nanog mailing list archives

Re: DC power versus AC power


From: "Scott Granados" <scott () wworks net>
Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 18:08:44 -0800




Unnamed Administration sources reported that Scott Granados said:

Is 48V DC at the amps present normallyin switch rooms etc enough to
cause
electricucian?  I have seen bad things with wrenches dropped across
batteries even 12 volt car batteries although in this case it was a
large
battery bank in a submarine but I was curious about the 48V sources in
switch rooms.


Electrocution is but one way to die from too many columbs.
Internal burning is a big one.  Most people die, not from immediate
cardiac arrest, but rather from kidney/spleen/liver failure as
they try to remove the cooked you parts from your bloodstream,
and clog up. (First responder treatment is multiple saline inputs
to flush you out, and keep flushing you. This via a friend who was
"lit" and lived.)


The only way I've seen anyone die from being shocked is heart failure.  This
was a very very large AC hit though not DC.


The instantaneous short circuit current available from a CO-grade
battery string is nothing short of frightening. It will easily
turn a 18" crescent wrench bright orange and start spitting the
molten metal around within few seconds.

I'm surprised you're still around after a sub battery accident.
They're a grade up from most CO's in available current, I'd bet.


Yes, they are I don't recall the amps off hand but it was amazing.  It does
take a lot of juice though to spin motors that large and run all that
equipment considering your primary power source is nuclear also.

In my case I wasn't the one who was hit I was a fair distance off and
someone working, an electrician, touched a wrench across the terminals on
one cell only.  For get a few seconds pretty instantly the wrench was gone
as well as a better part of his hand and wrist.  However, touching both
terminals on the cell did not yield a shock which was what made me think and
ask the question i the first place.  I can't imagine the damage possible
though if someone in that setting touched one of the main bus's.




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