Fitting and bulb full of water, light still working!

[DNS1]

Had a call from a family member today saything they'd had a flood and the elecs had tripped.

Dropped by and reset the RCD. It held, so I assumed whatever had got wet had dried out.

Started pulling a few boards up and everything seemed ok, damp plaster but nothing too bad...

Went into the downstairs loo to see if there was any sign of damp in the light fitting. I removed the globe over the bulb and got VERY wet! Was full to the brim with water, but the light was working fine!

Immediately isolated and started investigating, found the actual bulb (old GLS) itself had water in it...

Just goes to show how even in this day and age of highly reliable MCBs and RCD protection on everything, electrical kit can still end up submerged and not trip out!

 

[shuffler]

Same with immersion heaters, element exposed to water does not always cause disconnection, depends on purity or otherwise of water.
Take care out there.

 

[Knobhead]

I had a MCC panel about 3’ deep in water. It was like a sauna in the room, the water between the bus-bar risers was merrily boiling. Didn't try making tea from it though.

 

[DNS1]

I wonder if I'd left it alone the water would have boiled in my light fitting!

Wonder how long it would have been before the steam and condensation caused the RCD to go...

 

[Knobhead]

Don't think thats on of the list of "let's see what happens" you should try at home.

 

[DNS1]

Reminds me of something the lads on my Student Union technical committee used to do...

Get a figure-8 lead, replace the fuse with a nail and stick the end in a glass of salt water (I think!). Hold the MCB on and watch as it "danced" around on the table...

They wanted to try it with a 125A 3-phase cable and a dustbin but someone thought better of it...

 

[Knobhead]

Sounds the sort of thing we'd get up to. Bored apprentices = trouble.

 

[DNS1]

Dicking about and bodging is one of the great learning processes!

Sadly health and safety took over at our student union, no opportunity for people to learn like we used to.

 

[Brightspark2]

I often find floodlights full of water and still working. The control gear housing full to the brim with dirty and water and no loss of power.

As said depends on the conductivity of the water...

 

[oldtimer]

well a month ago I was called out to a bathroom 28 watt 2D fitting so I went to rotate the cover off only to find whoever put it on last only turned it a bit so expecting to rotate it round I just touched it and yep the whole lot came down all over me . Went to return the keys and the girls in the letting agents thought I had peed myself lol not a good day

 

[Engineer54]

As said depends on the conductivity of the water...​

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And why they only use deionized water on high pressure cleaning of HV stings and insulators on overhead pylons!! lol!!

 

[Brightspark2]

And why they only use deionized water on high pressure cleaning of HV stings and insulators on overhead pylons!! lol!!

Dont fancy that job!!!!

Thats a job for the apprentice.

"Is it definitely the deionized stuff boss?" :goofy:

"Yeh for sure, just blast it" :uhoh2:

"I cant hear you boss, why are you stood so far away?" :dizzy2:

"Im just fetching a sky hook, just spray it will you!" :builder:

 

[Thefailsafe2012]

Haha I had this happen to me as well! Caught the whole thing on video, should have sent it off to harry hill really and got some money for it!

 

[Knobhead]

And why they only use deionized water on high pressure cleaning of HV stings and insulators on overhead pylons!! lol!!

We used it for the power cables for furnaces. Each flexable could have up to 4000A flowing through it. Water pumped down each cable. If the return water temp went above the low alarm limit, it was panic time. High limit, get the fire hoses out!

 

[DNS1]

Bliddy hell!

Hearing things like that make me VERY glad I only do domestic!

Out of interest, how hot did those furnaces get?!