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What causes electrocution |
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Safety switch located
within sight of water heater, air conditioner, or equipment such as
power saw can offer protection against electrocution Resource: How to wire safety switch |
| Electrocution:
People
get electrocuted, because they become the pathway for
electricity to reach earth. Although it is not known exactly what
electricity is, we can say that it has to do with charged electrons
seeking to equalize the charge with other electrons. For example a static shock from rubbing feet across a carpet and touching a doorknob is caused by unequal charge. The electrons produced by friction of feet on carpet are equalizing with the charge of electrons on the doorknob. Of course the number of electrons is small so you are not harmed. The shock from a live electric wire is much larger than a static charge from carpet. The power plant generator rotates a magnet past coils of wire, and this causes charged electrons to flow down the wire. The earth likewise contains electrons that have a different charge than electrons on the wire. Read about electric generation As a result, electrons on the wire will follow any pathway to earth in an effort to equalize the charge. Except the generator keeps pumping out charged electrons and if you become the pathway for all those electrons, it will kill you. That's one basis for electrocution, but doesn't cover all possible hazards. The ground wire helps reduce the risk of electrocution by offering a resistance-free path for electrons to reach earth. What is resistance? Imagine that charged electrons are like marbles, and resistance is a hill that surrounds the marbles and stops them from rolling away. If there is no resistance, the marbles are free to roll away. Electrons will 'roll away' like marbles when they are attracted by unequal charge with other electrons. If there is some resistance, then the marbles can only roll away if the marbles get piled up so high that they spill over the top, and overcome the resistance. A properly installed ground should have no resistance, while a person's body offers a fair amount of resistance, and so the ground wire becomes the easiest pathway for electrons to follow, thus helping to prevent electrocution in some instances. In normal circumstances, if electrons are running wildly into the ground wire, the Hot wire that supplies the source of electrons becomes overheated by the massive number of electrons pouring down the wire. The circuit breaker detects the heat, trips, and cuts off the flow of electrons. However, the breaker is 'slow acting,' and will not trip immediately. This means the ground wire and breaker cannot protect someone exposed to live electricity while standing in water or on bare soil or touching a grounded object such as clothes dryer or hull of a ship. For safety, make sure to avoid becoming the pathway for electrons by following basic electrical safety practices, testing if power is off, not wandering around at night after a violent storm blows down power lines, and installing ground fault interrupter (GFCI) on any vulnerable circuit. Circuits that need GFCI include bathroom, kitchen, and outdoor outlets, switches and equipment. The GFCI will instantly react to the rush of electrons, just as they start to flow to earth, and cut off the circuit before the person gets killed. Ground wires are permanent and do not need to be checked periodically at a home or business unless a direct hit by lightning melts the wire. Resource: How to wire GFCI What is electricity Difference between surge and ground |
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| Other causes of electrocution -Lightning. During a storm, charged electrons gather in the clouds. The charged electrons are caused by the electromagnetic nature of earth, including friction between moving air masses. The updraft of hot air into cold clouds causes friction between air molecules that frees charged electrons, similar to how rubbing socks across a carpet creates a static charge. Because air is a good insulator, it stops electrons from equalizing. As a result, pockets of charged electrons gather in different areas of the clouds. The charge in one pocket will be different from the charge in another pocket. The charge is also different than the charge on the earth below. The storm now carries a huge number of unequal charges that want to equalize, except for the resistance of air. Air has high resistance. That's why high voltage power lines are suspended above the ground. The higher the voltage, the higher the wires have to be. The power lines carry electrons that will jump to earth if a pathway exists. The air helps stop the electrons on the wire from equalizing with earth. Inside a storm cloud, the electrons are not free to equalize because air offers high resistance. The charged electrons must build up in massive numbers before they overcome the resistance of air. When the number of charged electrons becomes large enough, the electrons will flash in a bolt of lightning. The lightning will carry electrons to any area that contains electrons with a different charge.The electrons will flow freely until the resistance of the air again exceeds the charge. If electrons build up again, another bolt of lightning will occur from the same area. If a person is struck by lightning, the electrons can burn through the body, shorting out the brain, heart and nervous system. Outcomes vary. Lightning can hit nearby, and jump from object to object finding any pathway to discharge, including someone standinbg nearby. -Electric chair: Basically the human is connected to 2 Hot wires, one at the top and one at the bottom of the body. Each wire carries electrons with exactly opposite charge of the other wire. When power is turned ON, the electrons burn through the body, similar to a light bulb, except unlike the light bulb, the human has resistance which requires considerably more amperage. The final outcome, if done correctly, is resolved within minutes. If done incorrectly, the human may survive somewhat. In any case, there is a reason why a hood is placed over the person's head, as electrocution causes distorted and uncontrolled expression on the face, and executioners and wittinesses might be unpleasantly exposed to the spectacle. -Stealing copper wire: This profession attracts the less affluent from society, giving them a lottery-like chance of electrocution, prosecution, or if lucky, a few dollars toward the day's human needs. If done correctly, the work offers exciting opportunities without benefits. Done incorrectly then negative outcomes range from serious burn injury to getting carbonized into a charcoal lump as the body becomes the pathway for electrons on the wire to equalize with earth. Electricity causes muscles to contract, making it impossible to release oneself from the hazard. And so once grabbed, a person is stuck until the electricity burns through the body. Anyone grabbing the person will also become stuck unless a friend knocks them loose with a 2x4 or pulls them off using a belt or dry towel. I do not recommend the profession, and suggest careful study beforehand, but acknowledge that on-the-job training is cheaper than paying for college. |
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Safety More people are killed by 120 volt that all other voltages. Do not touch a person being electrocuted, knock em loose with a non-conductive 2x4. Do not apply water to electrical burn. Get help immediately. People making the error of stealing copper wire and transformer oil at substations are frequently burned into carbon. The suffering is quick once high voltage strikes a human body, except for folks who witnessed the event. I don't mean to sound indifferent, more than advising caution. I was working on live 120 volt in customer's attic. Sweated shirt and leaning into metal AC duct, the next thing I remember was coming back to consciousness while crawling toward the attic stairway. I was unhurt because the contact was brief, but SWORE never to work on live power again. Good idea. Turn power off. Always stand on dry insulated surface such as boards when working with electricity. Turn off breaker, but do not assume power is off. Test with non-contact voltage tester. When testing live power, tape tester leads to wood sticks to keep hands away from power. Paint sticks and masking tape work fine. Do not lean over and put head into live circuit. Step back and then pick up tools. Stay off aluminum ladder. Use approved fiberglass ladder, or safest plan: hire licensed electrician and go out and buy a newspaper. Buy from my affiliate links: Electric testers  Non contact voltage tester Fiberglass ladder Electric installation books Resource My electric links |
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