In article , Owain owain41276@
stirlingcity.co.uk writes
"tony sayer" wrote
| The RCD won't *ever* trip if you put your finger across live and
| neutral, it dosn't trip on that sort of fault.
| *Not strictly true, if you know how an RCD actually works. There
| will still be "some" leakage current through your body that does
| not go back via the neutral return so if that exceeds the RCD
| trip current, quite likely, then out she goes!.....
| Standing on a ladder on a wooden (probably) floor the leakage
| through your body to earth will be virtually non-existent.
| You'll probably have shoes with rubber/plastic soles as well.
| Don't you believe it!. Well if you do, then grab the mains in one
| hand and note the results.

I have done exactly this in the past, standing on rubber-backed carpet tiles
on a dry suspended timber floor. I vibrated gently at 50Hz and the RCD did
not trip. This was not a glancing touch as I was holding the L wire
intending to put it into a replacement socket faceplate.[1]

Course some people conduct better then others;!....

| Usual disclaimer don't they this at home unless by doing so you'll
| help the gene pool along.......

Glad I can do my bit for the gene pool without being forced into the messy
business of procreation :-)

Theres a howler there somewhere....

Owain

[1] I pulled out the fuse and checked the first socket. Dead. Checked the
second socket. Dead. How the f'k was I supposed to guess the third socket in
the lounge was on the garage circuit (garage being on opposite side of
house, as well).


On three occasions over the years I've seen someone take apparently dead
wires in their hands and mutter "I suppose this *is* dead"?. Touch them
together, and you'll soon find out SEZ I

On each occasion there was a flash and loud bang!, very loud in the
first instance as it was a three phase supply.

Last time was in the belfry of Ely Cathedral where once had been a
mobile phone base station. The 'err "short circuit" took out most of the
lights as well as disrupting a service.

A bit of positive spin helped lots,

"ere look arch-bish-whatever guv" "just imagine if that little lot had
gone up by accident at night eh?"

"wouldn't have any where to pray now would yer?"

Seemed to earn a lot of brownie points

--
Tony Sayer