"Ah ha! Teachable moment." I love it. Always remember when an apprentice/helper/new guy asks you a question that seems dumb don't just dismiss it. Remember, no matter how high-speed we are now, we too were once the apprentice/helper/new guy wanting to learn and never knew how to ask the right question.
When you introduce copper and steel to Mother Earth, you instantly turn your linesman pliers into wire strippers 🤩🤩. And all the other electricians around you will laugh because they’ve done it too !!!
Thanks for explaining that to Mr Homeowner myself. We had our main panel updated and our electrician just got up on a ladder and cut those lines going to the pole. I was in amazement that he was still alive after doing so. Now I know why :-)
It's a really great question for the kid to ask. Those type of bigger picture questions help you understand how things work, not just how to do things. Good on you for going through the explanation with him!
Good explanation. I've been an electrician for a while and I always struggle to explain non-trade folks how it is, that hooking 2 wires to the load (motor, light etc) makes current flow but hooking 2 wires together melts the wire, burn the fuse, trip the breaker or blow the transformer. I guess it's good to tell them - nothing impedences the flow of current. That doesn't explain it in easy way, but it's correct. I love it!
But literally everything impedes the flow of current. This is what Ohm's Law is all about. If nothing impeded the flow of current, we'd never have to worry about having huge transmission lines.
I really liked that explanation. Even though I've been doing electrical work for over 20 years and even taught, I hadn't thought about impedence as actually slowing down the flow of current, at least not in such simple terms. The sign of a good teacher is one who can make something seem simple. I also want to note the danger of arcing and explosions has mote to do with available current and power than voltage, although higher voltage does deliver it faster. My evidence? When working on a 600 AH , 12V battery bank, I dropped a long screwdriver, and it happened to hit the positive and negative terminals. It literally vaporized in a huge explosion, and I was lucky not to be injured. Remember, that was 12V. Always respect and know what you're working on, or know you can't and have someone else do it
I change services about 2-3 times a week . Here in Massachusetts, a licensed electrician is allowed to cut these wires . As long as you are not touching anything around you and you never EVER cross any of the wires with one another . Well than you are perfectly safe assuming there’s nothing crazy going on ….Considering most blocks share the same transformer so if there’s a problem down the street and your hanging on to that neutral and your the news means of least resistance , your gonna be in a world of hurt . PPE is a must everyone out there who is actually a licensed individual who can perform this kind of work . Keep rolling out the content Dustin ! I’m loving it! Loyal subscriber for life . I use you to teach my apprentice and it helps me tremendously!
Your POCO must have some huge liability shoulders, allowing non power company persons to cut their drops. Just don't ask him a question on NM cable ampacity. I don't see him replying too much of his content, anyway.
I really appreciate your videos. Thanks for simplifying the explanation. It really helps. I pray ill become a journey man with your help and Mike Holts journeyman prep bundle. Godspeed!
Ok... just wondering why you didn't cover the danger of a live wire hitting the ground, or if the "cutter" touched both cut ends... You are always thorough, maybe add that info in... otherwise, those not knowing seeing a wire on the ground could feel safe touching it or the metal handrail in it's path. Thx Justin
Thank you. I appreciate this. I'm trying to learn so I can make my own repairs. I spent all my money on people who sometimes can't get the job right. Not lately but at a time when everyone seemed to be falling into some serious drug problems and their priorities weren't straight. I'm not picky I don't micromanage people I don't have unreasonable expectations. The timing just wasn't right when I spent all my money. So I'm learning things myself and I'm not naturally inclined in the traditional male crafts. Yes I'm an elderly person. Thank you again 🙏
first rule of thumb.... above the meter is a job for the utility company. The only exception is possibly a new service and NOTHING is connected. Then you could work up to the weather head and have them make the final connections.... and then they install the meter.
I love the disclaimer at the end. Right before, I was just thinking "now we're gonna get some idiot on a ladder with a pair of boltcutters saying Justin on Electrician U said I could do this... watch this!"
Thanks Dustin. I like these simple video nuggets....I miss your simple style videos. Most of them lately have leaned heavily on the "busy" CGI side. That balance in between is golden.
I feel like this video should have explained the difference between current and voltage. Then emphasized that there will still be voltage on those feeders, just no current, and that there is still the possibility for electrical shock.
Bro, this shit is absolutely fantastic. Great questions a bunch of us never even thought about, and presented in an understandable way... Drawn horribly, through a phone camera.
Amperage isn’t there but voltage is still present right? So if you cut it, wouldn’t it find its path to ground through you? That’s what I thought would happen. It’s cool hearing you talk about this.
I think we left out ground, as in I’m standing grounded, high current and cut, loop complete, poof, or even touching lines with broken down insulation.. homeowners and aluminum ladders. If one is truly ungrounded and far enough from ground, then the video makes sense
Yeah I was hoping he was going to get into cutting the 3rd wire (which is either called ground or neutral at that point, arguably it's both) But that's actually why you're in trouble if you are using uninsulated cutters and standing on a metal ladder, because there's arguably 3 potential loops that an American residential transformer can make: +120->gnd (and back), -120->gnd, and +120->-120. So yeah, if you're on a ladder and you have no PPE and you cut one of the 120s, you'll get a nice loop from +120 on the transformer, through the wire, through the cutters, through your hand, through your feet, down the ladder, into the ground, and back up the grounding wire on the pole in to the transformer... I think... I'm not actually 100% sure the wire in the middle of the secondary on the transformer is actually grounded on the pole... but I think it is. But it kinda doesn't matter as the other way you die is that the loop is now: +120 on pole, wire, cutters, you, ladder, ground, house grounding rod, house ground bus bonded to neutral, neutral wire, back to the pole. So... yeah, don't try this shit at home. Quick sketch theory is great, but a general rule of thumb is: If you are grounded and you touch something hot, you can soon be dead.
@@tristfall1 typically the ace cuts the feed while holding onto the metal drop. The point being the circuit, “loop” can be completed in a number of real life ways. I’ve known a few Sparkies 😂 and someone painting who made contact. Power company does the disconnect and reconnect here, not a electrician (Connecticut). They don’t like folks messing with their transformers
@@billbergquist4722 circuit.. is that like a loop? What if someone turns the breakers back on? Yeah, been there. Let’s talk about locking out, anything that can go wrong.. then there was that guy who climbed a radio tower energized only to get fried trying to leap back to ground. Did the old milk crate trick..
@@tristfall1 ... ground and neutral are one in the same above the meter, but utility companies run under different rules, not covered by NEC. This is like arguing with a train. Guess who is more likely to win?
if you touch one of the hots to the utility bare neutral that would be equally bad haha. touching the two hots is alot harder to do because they are both insulated but man you gotta pay attention to the bare when you are cutting
It’s also worth mentioning the potential to ground. Don’t want to touch that exposed wire and the conduit at the same time or anything else that’s grounded.
I have been doing residential heating and air conditioning for 33 years.i can remember when I started doing my apprenticeship on the job sites when i had the time,I always asked the electricians questions and watched closely what they did.learned a lot
If a home owner wants to cut ✂️ em then their just lupe....and even an experienced electrican should be cautious...safty first...you need to get paid not fried. As usual excellent video. Learning alot. Thanks 😊
Wouldn’t say it’s routinely done here in MN, but it is done. I’ve seen more than one overhead drop cut, and the power companies are not usually thrilled with it but we do it anyway. Like others said, we cut the tag, shut the homes main breaker off, pull the meter, and climb that extension ladder and cut and tape the wire (1 at a time, with proper gloves if your smart, or like a former master of mine did, wear maxi-flex gloves with electrical tape around the fingers and take that metal utility knife to it). Redo the overhead drop to meet code, and then strip and add Polaris lugs. Hook it back up. Then wrap a shit ton of electrical cloth tape on it (might be called friction tape, don’t quote me, I’ve only used it twice in 6 years personally), followed by an excessive beyond belief amount super 33 tape. Leave it for the power company to do what they do with it afterwards. I’ve also worked under journeymen who said their Journeyman when they where an apprentice would made them stand on a mat and grab a bus bar to prove you wouldn’t get electrocuted. I actually ask my 1st year instructor to prove this in class that your electrically insulated boots will protect you, he proceeded to put a key into the receptacle. I also heard a story of a guy who would like his finger tips and touch busses. Story goes it backfired once and he’s missing parts of a couple fingers (it IS a story, couldn’t fact check it).
From our utility view here in Texas (i work for one), if anyone cuts the service or seal on the meter can, the account holder will get a bill. We will do the disconnect and reconnect at no charge. The transformer fuse is sized to protect the transformer, not the load. The available fault current could exceed 22000A although 10000A is more common. Considering .25A can kill you, it's not worth the risk.
I've wondered about this. So the power distribution system is always fused? But only to protect the transformers and distribution wires, not the service drop or load? Is there ever a fuse on the secondary of that last transformer or are the fusses only on the distribution lines before the transformer?
@@CurtWelch there are some transformers with an internal fuse on the secondary side but those are being phased out in our area. When that fuse blows it requires a transformer replacement. The primary fuse protects the transformer and the main disconnect protects the customer. A short in the service drop would eventually blow the primary fuse, just not quickly as it is a time delay variety.
Not my responsibility to protect utility company’s property ie: Seal, meter, wires etc., it’s Their responsibility. Doesn’t matter who cuts the seal , they will just replace at no charge, no way to prove who did it .
I’d search up something called step potential, something that can be very dangerous if near downed power lines. Essentially the voltage difference between ur feet can be large enough to kill
as long as you shed the load you are fine.....i helped my friend upgrade my service years ago and i asked him the same thing.....he was licensed i was just being a gopher... he cut the old service drop no problem....that is the most dangereous part.
Sorry to point something out, but the split winding is important in that transformer. Likely a bit much for your helper, but it’s the neutral and rather important… good video, as always.
Heres a twist for you, and it happened at my very own house. A branch from a large fir tree fell onto the wires coming to my transformer and broke one, dropping it onto my driveway. Inside my house, what manifested was quite interesting. Now above my bed is, well was, a wall mounted light fixture with a couple bulbs pointing down, directly above our pillows. My wife and I were sitting in bed leaning up against the wall and for some reason both of us got up. Maybe it was a wind gust, I don't recall. Anyway, about 5 seconds after we get up we see a flash and the bulbs above us explode. I'm thinking "Oh crap" and run for the door to go hit the mains. Well what do you do when it's dark? You hit the light switch of course. So now the light bulb in stairwell explodes, but luckily inside the globe. I do the Homer Simpson "Doh!" and run down the stairs and kill the breaker. We had a guest staying with us so I went down and said "Mike, you ok?" He said "Man you should have seen it. The TV in your office was glowing like a poltergeist and your vcr was crackling like bacon frying. In the end I had to replace my vcr, tv, stereo tuner, relay board in the stove and who knows what else. Good times.
