In article , writes
tony sayer wrote:
Even if the shock is caused by you being between live and earth
the RCD only reduces the *electrical* effect to (hopefully)
sub-lethal levels. You will still get a jolt and if you are, for
example, on a ladder may fall off and injure yourself just as
badly as if the RCD had not been there.

Beg to differ.. as someone who was glued to a ladder due to lack of an
RCD(.

I really don't understand this on AC, I've never received a shock from
AC which has 'glued' me to anything and I've only ever heard anecdotal
evidence that this happens.

No it does happen and although it was some 25 years ago I still remember
it very vividly!. It was from an electric drill metal cased in the one
hand, literally!, and to a metal ladder in soft solid soil in the other
hand making the earth connection. Apparently it was lead sheathed cable
where the earth connection had come undone at the dist board and there
was no direct connection but for the Capactive leakage in the house
wiring. Very painful and I couldn't move or call out, total paralysis(

Presumably you became 'unglued' at some point or you wouldn't be here
to tell us about it! :-) Did you immediately try the same thing
with an RCD on the circuit and find that was alright?


Fortunately I was working with someone who cottoned on too what was
happening, and he unplugged the drill. Apparently, he had a similar
thing before with the same type of drill and he was able to kick the
plug out of the socket. Thank god for the 1974 health and safety at work
act!, double insulation, and RCD's)

In those days RCD's were almost unheard of but had one been in place it
would have repeatedly tripped and shown up the "earth" fault. And no I'm
not going back there as it was a very long time ago, and I still shiver
whenever I go past there with what did happen, and how that might have
ended up!.

At the hospital the doctor said if it had gone on for much longer the
heart would have not worked properly etc, and that would have been that,
and I'd have been in permanent "earth" connection.....
--
Tony Sayer