Power at Road A

i was just there for 3 days this past weekend, and the only breakers that are in the panels are the 2 that the lights that are on the poles are connected to. If you want a 30 amp 110 for your small RV or a 50amp 240 for your big motorhome, then you'll need to use your own breaker (thats what i did this past weekend.)

 

like Mongo, i havent see anyone hurt, but the potential is most definitely there, the panels are scarey dangerous, no cover over the live bus at all. If youre unsure about what youre doing, it is VERY easy accidentally touch the live bus and fry yourself. With that being said, the panel i tapped into this past weekend (and yes, im an electrician and have been for the last 30 years), it was quite obvious SOMEONE had, not once, but twice, touched SOMETHING to the live bus, and there were two melted spots in the main copper bus and a huge carbon arc residue. You should definitely use EXTREME caution when opening up one of these panels, they are 200amp panels (based on the wire size feeding them), 220/240 volts, and will make a HUGE flash/boom if the wrong object is touched to the hot buss. And if you get hung up on it, you'll fry before it trips the main breaker feeding the panels.

 

I always bring a gen...but it sucks. lol

 

48kW.. holy moly

 

Yea, I saw evidence of unintentional arc welding in the one panel I looked at when I was last there as well.

If you do work in those hot panels, WEAR EYE PROTECTION. Safety glasses including UV protection. Not only will the arcing temporarily blind you, the UV from it will make it harder to recover. And little bits of molten copper and such will fly out into your face (assuming you aren't already dead).

Short story: Don't mess with them if you don't know EXACTLY what you are doing.



This public service announcement brought to you by your friendly WERA board electricans, the NECA and the IBEW. Helping you stay alive while jerry-rigging power in the paddock.

 

48 KVA at least. And a whole lot more if you short it out (at least for a while).

 

Most definitely wear safety glasses. Buddy of mine several years ago was making taps in a box, accidentally touched the hot to the side of the box and it shorted. No harm, but his safety glasses had about 10 small pits in them from the copper splatter along with 3 or 4 bb size spots in his cheeks. I'm quite certain he may be blind ttoday had he not been wearing the glasses.

 

.

 

Any questions about the danger of working in a hot panel can be answered by watching this Arc Flash demonstration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iClXrd50Z8

...and this real life incident captured on surveillance camera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Im7PLduwc&has_verified=1&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DW6Im7PLduwc%26oref%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.youtube.com%252Fwatch%253Fv%253DW6Im7PLduwc%26has_verified%3D1&has_verified=1

 

I thought I was venturing into dangerous waters but was willing to take the risk in the hope that a little education might prevent an incident.

Appreciate the understanding of the intent.

 

That's all I needed to hear. I was just not sure if it was as simple as plugging something in. I don't mess with live wires. I like my hands... And feet... And head... And life. Haha.

 

Pfft.

Who hasn't dropped a ground wire across the buss once or twice?

One of the reasons why I almost exclusively use Cutler Hammer BR. panels. I don't like having my neutral/ground busses tucked under the tail of breakers, I want them as far from the live parts as possible. :up: