Has any one been shocked by 460v, it aint fun.

[refer guy]

Two days ago I was working on a 460 volt lennox, air handler, I found the blower motor grounded, went to Lennox came back, and started wiring everything together. while i was gone one of the employees went over and turned the breaker on thinking they could fix the A/C and left it on. Well when I stripped the line voltage all that i remember is that I saw a explosion, felt the voltage going through my finger tips and grabbing my shoulders, also for about two seconds i dont know if the electricity forced my eyes shut or if i actually went blind, after all this i could feel my self going backwards from the top of a eight foot ladder, at this point i came to and was able to hold myself. What was crazy too was that when i went blind i could hear my self scream, and when I climbed down from the ladder none of the employees had heard me because they were too bussy making the juices they sell, I never found out who was messing with the breakers, all the employees are a bunch of young punks fresh out of high school who think they know it all. I learned my lesson, from now on im putting tags on the breakers or locking them if i can, and checking voltage every time i step away and come back. that was freaking scary and after the whole thing when i returned to finish the job i was hesitant to touch them wires. i was checking for voltage five times before i touched any wire.

[makinmoney]

I get shocked everytime when I see my 460lb moster-inlaw mother..........................................


She better not end up like that...............

[lolson]

there should be a disconnect at or near the unit.
been hit by 240 and 277 so the 460 im careful and it hasnt hit me yet thank god

[RcOKC]

I got shocked, was working on a old building trying to trace out some ductwork popped a ceiling tile and stuck my head up there not aware of the open jbox with 120v wires hanging out and live. Turned my head and wire hit my ear it jolted the heck out of me ear was red and swoll up. Just goes to show you can never be to safe. Be aware of your surroundings and that voltmeter is your best friend.

[roc service]

I replaced a 460 volt 3 phase condenser fan motor on a Trane 30 ton air cooled condensing unit over 25 years ago. I checked the rotation of the motor and turned on the unit. I then realized that one of the wire nuts had come loose and fell off. I crawled in thru the access panel and decided to put the wire nut back on with the unit still running. Stupid move. I was fully grounded to the sides of the unit and my hand hit the bare wire. Bang, I could feel myself dying no BS. I pulled back with all my might and I got loose. I had a red mark from my fingers to my heart. The guy on the freight elevator asked me where I got sunburned because my face was red as a tomato. Thank God we lived to service more a/c units. LOL

[joey791]

Yeah I got hit on an Aaon unit when I was about 3 years in changing a condenser fan motor, it split my trigger finger on my right hand from the tip of the fingernail down to the joint above the knuckle. I wrapped it with electrical tape and finished changing the motor. This was on a Saturday all together it was about 2.5 hours from the time it happened until the time I got home. My dad saw me as soon as I got home and when I walked up to him the first thing out his mouth was "you got the crap knocked out of you didnt you". I asked how he could tell and he said I was still white like a sheet.

[JBM1000]

Trust no one, including yourself. Verify every move with at least a hot stick indicator and you will not likely make a mistake or be a statistic. Tags are a great idea until the punk still kicks in the power. My fear is being involved and a person throws it hot while your doing your job. Iv'e been almost fried by housewives forgeting your even there working on the system after they have got off the phone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[y7turbo]

burned my hands last year from an arc, out of work for a month.

[referteacher]

Been There, Done that, and Thank the Lord, I lived to tell about it.

[Airmechanical]

to actually get yolked with 460 you would have to be touching atleast 2 live wires which is unlikely but,

yap, i been slammed by 277, i was checking voltage on a 460 volt cond. motor, had the wirenuts off

accidentally brushed the bare wire, talk about getting "lit up", engineers say that 277 is the "perfect voltage"

the worse part is i was working on top of a 30 ton old york pkg unit about 15 feet in the air

came closed to getting throwed off the unit! i have changed my diagnostic approach on that particular problem



.

[DPSwitch]

locks and tags are cheap....... and look very prfessional when some overly important boss comes by.

and they are fun to cut off when you lose the key.

Seriously though I use them unless Im in sight or reach of the disconnect.

[bustawrench1]

Y'up. Same thing, somebody switched breaker on while I was wiring a motor. Left the job in an ambulance and was out for 18 weeks. I'm still not 100% two years later.

Lockout/tag out is now the only way I will work. If the boss or the customer has a problem with it (some do), then they can find another technician. I won't need the paycheck if I'm dead.

[slimwoodie]

Dude .....

not to be an Ass ..

Lock Out/ Tag Out ..??

And ... YOU only got ... 277 Volts ...

460 ... would be Both Phases
bet it effin' did hurt ...

bveen there ..

[edward301]

I have been hit with 277, and after that I bought some cheap combination
locks from Wal-Mart. I now cut off breaker, and lock box, or handle.

That hirt, and I learned from it. It will not happen again.

[acjourneyman]

I have been an electrician since 85 and luckily have never been blasted by anything other than 120 and evenn than only maybe a hand to ground, never across my chest.But I learned in the electrical trade to always know where my non working hand is when I am in a panel.

[rango]

I have been an electrician since 85 and luckily have never been blasted by anything other than 120 and even than only maybe a hand to ground, never across my chest.But I learned in the electrical trade to always know where my non working hand is when I am in a panel.

Curious, I work occasionally with a sparky that I watched installing a bolt-in breaker one day. He had one hand on the handle of the nut-driver and the other hand on the shaft bolting onto a live bussbar. Why no zap? I don't get it cuz I've been on glass ladder and been smacked.

[ga-hvac-tech]

Curious, I work occasionally with a sparky that I watched installing a bolt-in breaker one day. He had one hand on the handle of the nut-driver and the other hand on the shaft bolting onto a live bussbar. Why no zap? I don't get it cuz I've been on glass ladder and been smacked.

Answer is that electricity has to 'complete a circuit' to somewhere to 'bite you'. But I will say this clearly: DO NOT use this as an excuse to take chances. Because you never know when you ARE completing a circuit and do not realize it.

Best to ALWAYS have the power off and KNOW it.

[jpw23]

Two days ago I was working on a 460 volt lennox, air handler, I found the blower motor grounded, went to Lennox came back, and started wiring everything together. while i was gone one of the employees went over and turned the breaker on thinking they could fix the A/C and left it on. Well when I stripped the line voltage all that i remember is that I saw a explosion, felt the voltage going through my finger tips and grabbing my shoulders, also for about two seconds i dont know if the electricity forced my eyes shut or if i actually went blind, after all this i could feel my self going backwards from the top of a eight foot ladder, at this point i came to and was able to hold myself. What was crazy too was that when i went blind i could hear my self scream, and when I climbed down from the ladder none of the employees had heard me because they were too bussy making the juices they sell, I never found out who was messing with the breakers, all the employees are a bunch of young punks fresh out of high school who think they know it all. I learned my lesson, from now on im putting tags on the breakers or locking them if i can, and checking voltage every time i step away and come back. that was freaking scary and after the whole thing when i returned to finish the job i was hesitant to touch them wires. i was checking for voltage five times before i touched any wire.

lesson learned....don't take anything for granted and don't trust anybody.....this will help you keep all of your parts where they belong.

[WheresMyGages]

wow man as long as your ok,thats all that matters, In this bussiness ya live and learn. If that was me though someone would have gotten yelled at cause i dont put up with that crap nor have any patience for it. When i was an apprentice the mechanic i was working with told me " even if you know the powers off and you have to work on the machine always work on it like its live." its just one of things that kept me safe I guess.

[phosgene]

I'm glad your o.k but, I am suprised that you would leave the site, return to work on 460 without checking voltage again.

And if there was no disconnect at unit (code in canada), I would make dam sure no one could get to the panel while I was working.