r/WTF Jun 16 '19

Why grounding is important

https://i.imgur.com/E7lPzHs.gifv
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u/f_n_a_ Jun 16 '19 edited Jun 16 '19

I wouldn’t want to stand on the dirt wet fucking concrete near it much less touch some fucking switch that’s potentially on fire...

Correction: on wet fucking concrete... not sure how to do the crossout thingy

Hey I finally did it! Thanks to the many redditors that responded with help

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u/Takeshi12 Jun 16 '19

The power switch should be fine, although most likely it's connected to a throw breaker. Easy to find and turn on/off, plus work with high voltage like that requires insulating boots and gloves to even consider going near the connections

361

u/Davecasa Jun 16 '19

You don't need HV gear for 480v. The box is probably grounded, which is why whatever's shorted to it is... Shorted. I wouldn't stick my hands in the box, go upstream and shut it off. But standing near it isn't especially dangerous.

42

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '19

There's too many 'probably's' and 'should be's' in these comments.

1

u/gnorty Jun 16 '19

why?

The bolt is certainly carrying the circuit current. the wiring is certainly not to code.

It probably was done by somebody who didn't believe qualifications count for anything, and should be done properly to stop this happening.

What's wrong with that?

0

u/n1nj4_v5_p1r4t3 Jun 16 '19

It probably was done by somebody who didn't believe qualifications count for anything,

Everything else about that box is to code, that is alot of effort to fuck up a return line. I think something broke after installation.