Something that seems to be missing so often is that the dirt under your feet can also be a path to complete the circuit. Not a good one especially in dry clay like you find here in a lot of Texas but low enough resistance to still kill you if you're part of that 240v loop. Simple test, main lug to ground rod before you bond the neutral.
Yep, insulated grips on the cutter, insulated gloves, & insulated footwear. Don't complete the circuit. Better to have the utility company pull the fuse loose at the pole first.
@@wmcomprev yes indeed. He touched on the proper PPE part which is always important. My comment is a bit general though. As it is a remark to a bunch of videos in the channel. It's missed on videos about the neutral and bonding, GFCIs, main service hookups, etc. The center tap at the pole is also grounded. This provides a secondary return path if stuff goes south. As long as your service neutral is intact it wont carry an appreciable amount of current though.
@@georgewilliams8228: Yes, I was surprised when he only showed the 2 hots. He's talked about the center tap in other videos though. I guess the main point in this video was the hots since they're the ones that will cause a problem if you short them to each other or neutral/ground. Not quite as much of a problem here lately. We haven't had much rain, so the ground isn't as conductive. Of course, "not as conductive" doesn't mean "not conductive."
@@wmcomprev The choice of washing machine kinda made me giggle talking about 240. Residential washers are 120V practically always. Warning deep weeds technical crap to follow: On that "appreciable amount" I spoke of before. Because the neutrals on both ends of a service connection are bonded to earth/ground you actually have a 2 resistor network connecting the house to the transformer. The resistances are severely disproportionate but not non-existent nor static. This means as the ground becomes more conductive, more and more return current bypasses the service entrance neutral via the neutral-ground bonding.
@LabRat Knatz Oi third times a charm, PIA replying on a phone. Indeed line to line on a split phase service like most US homes is 240 with 120 from line to ground or neutral. And if you were to become a conductor between either line leg of the loop in the video and ground you would have 120v of potential across you. In those 3 phase services for commercial and large offices you get 208 on most wYe and delta configurations. I run across this on our server racks as they are often feed at 208.
I was doing demo of a small factory in a wearhouse and at one point I was up on a lift cutting down the 480v cables. There were no equipment hooked to them so no loads. I was wearing big thick rubber gloves. I cut one strand at a time. But there was a sub panel still switched on. It blew up in my face! The cutters welded to the wire and I nearly fell off the lift, it scared me. I went down and found the sun panel and shut it off and finished the job. Why did it do this? One strand of 3, no loads, 480v.?
Great video sir!!! I am an apprentice currently as a first step overhead Apprentice. Trying to do whatever to learn this information. Do you have any videos that can go in more depth on how I can be a more successful apprentice in my future career?
*best John Wayne voice EVER* Fiberglass is your friend when you want to cut them wires cow poke... you'll want to cut and immediately wrap them.... yup, one at a time... hots first
Thanks for explaining The primaries and secondaries most people don’t know anything before the transformer like on the actual line going to the utility is high voltage it will fry you if you go between two wires anything after that will give you a big old jolt!
Last Friday night. A girl “high as a kite” t-Bones the 45ft utility pole. In front of my house. Snaps it and it drags the 1 other pole down. The anchor snaps out and flys across the street. My service was pulled off the side of the house. My pole was pulled live and scorched my sidewalk. Transformer arch’s 2x then shuts off. Thx to PSEG Linemen they fixed her mess…and I will be upgrading my service. 🤷♂️
First off…I am not an electrician! Having said that, I just learned a ton of valuable info in less than 6 minutes! Thanks for posting great videos like this 👊👍🏻
don't look at the phone, and you can look at your drawing😁, and see the phone in your peripheral vision... good lesson though! Thanks Dusty!! QUESTION: Is the Wago connector is approved for use inside a panel box? They should be, after all the panel is just a big electrical box. I have replaced several breakers with the GFI and GFI/AFI breakers with the neutral pigtail that are always too short to reach the grounding bus bar so I added a section of wire using Wagos.
The live and return Neutral the loop. Impedance correct term for resistance on a live circuit. Resistance for a dead circuit. Live Impedance testing is Ze external power supply company. and Zs system, the electrical installation from the Panel
The Explanation was good, but i think you should have said more about the dangerous Part. There ist a potential difference and a current will flow through you, if you doesn't use insulated Equipment or you are insulated altogether and that will kill you.
Now. Is you stupidly hold one cut wire in one hand and the other cut wire in other hand you have a loop with you as the resistor and current would flow. Right ?
Great tips! Thank you. If you get a second, I have a question about unplugging things and wifi controlled receptacles. My wife thinks we should start unplugging everything to conserve energy. My question, is it really worth it taking the time to unplug any and all devices to conserve energy? I have almost everything on KASA wifi wall receptacles which are scheduled to shut down as regularly as possible. In addition, all of our lamps are using WYZE bulbs which are either off on on their lowest setting depending on need. The WIZE bulbs are 60w rated, I am assuming peak. Are they still using 60w at the dimmest setting? Are these devices/receptacles in their "off" setting using significant enough energy to justify unplugging them daily. I feel like it almost defeats the purpose of having them. Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide.
Also shouldn’t there be a pole disconnect up on that transformer? Or was that built before you had to have them? I think in my town you still don’t need them on residential. Only commercials.
can you explain why a tandom can be used for 240, but a tandom wafer cant? It's the design of the panel...the busbar layout... isn't it? thx as always for your excellent vids
You said this was old construction. So unless you're pulling the cover off the meter base you may not see multiple feeds from the meter lug. Amp clamp the service is the sure fire way to check load. Even then you should know if you're cutting energized wires or not and know what you're doing when cutting. Keeping distance between the hot leg and neutral when cutting. You could end up with a live conductor in your hand, so have a roll of plastic tape ready to cover up the ends. Determining if the transformer fuse is open, closed or blown. Realizing there is potential for neutral current without load on the service. (Not likely, but possible). Lots of traps for inexperienced persons.
