Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I did
not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and neutral).
All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to the neutral or
earth with the pliers. No effect this time.

So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
disconnected at the breaker?

I completed replacing the switch, switched on the breaker and everything
works ok.

Peter.

There is no residual electricity, you probably switched off the wrong
breaker or there was a second live circuit in the box



"PVR" wrote in message
...
Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I did
not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and neutral).
All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to the neutral
or earth with the pliers. No effect this time.

So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
disconnected at the breaker?

I completed replacing the switch, switched on the breaker and everything
works ok.

Peter.

PVR wrote:

Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I did
not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and neutral).
All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to the neutral or
earth with the pliers. No effect this time.

So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
disconnected at the breaker?

I completed replacing the switch, switched on the breaker and everything
works ok.

Peter.


Maybe somebody flipped the breaker back on. And are you sure you
flipped the right breaker?

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

I always introduce a intential short to check for such mistakes as
triopped wrong breaker or the dreaded this box contains 2 seperate live
circuits fed by 2 breakers.

better its a screwdrver frying than me flying across the
room............

Agreed,

When you went back to the breaker box, did you find an additional breaker in
the tripped position?

A neon light or meter between each combination of 2 wires is a good CYA
test.

GFCI usually trip with much less drama at least hot or neutral WRT ground.
Hot to neutral may could tripped the breaker and left a GFCI still set.



"RBM" rbm2(remove wrote in message
...
There is no residual electricity, you probably switched off the wrong
breaker or there was a second live circuit in the box



"PVR" wrote in message
...
Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I
did not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and
neutral). All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to
the neutral or earth with the pliers. No effect this time.

So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
disconnected at the breaker?

I completed replacing the switch, switched on the breaker and everything
works ok.

Peter.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I always introduce a intential short to check for such mistakes as
triopped wrong breaker or the dreaded this box contains 2 seperate live
circuits fed by 2 breakers.

better its a screwdrver frying than me flying across the
room............

Better still to use a voltage detector. An intentional short?!

That is why I always wear sneakers, leather gloves and safety glasses when
working in the breaker box. Worse case grounding a bus bar -- 100 A can
melt quite a bit of metal and spat it towards you.


"PVR" wrote in message
...
Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I did
not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and neutral).
All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to the neutral
or earth with the pliers. No effect this time.

So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
disconnected at the breaker?

I completed replacing the switch, switched on the breaker and everything
works ok.

Peter.

posted for all of us...
I don't top post - see either inline or at bottom.

I always introduce a intential short to check for such mistakes as
triopped wrong breaker or the dreaded this box contains 2 seperate live
circuits fed by 2 breakers.

better its a screwdrver frying than me flying across the
room............


This just adds to the other fundy answers and comments elsewhere.
Avoid this guy.
--
Tekkie

Hey its not funny to get hit bad, where a quick no spark assures your
not about to work in a hot box.

I have also worked on high voltage devices, better safe than sorry.

So you think my redundancy stuff is funny?

Think about that the next time something essential breaks in your home.
My best friend has had 2 washers and 2 dryers for over 30 years that I
have known him.

This summer I am drilling a water well in my back yard, for irrigation
and back up of city water. my hydra drill knock off is in place.

In article , peterv666
@nospam.adelphia.com says...
Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I did
not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and neutral).
All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to the neutral or
earth with the pliers. No effect this time.

So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
disconnected at the breaker?

What all is on the circuit? Anything that would include a large
capacitor?

--
is Joshua Putnam
http://www.phred.org/~josh/
Updated Bicycle Touring Books List:
http://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/tourbooks.html

PVR wrote:
Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I did
not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and neutral).
All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to the neutral or
earth with the pliers. No effect this time.

So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
disconnected at the breaker?

I completed replacing the switch, switched on the breaker and everything
works ok.

Peter.

Did any other breakers trip when you got the sparks?

Was there voltage across the neutral and ground?

Could be part of an Edison cicuit.
http://www.phy.ornl.gov/divops/ESH/98-2.html

In article . com, " wrote:
Hey its not funny to get hit bad, where a quick no spark assures your
not about to work in a hot box.

Voltage testers work even better -- and it's cheaper in the long run to buy
one voltage tester than to keep replacing burned-up screwdrivers.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Many answers, for which I'm grateful. None of them applied except possibly
yours. On that 15 amp circuit there are a number of 4ft (80 watt)
fluorescents but collectively well below the 15 amp maximum. All these
lights were ON when I tripped the breaker. Could several starter circuits
store up some energy?

Many thanks for your suggestion.

Peter.

"Joshua Putnam" wrote in message
...
In article , peterv666
@nospam.adelphia.com says...
Swimbo wanted a new decor light switch. I switched off the circuit at the
breaker board. While changing the switch I touched the live to either the
neutral or ground with a pliers. There was a good flash with sparks. I
did
not believe this. I put a meter across the live and ground (and neutral).
All volts were zero. I tested again by connecting the live to the neutral
or
earth with the pliers. No effect this time.

So what gives? How can a residual voltage be contained in a circuit
disconnected at the breaker?

What all is on the circuit? Anything that would include a large
capacitor?

--
is Joshua Putnam
http://www.phred.org/~josh/
Updated Bicycle Touring Books List:
http://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/tourbooks.html

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
.net...
In article . com,
" wrote:
Hey its not funny to get hit bad, where a quick no spark assures your
not about to work in a hot box.

Voltage testers work even better -- and it's cheaper in the long run to
buy
one voltage tester than to keep replacing burned-up screwdrivers.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

I think the point was the screwdriver was the "last ditch" check for safety.
I do use a voltage tester but I still also short the conductors if I intend
to actually touch them (as you know touching is not always necessary when
replacing a fixture). I also do this with DC circuits particularly with
large caps.

I don't believe he was recommending it as a first line for tripping breakers

no the screwdriver short is the last test to make certain its dead.

every now and then you find a surprise, better the screwdriver than me!

lways turn breakers off, just occasionally you cant be certain you have
the right one