The circuit's not carrying power. It's just up to line voltage. The sodium hexaflouride filled breaker (in between) is open. These long rods (disconnects) strike an arc carrying only a tiny current. They make a spectacular arc because the voltage is so hi. If they were opened when the c/b was closed and the line carrying load, everything around would've been vaporized, including the guy doing the opening.
It's just like a car spark plug. The voltage is hi and you get a nasty shock. But the voltage falls right off and the power is tiny. So you're not hurt, tho it'll sure wake you up!
This was at Palo Verde Nuclear. They opened the breaker to take the unit offline for a planned outage.
voroma89 3 years ago
presumably they shouldn't have done that while it was on?
cjeam9199 4 years ago
The circuit's not carrying power. It's just up to line voltage. The sodium hexaflouride filled breaker (in between) is open. These long rods (disconnects) strike an arc carrying only a tiny current. They make a spectacular arc because the voltage is so hi. If they were opened when the c/b was closed and the line carrying load, everything around would've been vaporized, including the guy doing the opening.
apeppink 4 years ago
It's just like a car spark plug. The voltage is hi and you get a nasty shock. But the voltage falls right off and the power is tiny. So you're not hurt, tho it'll sure wake you up!
apeppink 4 years ago
ooo, right, thanks for that. That would still seem a bit dodgy even though you know its not going to hurt!
cjeam9199 4 years ago
wow that is a lot of juice in order to do that. yall work for the power company? or the breaker just happened to open?
bradmann85 5 years ago
Loox like a potential arc, caused when the disconects around an open breaker are themselves opened or closed.
apeppink 5 years ago
sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!
psylantwolf 5 years ago
Haha cool.
rocketgib 5 years ago