Any kind of "EXPLOSION" would be either a short-circuit or a ground fault. Even after the explosion the conductors will likely STILL BE LIVE because the poco doesn't provide fault protection for such a minor load like in a house. I'm not an expert in that department though.
I would like to see this again with the ground and neutral drawn in. I would think if you cut those wires you would be grounded enough for some current to flow. And when they hit the ground current would start to flow.
Can you make a video on grounding an above ground pool and bonding the water. I cant get the reason behind this when the pump is grounded in a gfi breaker receptacle
To extend the question, if you cut one of the service wires coming from the pole and either dropped it onto the ground or made your body a path to ground for that one service wire, would that cause a problem? The whole ground/earth and neutral stuff - bonded here but not there etc - confuses my brain.
actually i believe if you cut wires line and neutral at same time your cutter is creating a loop through your cutter since its made of metal. thats how your tool blows up
I’m thinking his question may have come from watching movies and television shows where it is very common to see a hot cable severed and it starts arcing with sparks flying everywhere.
Please start talking about craftsmanship. So many times as a sparky, I hear nothing but how horrible the sparky is. He did this, he did that, none of it good. The one thing that keeps me in this trade is craftsmanship and I’m always trying to better my work in one form or another. What hacks don’t realize, you’ll make more money doing it right and have a longer career. Even if you’re not licensed or you’re bootlegging a job, nothing will get you in hot water with a law suit or state agency then shotty work. I did a job one time that I didn’t want to do, so I bid it twice the asking just to get them to go. They bit so I did the remodel. Homeowner was told I ripped him off and he should sue. However, there was nothing to show on what was wrong and the wiring looked like a circuit board. So I get to court, judge asked a few questions and looked at photos I provided. Ruled in my favor because he agreed to the bid. Judge even asked if you can show one thing that cost you, I will award those damages. Homeowner had nothing.
Are you referring to the neutral to phase from the secondary side? Wouldn’t your secondary transformer only carry voltage only? Meaning if you put a smaller wire and splice together. Since there is no load but voltage, it would still melt your wire?
ok, so because the loop is open there will be no current, but there is still potential? and only once your loop is closed will the potential develop current?
If i'm bare foot on the ground and cut that wire, just one. Wouldn't I create a circuit with the ground at the pole? Or standing in water and cut that line.
Well there is more. Cut the neutral and the #6 ground wire will burn up. There is a neutral ground bond in the main panel that has the main disconnect after the service entrance.
"Ah ha! Teachable moment." I love it. Always remember when an apprentice/helper/new guy asks you a question that seems dumb don't just dismiss it. Remember, no matter how high-speed we are now, we too were once the apprentice/helper/new guy wanting to learn and never knew how to ask the right question.
facts!
True that. A lot of guys forget where they came from.
as an apprentice, i think all my questions relating to electricity are "will it blow up?"
😂
Well it’s just short hand for “will things so south fast?”
Try to make this go boom sometimes answers one’s questions. If current flows uninterrupted ie hot and neutral/ ground… well you get the point. 💥
When you introduce copper and steel to Mother Earth, you instantly turn your linesman pliers into wire strippers 🤩🤩. And all the other electricians around you will laugh because they’ve done it too !!!
electroboom has made an entire channel out of using electricity to blow crap up. often in his face.
Thanks for explaining that to Mr Homeowner myself. We had our main panel updated and our electrician just got up on a ladder and cut those lines going to the pole. I was in amazement that he was still alive after doing so. Now I know why :-)
What kind of ladder did he use aluminum or fiberglass?
It's a really great question for the kid to ask. Those type of bigger picture questions help you understand how things work, not just how to do things.
Good on you for going through the explanation with him!
Good explanation. I've been an electrician for a while and I always struggle to explain non-trade folks how it is, that hooking 2 wires to the load (motor, light etc) makes current flow but hooking 2 wires together melts the wire, burn the fuse, trip the breaker or blow the transformer. I guess it's good to tell them - nothing impedences the flow of current. That doesn't explain it in easy way, but it's correct. I love it!
I believe "Impedes" is the word you're looking for.
@@mamaswamma1234 thank you. You just helped some immigrant. English is my second language. I learned more than I expected.
@@mamaswamma1234 Way to go, you helped an immigrant steal more jobs......
But literally everything impedes the flow of current. This is what Ohm's Law is all about. If nothing impeded the flow of current, we'd never have to worry about having huge transmission lines.
I really liked that explanation. Even though I've been doing electrical work for over 20 years and even taught, I hadn't thought about impedence as actually slowing down the flow of current, at least not in such simple terms. The sign of a good teacher is one who can make something seem simple.
I also want to note the danger of arcing and explosions has mote to do with available current and power than voltage, although higher voltage does deliver it faster. My evidence? When working on a 600 AH , 12V battery bank, I dropped a long screwdriver, and it happened to hit the positive and negative terminals. It literally vaporized in a huge explosion, and I was lucky not to be injured. Remember, that was 12V. Always respect and know what you're working on, or know you can't and have someone else do it
I change services about 2-3 times a week . Here in Massachusetts, a licensed electrician is allowed to cut these wires . As long as you are not touching anything around you and you never EVER cross any of the wires with one another . Well than you are perfectly safe assuming there’s nothing crazy going on ….Considering most blocks share the same transformer so if there’s a problem down the street and your hanging on to that neutral and your the news means of least resistance , your gonna be in a world of hurt . PPE is a must everyone out there who is actually a licensed individual who can perform this kind of work . Keep rolling out the content Dustin ! I’m loving it! Loyal subscriber for life . I use you to teach my apprentice and it helps me tremendously!
