Today I experienced an electric shock in my house, after I touched a bare
cable, which I had foolishly left exposed. The cable touched my leg and I
had a heck of a jolt up my body which pushed me out of the way.

I am now wondering why the RCD did not trip. Last year a contactum split
load CU was fitted, the cable which I touched is on the RCD side. Could
there be a problem somewhere, or was the shock I had below the trip current?

Any ideas?

Thanks

Andrew

"Andrew Barnes" wrote in message
.. .
| Today I experienced an electric shock in my house, after I touched a bare
| cable, which I had foolishly left exposed. The cable touched my leg and I
| had a heck of a jolt up my body which pushed me out of the way.
|
| I am now wondering why the RCD did not trip. Last year a contactum split
| load CU was fitted, the cable which I touched is on the RCD side. Could
| there be a problem somewhere, or was the shock I had below the trip current?
|
| Any ideas?
|
| Thanks
|
| Andrew
|
Hi

I'd expect that the shock was probably less than the trip current. If that's a 100mA RCD then
it's hardly surprising.
However, if you're worried re the RCD then best to get it tested. I assume that you have the
test records from the installation which show that it was working when installed?

Also, you should take more care! Shouldn't really have exposed live conductors around to touch
and circuits should be isolated (and discharged) before working on them.

J

"Me" wrote in message
...

"Andrew Barnes" wrote in message
.. .
| Today I experienced an electric shock in my house, after I touched a
bare
| cable, which I had foolishly left exposed. The cable touched my leg and
I
| had a heck of a jolt up my body which pushed me out of the way.
|
| I am now wondering why the RCD did not trip. Last year a contactum split
| load CU was fitted, the cable which I touched is on the RCD side. Could
| there be a problem somewhere, or was the shock I had below the trip
current?
|
| Any ideas?
|
| Thanks
|
| Andrew
|
Hi

I'd expect that the shock was probably less than the trip current. If
that's a 100mA RCD then
it's hardly surprising.
However, if you're worried re the RCD then best to get it tested. I
assume that you have the
test records from the installation which show that it was working when
installed?

Also, you should take more care! Shouldn't really have exposed live
conductors around to touch
and circuits should be isolated (and discharged) before working on them.

J


Yep !!! This one was your warning, the next one might be worse if you carry
on exposing live cables in easy reach. Always a good idea, especially if
you're going to work on cables that will become live when your testing
others that are connected, is to wrap a piece of insulting tape around them
before you make the circuits live again for your test.


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"BigWallop" wrote in message
news

"Me" wrote in message
...

"Andrew Barnes" wrote in message
.. .
| Today I experienced an electric shock in my house, after I touched a
bare
| cable, which I had foolishly left exposed. The cable touched my leg
and
I
| had a heck of a jolt up my body which pushed me out of the way.
|
| I am now wondering why the RCD did not trip. Last year a contactum
split
| load CU was fitted, the cable which I touched is on the RCD side.
Could
| there be a problem somewhere, or was the shock I had below the trip
current?
|
| Any ideas?
|
| Thanks
|
| Andrew
|
Hi

You don't say what exactly you touched. If you contacted bare live and
neutral, then the RCD "sees" you as a normal and legitimate load, and will
not trip. This will only happen if current from either live or neutral finds
an abnormal return path, normally via an earth.

Charles Fearnley

"Charles Fearnley" wrote in
message ...

You don't say what exactly you touched. If you contacted bare live and
neutral, then the RCD "sees" you as a normal and legitimate load, and will
not trip. This will only happen if current from either live or neutral
finds
an abnormal return path, normally via an earth.

Perhaps the old description 'Earth leakage' was
more informative than 'Residual Current'

"Chris Oates" wrote in
:

Perhaps the old description 'Earth leakage' was
more informative than 'Residual Current'

I think you're right, but the great and the good prolly thought we wouldn't
get the idea and try to connect it across earth.

Like Swiss bankers couldn't understand Lsd, so we had to go metric :-(

mike r

"BigWallop" wrote in message ...

a piece of insulting tape around them

Heh, not heard that one before.

Regards, NT

"N. Thornton" wrote in message
om...
"BigWallop" wrote in message
...

a piece of insulting tape around them

Heh, not heard that one before.

Regards, NT


LOL !!!

Oops !!! Insulating tape would be more appropriate, wouldn't it ? :-))

"BigWallop" wrote in message ...
"N. Thornton" wrote in message
om...

a piece of insulting tape around them

Heh, not heard that one before.


LOL !!!

Oops !!! Insulating tape would be more appropriate, wouldn't it ? :-))


No, I'll be calling it insulting tape now Good one.

Regards, NT

On 19 Oct 2003 06:36:22 -0700, (N. Thornton) wrote:

"BigWallop" wrote in message ...

a piece of insulting tape around them

Heh, not heard that one before.

LOL! Is that the pink stuff[1] some Lawyers use to tie up their
briefs?

Probably would be I think.

[1] Like Red Tape but rather more effeminate!

Take Care,
Gnube
{too thick for linux}