Bang! Large flash / bang at voltmeter tips.

[Tasty]

Hi all,

Just had quite a fright & must say I'm pretty annoyed with myself.

I've just tested the ends of a wire to check if it was live (using a fluke voltmeter) and had a massive flash and bang at the points of the probes). I'm annoyed because I should have isolated the circuit and terminated the wire in a block rather than testing wire as it was found (it was left as you'd find twin and earth if had just been cut, not stripped).

Could you guys help me with what the bang was so I can learn properly from this mistake? (I'd have said it was the very loose contact I had between probes and wires but I'd appreciate any thoughts and correction on this). The rcd and mcb blew but everything seems ok now. I've isolated the wire at the switched fused spur unit the cable leads to & will fully isolate before terminating the wire properly now.

Thanks in advance,

Stu

 

[Tasty]

I'm thinking of purchasing a Fluke LVD2 non contact voltage tester - i'm hoping this will solve the issue as it detects from 1-5'' away.

Also, as the cable was on a 20A fused spur, will the cable or spur unit need replacing after such an incident?

 

[malcolmsanford]

If it was a spur I would imagine it would have been either 13amp or a 3amp BS 1361 or whatever this month they are called.

I wouldn't think so as it seems the RCD and the MCB tripped. I bet the fuse didn't though.

 

[Former Sponsor TM]

I think there is a lesson to be learned here! I personally have had 3 shocks and I'm not even a sparky, the worst of mine was cutting a stage light off of the truss using a Leatherman! I learnt my lesson and now ALWAYS check and isolate before going anywhere near electricity.

Everyone on this forum could do with one of our Safe Isolation Kits If we only save 1 life then it’s worth it, Seriously guys if you look at what’s in this kit it's REALLY good value, we make very little money on all isolation kits because it's the one place we can actually make a difference!

Look after yourselves!

 

[ian.settle1]

I think there is a lesson to be learned here! I personally have had 3 shocks and I'm not even a sparky, the worst of mine was cutting a stage light off of the truss using a Leatherman! I learnt my lesson and now ALWAYS check and isolate before going anywhere near electricity.

Everyone on this forum could do with one of our Safe Isolation Kits If we only save 1 life then it’s worth it, Seriously guys if you look at what’s in this kit it's REALLY good value, we make very little money on all isolation kits because it's the one place we can actually make a difference!

Look after yourselves!

Have got to laugh at your posting you tell us you cut through a cable using a leatherman and got a leccy shock then the next paragraph you try and sell us a safe isolation kit,
don't you think you should have used one before cutting the cable.

 

[telectrix]

Have got to laugh at your posting you tell us you cut through a cable using a leatherman and got a leccy shock then the next paragraph you try and sell us a safe isolation kit,
don't you think you should have used one before cutting the cable.

think it's known as learning from mistakes. we all done a silly one at one time or another.

 

[Former Sponsor TM]

Have got to laugh at your posting you tell us you cut through a cable using a leatherman and got a leccy shock then the next paragraph you try and sell us a safe isolation kit,
don't you think you should have used one before cutting the cable.

I agree, but I didn't plan on cutting the cable! I slipped as I was trying to cut the lamp free that was gaffered onto the truss (Should have being a G clamp) My boss at the time wasn't too impressed as I came hurtling down onto the stage!

Fortunately I got away with a telling off and a few bruises

 

[ian.settle1]

I agree, but I didn't plan on cutting the cable! I slipped as I was trying to cut the lamp free that was gaffered onto the truss (Should have being a G clamp) My boss at the time wasn't too impressed as I came hurtling down onto the stage!

Fortunately I got away with a telling off and a few bruises

What did your boss say having problems flying Tinkerbell

 

[SMB]

And..... where did the leatherman land !?

 

[Former Sponsor TM]

My boss was pretty worried: I was only 16 but you tend to "bounce" when your that age! I was really lucky that we were packing down the gig, the whole stage plunged into darkness with a huge bang and a crash! It could have being much worse if the stage was full of equipment, the leatherman ended up on the floor and got banned from all future events!