Your POCO must have some huge liability shoulders, allowing non power company persons to cut their drops.
Just don't ask him a question on NM cable ampacity. I don't see him replying too much of his content, anyway.
I really appreciate your videos. Thanks for simplifying the explanation. It really helps. I pray ill become a journey man with your help and Mike Holts journeyman prep bundle. Godspeed!
Your a very blessed man.
I want to be an electrician so I always watch this guy's videos but first I have to learn English
Its a great trade. Its given me a better life than i would of had working a regular job.
If there is a large inductive load then you could get arcing when you cut the cable. That could be seen as an "explosion."
... and that's why the video shows both the load and the meter removed. (in theory)
I came here to say this, too.
You should be teaching electricity at a school, you probably would be making less money but your knowledge is tremendously helpful to other folks.
Sat an read the entire video from the browsing screen. Enjoyed this one so much actually clicked it to come leave a comment.
Great content!
That last 15 seconds absolutely needed to be said by you. 👍
Ok... just wondering why you didn't cover the danger of a live wire hitting the ground, or if the "cutter" touched both cut ends...
You are always thorough, maybe add that info in... otherwise, those not knowing seeing a wire on the ground could feel safe touching it or the metal handrail in it's path.
Thx Justin
He did mention that if you cut them both and touch the ends a lot of current would instantly flow through them
I know a third grader who would love to volunteer artwork for your next video. Love you brother. Thanks for the tip. Cheers.
I enjoyed the laughter and not taking yourself so serious...but good message..."DON'T cut the wires"...Thanks for the video
Thank you. I appreciate this. I'm trying to learn so I can make my own repairs. I spent all my money on people who sometimes can't get the job right. Not lately but at a time when everyone seemed to be falling into some serious drug problems and their priorities weren't straight. I'm not picky I don't micromanage people I don't have unreasonable expectations. The timing just wasn't right when I spent all my money. So I'm learning things myself and I'm not naturally inclined in the traditional male crafts.
Yes I'm an elderly person.
Thank you again 🙏
Just make sure you turn off the power and measure it with a good meter to be sure. Then I always try to use insulated tools anyway.
@@walrus4248 🙏
Thank you for your response. ⭐
first rule of thumb.... above the meter is a job for the utility company. The only exception is possibly a new service and NOTHING is connected. Then you could work up to the weather head and have them make the final connections.... and then they install the meter.
@@rupe53 hmmmmmm
Good plan. Safety 🤗
@@rupe53 for us here, the utility is responsible for the service up to the house. Service drop and everything else is on us
I love the disclaimer at the end. Right before, I was just thinking "now we're gonna get some idiot on a ladder with a pair of boltcutters saying Justin on Electrician U said I could do this... watch this!"
Thank you for this video. I have always asked myself this question and now have understood how this happens.
I couldn't help but lmfao at that drawing🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thanks Dustin. I like these simple video nuggets....I miss your simple style videos. Most of them lately have leaned heavily on the "busy" CGI side. That balance in between is golden.
I feel like this video should have explained the difference between current and voltage. Then emphasized that there will still be voltage on those feeders, just no current, and that there is still the possibility for electrical shock.
Good video. Would like to see one on how power flows through 220 circuits vs 120 and different frequencies
Bro, this shit is absolutely fantastic. Great questions a bunch of us never even thought about, and presented in an understandable way... Drawn horribly, through a phone camera.
Hahahahaha
Amperage isn’t there but voltage is still present right? So if you cut it, wouldn’t it find its path to ground through you? That’s what I thought would happen. It’s cool hearing you talk about this.
I think we left out ground, as in I’m standing grounded, high current and cut, loop complete, poof, or even touching lines with broken down insulation.. homeowners and aluminum ladders. If one is truly ungrounded and far enough from ground, then the video makes sense
watch again, it is covered.
Yeah I was hoping he was going to get into cutting the 3rd wire (which is either called ground or neutral at that point, arguably it's both) But that's actually why you're in trouble if you are using uninsulated cutters and standing on a metal ladder, because there's arguably 3 potential loops that an American residential transformer can make: +120->gnd (and back), -120->gnd, and +120->-120.
So yeah, if you're on a ladder and you have no PPE and you cut one of the 120s, you'll get a nice loop from +120 on the transformer, through the wire, through the cutters, through your hand, through your feet, down the ladder, into the ground, and back up the grounding wire on the pole in to the transformer... I think... I'm not actually 100% sure the wire in the middle of the secondary on the transformer is actually grounded on the pole... but I think it is.
But it kinda doesn't matter as the other way you die is that the loop is now: +120 on pole, wire, cutters, you, ladder, ground, house grounding rod, house ground bus bonded to neutral, neutral wire, back to the pole.
So... yeah, don't try this shit at home. Quick sketch theory is great, but a general rule of thumb is: If you are grounded and you touch something hot, you can soon be dead.
@@tristfall1 typically the ace cuts the feed while holding onto the metal drop. The point being the circuit, “loop” can be completed in a number of real life ways. I’ve known a few Sparkies 😂 and someone painting who made contact. Power company does the disconnect and reconnect here, not a electrician (Connecticut). They don’t like folks messing with their transformers
@@billbergquist4722 circuit.. is that like a loop? What if someone turns the breakers back on? Yeah, been there. Let’s talk about locking out, anything that can go wrong.. then there was that guy who climbed a radio tower energized only to get fried trying to leap back to ground. Did the old milk crate trick..
