Ignoramus30685 wrote:
As I will sometimes test used 460v equipment, using my 240 - 476v, 45
kVA transformer, I would like to somewhat enhance my safety, in
regards to "arc flash" and other such problems.

What I want to do is this:

1) Wear heavy cotton clothing, like a work jacket
2) Wear a welding helmet
3) Stand on a piece of wood
4) Operate stuff with one hand only
5) As I turn something on, have my employee stand by and hold a handle
of a disconnect leading TO the transformer.
6) If he sees or hears anything untoward, he would be instructed to
immediately turn the disconnect off.

Does this make sense?

i

Have you looked at tests prior to just throwing 480 across machinery from
some junk pile? You should see how timid techs are that work with even
lower voltage equipment can be when it comes to powering up questionable
sources.

A hipot tester, not from a junk pile might be good to have.

I worked at a place that insisted on getting large hardwired electrical
equipment from scrap dealers. The prices to get the stuff recertified as
well as fixed prior to full power up was always more than the equipment
itself. The amount of exploded and burned up power control boards coming
out of "removed from service, worked fine" stuff was pretty amusing. Even
the "wimpy" boards that drove the power semiconductors would burn up- as
in holes straight though fiberglass circuit boards before the fuses would
blow.

Luckily you don't generally get injured when you make mistakes or get bad
advice when it comes to computers, and recipies for pasta sauce, or steps
on fixing a stereo or the other stuff that people chat about on usenet.

480 is no joke.