Light-duty electricians gloves?

[ishiboo]

Is anyone aware of a set of insulating (<= 500v) electricians gloves which are rather "light"?

I end up doing a lot of electrical work around the house. I have all the tools (DMM, non-contact voltage detector, test light, etc.) to make sure the circuit is off, however I'd like to be extra careful.

There are various gloves, the insulated ones tend to be higher-voltage rubber gloves which are useless for twisting wire nuts/etc. The "electricians gloves" seem to be your basic work glove and do not offer an insulation rating.

Is there any decent glove that doesn't kill your dexterity that allows protection from low-voltage (120/240) circuits?

 

[Stuart in MN]

Why not turn the power off first?

 

[malibu101]

Why not turn the power off first?

I agree that any "work around the house" like the OP said he was doing can, and should, be done unenergized.

However, answering the OP question- Look up Salsbury. All my arc flash gear at work is from them. I have a set of light gloves in my arsenal but I have to wait until Monday to see what part number they are.

 

[awdblazer]

i have a set of 1000v gloves and 17kv gloves from salisbury and they are great
the 1000v are really thin and you can feel alot with them
the 17kv ones are way to thick but i have to use them at work, forearms get a workout with a shotgun hotstick
when you use rubber insulated gloves you need to use leather outers with them

 

[slip knot]

Really ???

 

[ishiboo]

I agree that any "work around the house" like the OP said he was doing can, and should, be done unenergized.

However, answering the OP question- Look up Salsbury. All my arc flash gear at work is from them. I have a set of light gloves in my arsenal but I have to wait until Monday to see what part number they are.

Sorry, I should have explained that better. As I said, I have all the tools to verify the power is off, meaning I do shut it off before most work. I do occasionally work on live circuits if the need arises, but do so carefully. The gloves are not really for the live work, though it'd definitely be a good thing... just for having gloves and the extra safety margin by having some rated for their insulation properties.

 

[Delta74]

personally, i usually work bare handed for the teeny stuff ( residential ), basic leather gloves for **** work, but when forced to wear gloves 100%, lately work has been giving us the Mechanix's ( SP ) and they are decent to work with, can do joints ok with them, only issue is there not the warmest things ( currently -30 where i am ) but for what your doing should be ok, never had a shock working live 120 with them.

 

[fast one]

With rubber gloves you need to be really carefull, they require alot of care. Once they become punctured they are no longer safe. To help prevent that you need to wear a leather glove over top of the rubber glove.

You also need to inspect the gloves before you use them to make sure they don't have any holes or tears.

 

[mtne]

Sorry, I should have explained that better. As I said, I have all the tools to verify the power is off, meaning I do shut it off before most work. I do occasionally work on live circuits if the need arises, but do so carefully. The gloves are not really for the live work, though it'd definitely be a good thing... just for having gloves and the extra safety margin by having some rated for their insulation properties.

If the gloves are to be used on non-energized circuits, use whatever work gloves you're comfortable using. If your working live, good clean leather that don't get used for other stuff. Given that you know how to and you usually will de-energize the power, why rated arcflash rubber? Your systems should be 250v and under and really don't warrant rated rubber gloves. If your that concerned that someone will turn something dead on, use lock out tag out. If it's about working 240v and down hot, then you shouldn't be playing with it.

Given the improvement in transformer ratings in the last generations which lowered the typical inductive reactances across the system, arc flash is a real concern. Those potentials as I understand it not a concern for end users of distribution past the meter in 120v/240v residential systems. So unless you've got some 400A+ gear and have to work it hot, arc flash is a waste.

For home, good clean leather gloves with no holes/oils/water on them. Safety glasses, with maybe a shield if your that worried. Cotton long sleeves, and no metal jewelery too in my opinion. But first and foremost, just turn it off..................

 

[Roots]

Class 0 (500V AC) and Class 00 (1000V AC) gloves are perfectly fine or light enough for most electrical work, even with the leather protectors.

I'd be more concerned with an "uncertainty" of the circuit being effectively locked out and the desire for additional protection, that sends up quite a few red flags to me.

Additionally, electrical gloves require inspections, that generally require actual training to use. There's more to it than just checking for cuts and blowing it up like a balloon. That's on top of them, effectively having a six month life span.

 

[Alchymist]

While not rated as "electrical", and not for use on live circuits, last electrical job I had issued these to all the electricians for general use. Saved a lot of cuts and scrapes in the everyday work. Still have a few pair.

http://industrialcatalogue.ansell.eu/hynit

 

[VDubJoe]

We use the 1000 volt gloves to work on 600 or less volts. Everything else is 15kv ones. They get tested every month. Finally got the sec gloves so we could work inside the streetlite heads.

Joe

 

[buzz4041]

Sorry, I should have explained that better. As I said, I have all the tools to verify the power is off, meaning I do shut it off before most work. I do occasionally work on live circuits if the need arises, but do so carefully. The gloves are not really for the live work, though it'd definitely be a good thing... just for having gloves and the extra safety margin by having some rated for their insulation properties.

Why would the need arise at your house to work on hot electrical circuits ? Your not trouble shooting motor controls and such. Be safe shut it off , tag it out, test it and go to work. To not do it this way is only inviting potential hazards that you and your family do not need. Oh and about the gloves use any that you feel comfortable with to protect your hands from injury not burns because you already shut the power off

 

[sarman47]

Lockout tagout........ Better safe then sorry.

 

[onething]

I'm glad to see the majority are saying kill it. Where I work, the gloves rated for hot work go back to the lab every six months to be recertified...even if they've been in the protective bag and never used.

Here's a story from a coworker celebrating 35 Yrs. No Lost Time

“Approximately 50 years ago my Dad worked on a line crew. A member of the crew was electrocuted. They were family friends and I grew up playing with their kids. I remember the funeral being closed casket. The wife had to go to work because of the accident and they finally had to move away. One accident changed a lot of lives.”