@@tristfall1 ... ground and neutral are one in the same above the meter, but utility companies run under different rules, not covered by NEC. This is like arguing with a train. Guess who is more likely to win?
if you touch one of the hots to the utility bare neutral that would be equally bad haha. touching the two hots is alot harder to do because they are both insulated but man you gotta pay attention to the bare when you are cutting
It’s also worth mentioning the potential to ground. Don’t want to touch that exposed wire and the conduit at the same time or anything else that’s grounded.
I have been doing residential heating and air conditioning for 33 years.i can remember when I started doing my apprenticeship on the job sites when i had the time,I always asked the electricians questions and watched closely what they did.learned a lot
That actually is a great drawing, considering you did it through a phone lens while teaching and holding on your lap!!!! Also great info!!!
I loved the intro (story), followed by "aHA! A teachable moment"
Great explanation, I’m a lineman in Pennsylvania 👍
Dustin what is more dangerous Hot to ground/neutral or phase to phase?
I watched a video some time back where a guy replaces a service entrance cable on a fiberglass ladder. He didn’t explain that clearly. Thanks
If a home owner wants to cut ✂️ em then their just lupe....and even an experienced electrican should be cautious...safty first...you need to get paid not fried. As usual excellent video. Learning alot. Thanks 😊
Wouldn’t say it’s routinely done here in MN, but it is done. I’ve seen more than one overhead drop cut, and the power companies are not usually thrilled with it but we do it anyway. Like others said, we cut the tag, shut the homes main breaker off, pull the meter, and climb that extension ladder and cut and tape the wire (1 at a time, with proper gloves if your smart, or like a former master of mine did, wear maxi-flex gloves with electrical tape around the fingers and take that metal utility knife to it). Redo the overhead drop to meet code, and then strip and add Polaris lugs. Hook it back up. Then wrap a shit ton of electrical cloth tape on it (might be called friction tape, don’t quote me, I’ve only used it twice in 6 years personally), followed by an excessive beyond belief amount super 33 tape. Leave it for the power company to do what they do with it afterwards.
I’ve also worked under journeymen who said their Journeyman when they where an apprentice would made them stand on a mat and grab a bus bar to prove you wouldn’t get electrocuted. I actually ask my 1st year instructor to prove this in class that your electrically insulated boots will protect you, he proceeded to put a key into the receptacle.
I also heard a story of a guy who would like his finger tips and touch busses. Story goes it backfired once and he’s missing parts of a couple fingers (it IS a story, couldn’t fact check it).
"Let's go to the drawing board!" Aka a notepad on Dustin's crotch that he films and starts dying of laughter because of.
Thank you for doing the "what if" stuff Dustin.
From our utility view here in Texas (i work for one), if anyone cuts the service or seal on the meter can, the account holder will get a bill. We will do the disconnect and reconnect at no charge. The transformer fuse is sized to protect the transformer, not the load. The available fault current could exceed 22000A although 10000A is more common. Considering .25A can kill you, it's not worth the risk.
I've wondered about this. So the power distribution system is always fused? But only to protect the transformers and distribution wires, not the service drop or load? Is there ever a fuse on the secondary of that last transformer or are the fusses only on the distribution lines before the transformer?
No need to call power company in my neck of the woods for either meter removal or cutting/tie in of service drop
But it makes purdy sparks!!😂
@@CurtWelch there are some transformers with an internal fuse on the secondary side but those are being phased out in our area. When that fuse blows it requires a transformer replacement. The primary fuse protects the transformer and the main disconnect protects the customer. A short in the service drop would eventually blow the primary fuse, just not quickly as it is a time delay variety.
Not my responsibility to protect utility company’s property ie: Seal, meter, wires etc., it’s Their responsibility. Doesn’t matter who cuts the seal , they will just replace at no charge, no way to prove who did it .
I just literally thought of the question yesterday! Sweet video!
Great example and thanks for making me laugh. What a gift to be able to chuckle at ourselves. Keep the good videos coming. I appreciate you.
I was always taught "he who fails to laugh at himself leaves it for others to do"....
On the same topic whats goes on with a down wire during a storm?
I’d search up something called step potential, something that can be very dangerous if near downed power lines. Essentially the voltage difference between ur feet can be large enough to kill
Electron always want to go back to its source, So, How the solar power go to the grid? Could you talk about how solar works?
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
as long as you shed the load you are fine.....i helped my friend upgrade my service years ago and i asked him the same thing.....he was licensed i was just being a gopher... he cut the old service drop no problem....that is the most dangereous part.
Sorry to point something out, but the split winding is important in that transformer. Likely a bit much for your helper, but it’s the neutral and rather important… good video, as always.
As bad as that drawling was, I still understood it…. Thank you for your time
Heres a twist for you, and it happened at my very own house. A branch from a large fir tree fell onto the wires coming to my transformer and broke one, dropping it onto my driveway. Inside my house, what manifested was quite interesting. Now above my bed is, well was, a wall mounted light fixture with a couple bulbs pointing down, directly above our pillows. My wife and I were sitting in bed leaning up against the wall and for some reason both of us got up. Maybe it was a wind gust, I don't recall. Anyway, about 5 seconds after we get up we see a flash and the bulbs above us explode. I'm thinking "Oh crap" and run for the door to go hit the mains. Well what do you do when it's dark? You hit the light switch of course. So now the light bulb in stairwell explodes, but luckily inside the globe. I do the Homer Simpson "Doh!" and run down the stairs and kill the breaker. We had a guest staying with us so I went down and said "Mike, you ok?" He said "Man you should have seen it. The TV in your office was glowing like a poltergeist and your vcr was crackling like bacon frying. In the end I had to replace my vcr, tv, stereo tuner, relay board in the stove and who knows what else. Good times.
