Gigsy
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Hi I am studying to become an electrician.
There are a few things I do not fully understand regarding shocks and earth and I cannot find the answers to some of my questions.
Can anyone help me understand the following points regarding a standard TN system.
1) If you are in a loft or a 2nd floor, how can you get a shock from touching a live conductor, does the building structure ground you? if so surly the shock cannot be that bad, surly the resistance of the building should be really high. How does the electricity find a path to earth? The building is wood and brick. Wood and brick have a high resistance. This makes no sense to me.
2) If I stood on a rubber mat (or a different high resistance insulator) can I then touch a live conductor, without getting a shock?
3) Even when you are just standing on the ground, how can there be enough current passing through your body to harm you if you touch a live conductor. I mean The resistance of the earth is reasonably high, the current would have to go through your body then through the earth all the way back to the transformer. Surly not much current would flow. If I touched a light bulb to the line conductor and attached a conductor to the negative of the light bulb, then touched the other end of the conductor to earth, would the bulb light up?
There are a few things I do not fully understand regarding shocks and earth and I cannot find the answers to some of my questions.
Can anyone help me understand the following points regarding a standard TN system.
1) If you are in a loft or a 2nd floor, how can you get a shock from touching a live conductor, does the building structure ground you? if so surly the shock cannot be that bad, surly the resistance of the building should be really high. How does the electricity find a path to earth? The building is wood and brick. Wood and brick have a high resistance. This makes no sense to me.
2) If I stood on a rubber mat (or a different high resistance insulator) can I then touch a live conductor, without getting a shock?
3) Even when you are just standing on the ground, how can there be enough current passing through your body to harm you if you touch a live conductor. I mean The resistance of the earth is reasonably high, the current would have to go through your body then through the earth all the way back to the transformer. Surly not much current would flow. If I touched a light bulb to the line conductor and attached a conductor to the negative of the light bulb, then touched the other end of the conductor to earth, would the bulb light up?