how fast does it go

[Pondy]

Ok, this is the scenario, been to a block of low level flats, four stories high, turns out it has continuity between the switched live and earth on the top floor. It has what I call a 'slow blow' the mcb does trip when it is turned on, but crucially it takes two seconds or so for the mcb to trip. I mentioned this to a guy who has more experience than me, he said it's because it takes a couple of seconds for the electricity to flow up to the top and then all the way back down to the board and then trip the mcb.
Is this correct? This guy is not a joker and I didn't what to say anything unless I was sure

 

[telectrix]

he's pulling your chain, mate.

 

[Engineer54]

he's pulling your chain, mate.

God forbid if he's Not!! ...lol!!

 

[telectrix]

everyone knows that electricity is a canny substance. it will use the lift.

 

[guest119]

Depends on whether it goes up the stairs or the lift.


Boydy

 

[Brightspark2]

Made me laugh that...

Its a wind up...and one I am going to remember and use myself now ha ha...

 

[Plonker 3]

I cant believe you have never noticed that when you switch on a row of lights from one switch, that the end fitting is always the last one to come on*


Disclaimer: This is may not be true, and you are either having your leg pulled by someone, or are working with someone who doesn't know what they are talking about.

 

[Silly Sausage]

I cant believe you have never noticed that when you switch on a row of lights from one switch, that the end fitting is always the last one to come on.

And why, in adverts and films, when they turn lights off, it makes a great big noise?!?!

 

[telectrix]

because it's american. well known for being noisy, especially the female ones. ( qv jeremy spronger)

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Some will tell you that electricity 'travels' at the speed of light and that's not true either except in a vacuum. AC doesn't travel at all, it just wibbles backwards and forwards like a jelly. That is why, on telephone lines where the electricity has to wibble very fast, and high current underground cables where it wibbles vigorously, you can sometimes find jelly leaking out of the end.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Depends how you define Electricity?
No one knows!!!

You could say the transfer of energy is close to the speed of light, or some other very fast speed!

 

[JulianC]

Sounds about right to me - just work it out: 4 storeys, so say 3m per storey. That's 12m. Knock off a metre at the bottom, 'cos the board's not mounted on the floor, and assume we are talking about the lighting circuit in the top floor ceiling and, crucially, not the sockets a couple of metres lower. That gives us 11m up and 11m back down, or 22m for the electricity to travel. 22m in a couple of seconds equates to a speed of 11m/s.

Now the speed of light is 299,792,458m/s, which is approx. 11m/s, so your learned colleague is speaking the truth. Obviously.

 

[Brightspark2]

And why, in adverts and films, when they turn lights off, it makes a great big noise?!?!

Like us humans electricity only likes to be turned on.....and not off...no one likes a turn off...especially when there turned on!...

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Pondy

its not far off the speed of light, so it would take a couple of seconds if the cable ran out to Venus and back.

 

[guest119]

Pondy

its not far off the speed of light, so it would take a couple of seconds if the cable ran out to Venus and back.

And a few seconds more to youranus. :ciappa:

Boydy