So we should definitely cut the service wires, got it. 😁 As usual, great explanation. I always learn something from your vids. Thanks for sharing!
Something that seems to be missing so often is that the dirt under your feet can also be a path to complete the circuit. Not a good one especially in dry clay like you find here in a lot of Texas but low enough resistance to still kill you if you're part of that 240v loop. Simple test, main lug to ground rod before you bond the neutral.
Yep, insulated grips on the cutter, insulated gloves, & insulated footwear. Don't complete the circuit. Better to have the utility company pull the fuse loose at the pole first.
@@wmcomprev yes indeed. He touched on the proper PPE part which is always important.
My comment is a bit general though. As it is a remark to a bunch of videos in the channel. It's missed on videos about the neutral and bonding, GFCIs, main service hookups, etc. The center tap at the pole is also grounded. This provides a secondary return path if stuff goes south. As long as your service neutral is intact it wont carry an appreciable amount of current though.
@@georgewilliams8228: Yes, I was surprised when he only showed the 2 hots. He's talked about the center tap in other videos though. I guess the main point in this video was the hots since they're the ones that will cause a problem if you short them to each other or neutral/ground. Not quite as much of a problem here lately. We haven't had much rain, so the ground isn't as conductive. Of course, "not as conductive" doesn't mean "not conductive."
@@wmcomprev The choice of washing machine kinda made me giggle talking about 240. Residential washers are 120V practically always.
Warning deep weeds technical crap to follow: On that "appreciable amount" I spoke of before. Because the neutrals on both ends of a service connection are bonded to earth/ground you actually have a 2 resistor network connecting the house to the transformer. The resistances are severely disproportionate but not non-existent nor static. This means as the ground becomes more conductive, more and more return current bypasses the service entrance neutral via the neutral-ground bonding.
@LabRat Knatz Oi third times a charm, PIA replying on a phone.
Indeed line to line on a split phase service like most US homes is 240 with 120 from line to ground or neutral. And if you were to become a conductor between either line leg of the loop in the video and ground you would have 120v of potential across you. In those 3 phase services for commercial and large offices you get 208 on most wYe and delta configurations. I run across this on our server racks as they are often feed at 208.
2:02 - if your weather head is that big you should definitely call your electrician! 😄🤣
I was doing demo of a small factory in a wearhouse and at one point I was up on a lift cutting down the 480v cables.
There were no equipment hooked to them so no loads.
I was wearing big thick rubber gloves.
I cut one strand at a time.
But there was a sub panel still switched on.
It blew up in my face!
The cutters welded to the wire and I nearly fell off the lift, it scared me.
I went down and found the sun panel and shut it off and finished the job.
Why did it do this?
One strand of 3, no loads, 480v.?
Great question, ill be following your comment.
You had to be grounded to something otherwise as long as you cut one wire at a time and you are not touching anything else there should be no problem
I remember when my uncle cut the neutral first. 😂🤣 Drawing had me rolling. 😂🤣😂🤣
Great video sir!!! I am an apprentice currently as a first step overhead Apprentice. Trying to do whatever to learn this information. Do you have any videos that can go in more depth on how I can be a more successful apprentice in my future career?
If you do cut those wires make sure you cut the neutral first so that you can fry all the electronics in your house.
*best John Wayne voice EVER* Fiberglass is your friend when you want to cut them wires cow poke... you'll want to cut and immediately wrap them.... yup, one at a time... hots first
Thanks for explaining The primaries and secondaries most people don’t know anything before the transformer like on the actual line going to the utility is high voltage it will fry you if you go between two wires anything after that will give you a big old jolt!
Your laughing at your own drawing killed me 😂
Last Friday night. A girl “high as a kite” t-Bones the 45ft utility pole. In front of my house. Snaps it and it drags the 1 other pole down. The anchor snaps out and flys across the street. My service was pulled off the side of the house. My pole was pulled live and scorched my sidewalk. Transformer arch’s 2x then shuts off. Thx to PSEG Linemen they fixed her mess…and I will be upgrading my service. 🤷♂️
First off…I am not an electrician! Having said that, I just learned a ton of valuable info in less than 6 minutes! Thanks for posting great videos like this 👊👍🏻
don't look at the phone, and you can look at your drawing😁, and see the phone in your peripheral vision...
good lesson though!
Thanks Dusty!!
QUESTION: Is the Wago connector is approved for use inside a panel box? They should be, after all the panel is just a big electrical box. I have replaced several breakers with the GFI and GFI/AFI breakers with the neutral pigtail that are always too short to reach the grounding bus bar so I added a section of wire using Wagos.
As a firefighter, we have cut these wires for years. Yes with Ppe . Much safer than pulling a meter. But still not the ideal situation.
Dustin! I'm a hands on learner I need you to demonstrate this for me lol... Toss out theory and let's get clinical lol
The live and return Neutral the loop.
Impedance correct term for resistance on a live circuit.
Resistance for a dead circuit.
Live Impedance testing is Ze
external power supply company.
and Zs system, the electrical installation from the Panel
Thank you so much for your videos, you are an excellent teacher and I get a lot out of your UA-cam channel! :)
The Explanation was good, but i think you should have said more about the dangerous Part. There ist a potential difference and a current will flow through you, if you doesn't use insulated Equipment or you are insulated altogether and that will kill you.
