G
Guest
Guest
Hello
Doing some training at the moment and am confused. I have a friend who touched a live wire at the ceiling whilst fitting a rose, without turning off the power. When he touched it with his finger he said he felt it heat up and then pulled it away, like touching a hot kettle. He said he felt a rushing sensation through his arm and chest, but is unsure if this was panic upon realising what had happened, or some kind of shock. He also said that when he went to turn off the power the RCD had tripped, which it is set to at 30mA. He was standing on stepladders with plastic sheets and bare feet, and holding an insulated screwdriver and a metal plate one the other hand. He felt fine and went to the doctor and had full check up, neurological test and ECG and is fine, has no entry burn but what looks like a burn at his elbow that he realised a few days later, but I don’t think it’s related as it looks like a superficial friction burn.
My confusion lies here:
1. If the RCD tripped, surely that means that 30mA current was received, why is he absolutely fine? I thought a current of this range would cause at least some pain, whereas the symptoms he describes are akin to a 1mA current.
2. I think the voltage was 230V as it is in Scotland, if he felt heat why would there be no burns, especially if there was a large current. The burn at his elbow can’t be an exit point, as it is not a path to ground, can it?
3. Did the fact that he was standing on a plastic sheet mean that there was no path to ground, and that there was no shock at all and he only felt heat on the fingertip?
Im obviously glad he is ok! I have also sternly told him how lucky he is and to never attempt anything unless he knows what he is doing. I am just a little confused, apologies if this is obvious, I have just started my training.
Thank you!
Doing some training at the moment and am confused. I have a friend who touched a live wire at the ceiling whilst fitting a rose, without turning off the power. When he touched it with his finger he said he felt it heat up and then pulled it away, like touching a hot kettle. He said he felt a rushing sensation through his arm and chest, but is unsure if this was panic upon realising what had happened, or some kind of shock. He also said that when he went to turn off the power the RCD had tripped, which it is set to at 30mA. He was standing on stepladders with plastic sheets and bare feet, and holding an insulated screwdriver and a metal plate one the other hand. He felt fine and went to the doctor and had full check up, neurological test and ECG and is fine, has no entry burn but what looks like a burn at his elbow that he realised a few days later, but I don’t think it’s related as it looks like a superficial friction burn.
My confusion lies here:
1. If the RCD tripped, surely that means that 30mA current was received, why is he absolutely fine? I thought a current of this range would cause at least some pain, whereas the symptoms he describes are akin to a 1mA current.
2. I think the voltage was 230V as it is in Scotland, if he felt heat why would there be no burns, especially if there was a large current. The burn at his elbow can’t be an exit point, as it is not a path to ground, can it?
3. Did the fact that he was standing on a plastic sheet mean that there was no path to ground, and that there was no shock at all and he only felt heat on the fingertip?
Im obviously glad he is ok! I have also sternly told him how lucky he is and to never attempt anything unless he knows what he is doing. I am just a little confused, apologies if this is obvious, I have just started my training.
Thank you!
