If you are in contact with the line and there is no ground, then you shouldn't get a shock.

A common, and dangerous, misconception. Touch a live wire and nothing else, while standing on a rubber mat with rubber soled boots, and you can still get a shock. It may even be a fatal shock. All electrical systems, even just single electrical wires, will have inherent capacitance. Touch a single live wire and that capacitance can discharge through your body.