Now. Is you stupidly hold one cut wire in one hand and the other cut wire in other hand you have a loop with you as the resistor and current would flow. Right ?
That last little bit of footage, your Texan started to show.
Great tips! Thank you. If you get a second, I have a question about unplugging things and wifi controlled receptacles. My wife thinks we should start unplugging everything to conserve energy. My question, is it really worth it taking the time to unplug any and all devices to conserve energy? I have almost everything on KASA wifi wall receptacles which are scheduled to shut down as regularly as possible. In addition, all of our lamps are using WYZE bulbs which are either off on on their lowest setting depending on need. The WIZE bulbs are 60w rated, I am assuming peak. Are they still using 60w at the dimmest setting? Are these devices/receptacles in their "off" setting using significant enough energy to justify unplugging them daily. I feel like it almost defeats the purpose of having them. Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide.
Also shouldn’t there be a pole disconnect up on that transformer? Or was that built before you had to have them? I think in my town you still don’t need them on residential. Only commercials.
Good listening while I'm doing my ultrasound pole testing
Thank you for the video. Always learning new stuff.
can you explain why a tandom can be used for 240, but a tandom wafer cant? It's the design of the panel...the busbar layout... isn't it?
thx as always for your excellent vids
Can you make a video on how to connect and disconnect wire from the service
i was literally laughing so hard as you said about drawing while looking are your phone.
In that split second it takes to cut the wire going into the weather head, wouldn’t your Kleins spark or blow before the wire is fully severed?
Clear and simple explanation congrats buddy and thanks for share
I did it no problemo, never had to pay another bill ever again!
Thanks for the info.
Loved the video. Definitely informational.
I didn't see a center tap neutral. If there was no load, you could cut one at a time safely, or you could blow the primary fuse and melt your cutters.
You said this was old construction. So unless you're pulling the cover off the meter base you may not see multiple feeds from the meter lug. Amp clamp the service is the sure fire way to check load. Even then you should know if you're cutting energized wires or not and know what you're doing when cutting. Keeping distance between the hot leg and neutral when cutting. You could end up with a live conductor in your hand, so have a roll of plastic tape ready to cover up the ends. Determining if the transformer fuse is open, closed or blown. Realizing there is potential for neutral current without load on the service. (Not likely, but possible). Lots of traps for inexperienced persons.
Any kind of "EXPLOSION" would be either a short-circuit or a ground fault. Even after the explosion the conductors will likely STILL BE LIVE because the poco doesn't provide fault protection for such a minor load like in a house. I'm not an expert in that department though.
I would like to see this again with the ground and neutral drawn in. I would think if you cut those wires you would be grounded enough for some current to flow. And when they hit the ground current would start to flow.
Can you make a video on grounding an above ground pool and bonding the water. I cant get the reason behind this when the pump is grounded in a gfi breaker receptacle
To extend the question, if you cut one of the service wires coming from the pole and either dropped it onto the ground or made your body a path to ground for that one service wire, would that cause a problem? The whole ground/earth and neutral stuff - bonded here but not there etc - confuses my brain.
What will happen if?
You cut one.
And Bolt tie it, to a Line, that is
Split in 2, to a Outlet. Circumventing the meter?
actually i believe if you cut wires line and neutral at same time your cutter is creating a loop through your cutter since its made of metal. thats how your tool blows up
Awesome video, I'm going to have to draw while looking through the phone and see how it turns out. Hahaha
Other than you drew a 240v washer. You are teaching good.
The drawing is great especially considering the lag lol. (Artist and electrical apprentice here)
I’m thinking his question may have come from watching movies and television shows where it is very common to see a hot cable severed and it starts arcing with sparks flying everywhere.
Please start talking about craftsmanship. So many times as a sparky, I hear nothing but how horrible the sparky is. He did this, he did that, none of it good. The one thing that keeps me in this trade is craftsmanship and I’m always trying to better my work in one form or another. What hacks don’t realize, you’ll make more money doing it right and have a longer career. Even if you’re not licensed or you’re bootlegging a job, nothing will get you in hot water with a law suit or state agency then shotty work. I did a job one time that I didn’t want to do, so I bid it twice the asking just to get them to go. They bit so I did the remodel. Homeowner was told I ripped him off and he should sue. However, there was nothing to show on what was wrong and the wiring looked like a circuit board. So I get to court, judge asked a few questions and looked at photos I provided. Ruled in my favor because he agreed to the bid. Judge even asked if you can show one thing that cost you, I will award those damages. Homeowner had nothing.
If you cut the wires please stand in a bucket of water and grab cutters on the metal part if handle.
Are you referring to the neutral to phase from the secondary side? Wouldn’t your secondary transformer only carry voltage only? Meaning if you put a smaller wire and splice together. Since there is no load but voltage, it would still melt your wire?
Like magnetized current perhaps? Instead of load current?
ok, so because the loop is open there will be no current, but there is still potential? and only once your loop is closed will the potential develop current?
If i'm bare foot on the ground and cut that wire, just one. Wouldn't I create a circuit with the ground at the pole? Or standing in water and cut that line.
I don't see both braces to support mast and cable drip loop before entering weather head.
Teach me how airport lighting works, i was on a job and the service is weird and one wire ran to every light at 5000 volts!
Well there is more. Cut the neutral and the #6 ground wire will burn up.
There is a neutral ground bond in the main panel that has the main disconnect after the service entrance.