the path of least resistance in this case is where the air ionized, when current starts flowing it gets hot, expands and raises, making an arc. So we could blame the weird shape to thermodynamic properties over electrical ones
And that arc flash’s temperature is several times hotter than the surface of the sun. It’s hot enough to instantly vaporize any surrounding metal, meaning that if you manage to survive being near an arc flash, there’s a chance that you’ll end up with tiny metal shards in your lungs, when they cool down after you breathe them in. Arc flashes are scary stuff.
Arc flash hazard training messed me up. They showed a video where a guy is working on some switchgear when suddenly the frame is all white and then the guy is just GONE, but the floor and everything around where he was is a different, very red, color. That “if” regarding survival is doing some heavy lifting.
Oh, absolutely. As my instructor put it, if you cause an arc flash and are killed instantly, you got off lucky. Because if you survive, your body will be severely damaged for the rest of your life.
Those trainings put the fear into you for good reason. I don’t fuck with high voltage at all, shit is way too scary for me.
the path of least resistance in this case is where the air ionized, when current starts flowing it gets hot, expands and raises, making an arc. So we could blame the weird shape to thermodynamic properties over electrical ones
And that arc flash’s temperature is several times hotter than the surface of the sun. It’s hot enough to instantly vaporize any surrounding metal, meaning that if you manage to survive being near an arc flash, there’s a chance that you’ll end up with tiny metal shards in your lungs, when they cool down after you breathe them in. Arc flashes are scary stuff.
Holy crap that was a fascinating rabbit hole, thanks folks!
So as the electric field intensifies the ions do their apartheid thing and become more conductive, ultimately leading to the arc?
This will help my nightmares, I’m sure https://electricityforum.com/iep/arc-flash/arc-flash-temperature
Yeah, this should be in the Gen Chem 101 teaching manual. Lmao.
Thanks, I hate it
Arc flash hazard training messed me up. They showed a video where a guy is working on some switchgear when suddenly the frame is all white and then the guy is just GONE, but the floor and everything around where he was is a different, very red, color. That “if” regarding survival is doing some heavy lifting.
Oh, absolutely. As my instructor put it, if you cause an arc flash and are killed instantly, you got off lucky. Because if you survive, your body will be severely damaged for the rest of your life.
Those trainings put the fear into you for good reason. I don’t fuck with high voltage at all, shit is way too scary for me.
IBEW local 26 here. They showed me that video too. That shook me for sure.
It was the first class experience I’ve had in the trade. That video was the last thing he showed us at the end of class.
Last thing he said was “don’t work hot” as we’re all packing up.
Grandpa worked in a power station back in the days of yore.
Left the generator they were working on as he needed a tool. While he was gone an arc flash deleted his co-worker.
Exactly what happened here! In the video the arch starts in a much more straight line, and rises as you describe as the air heats up.
I’ll make my own path! With blackjack!