[Scan-DC] Family electrocuted putting up ham radio antenna

[Albert LaFrance]

Here in Dominion Virginia Power territory, I think the most common primary
distribution voltage is 34.5/19.9 KV (wye-connected; the lower voltage is
phase-to-ground, the higher voltage is phase-to-phase).  Some older
neighborhoods like mine have 12.5/7.2 KV, usually fed from intermediate
substations supplied by 34.5/19.9 KV feeders.  

Either voltage is, of course, quite lethal.

Albert

>-----Original Message-----
>From: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
>[mailto:scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of b_thom at juno.com
>Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:30 PM
>To: Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Family electrocuted putting up ham radio antenna
>
>
>
>---------- Original Message ----------
>From: Doug Kitchener <oldsdoug at hotmail.com>
>To: <scan-dc at mailman.qth.net>
>Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Family electrocuted putting up ham radio antenna
>Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:41:56 -0400
>
>Wow=2C 13 KV... is that common for that high a voltage to be 
>in a residenti= al area that they would come in contact with it?
>
>D
>
>-----------
>
>Easily. While yardsaling this summer, I ran into someone who 
>had a bumper sticker on his van about getting shocked. It 
>turns out I knew who he was. The Washington Hospital Center 
>MedStar helicopter had set up the LZ for him not far from 
>where I live, and I had gone to see the transfer from rescue 
>squad vehicle to helicopter. It was this guy. He brushed 
>against a conductor while setting up a ladder. He survived, 
>but he went through 23 operations after brushing against that 
>conductor. That was a single phase conductor with 19.2 kV 
>feeding a number of service drops on one residential street. 
>
>When I talked to a guy from Pike Electric a few years back, he 
>said that I have 8 kV three phase lines running past where I 
>lived. I think it must be more than that. 
>
>____________________________________________________________
>Best Weight Loss Program - Click Here!
>http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTFoYbbdNUG8bT
>O28YvXNtlAB4KRUMWiMkZik5NcTQel9fL7NQwqVi/
>______________________________________________________________
>Scan-DC mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/scan-dc
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>