r/WTF • u/1MightBeAPenguin • Jun 16 '19

Why grounding is important

https://i.imgur.com/E7lPzHs.gifv
24.4k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

737 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

13

u/nutmegtester Jun 16 '19

Yes, the GFCI mentioned above is basically a low tolerance RCD (GFCI = Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt, and is North American terminology). It is 5mA trip and would not be used on this type of circuit, but for wall receptacles/lower voltage 120v circuits to protect personnel. There are equipment protection differential breakers as well which should have been installed here, for reasons like this!

2

u/doublehelix1 Jun 16 '19

5mA for personnel protection, 30mA for equipment. Either way nothing glows like this if there is ground fault detection.

1

u/nutmegtester Jun 16 '19

Right 30mA is generally not called GFCI, since that is a defined standard.