pudgybear
Well-known member
Just announced that the 13 year old that died in MICHIGAN at the school football feild was caused by a " short circuit and missing ground wire " short went right to the fence!
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Electrocution by fence CON'T
- Thread starter pudgybear
- Start date
rockwithjason
Well-known member
shoddy work happens everyday. two of the prime offenders are "handy men" and "maintenance technicians"
laser3kw
Well-known member
flame war in 3...2...1...two of the prime offenders are "handy men" and "maintenance technicians"
ibtl
Such a shame, some people just don’t take doing electrical work serious. Some even make comments that the NEC regulations are ridiculous and over the top.
Well, for those of you that think this way, this unfortunate accident is a direct result of what can happen when the NEC is not taken seriously.
A missing ground wire? WTF, don’t theses dumb asses know that the ground is the most important part of the system.
This should have never happened, again someone trying to cut corners, or just plain ignorance.
My heart goes out to the family
Well, for those of you that think this way, this unfortunate accident is a direct result of what can happen when the NEC is not taken seriously.
A missing ground wire? WTF, don’t theses dumb asses know that the ground is the most important part of the system.
This should have never happened, again someone trying to cut corners, or just plain ignorance.
My heart goes out to the family
RPH
Well-known member
Article stated the ground was open between two poles. Still not sure where the power came from.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Sometimes ground wires get stolen off utility poles by scrappers.
Without more knowledge of what happened, it's all speculation anyway.
Without more knowledge of what happened, it's all speculation anyway.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
Sad....either the installer was careless or a thief stole the wire...either way the source of the electricity needs to be found. And grounding the fence will aide in the search as the breaker should trip next time around.
it wouldnt have been a short circuit since the fence wasnt grounded! A short circuit would have resulted with a tripped breaker and a deenergized fence. Just the reason why grounding is important!
However, this update doesnt give us anymore info than what we already knew. We knew the fence had to have been energized by a faulty wire and we knew an equipment grounding bond from the fence to the panel was missing.
Im very curious as to how the fence got energized!
it wouldnt have been a short circuit since the fence wasnt grounded! A short circuit would have resulted with a tripped breaker and a deenergized fence. Just the reason why grounding is important!
However, this update doesnt give us anymore info than what we already knew. We knew the fence had to have been energized by a faulty wire and we knew an equipment grounding bond from the fence to the panel was missing.
Im very curious as to how the fence got energized!
Last edited:
Mustang51js
Well-known member
My guess since it's michigan the ground wire prob got taken for scrap
While back there was news story where girl leaned against city light pole in rain storm and was electrocuted as well. Light pole was surely installed by "pro" so mistakes can be deadly anywhere. Bad deal all around for kids to lose life for preventable situations.
gayler
Well-known member
While back there was news story where girl leaned against city light pole in rain storm and was electrocuted as well. Light pole was surely installed by "pro" so mistakes can be deadly anywhere. Bad deal all around for kids to lose life for preventable situations.
Sounds very simular to this story as well. http://www.salina.com/news/jayden-II
Kevin C
Well-known member
Lincoln Consolidated Schools and Washtenaw Intermediate School District officials said at a community meeting Thursday that investigators from the Michigan State Police, Washtenaw ISD and the state of Michigan determined there was a short circuit in the northeast light pole.
A ground wire between two light posts on the field did not connect to the circuit breaker, he said, and the electricity traveled to the fence near the bleachers.
The ongoing investigation requires that electricians look inside of the lights.
"We have no way of knowing exactly what it was until we go in and look at the top of the light and trace it back,"
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/10/electricians_continue_to_inves.html
Assuming that the fence is in the ground (from the photos it appears to be), this might be a good example of how ground paths to earth are not likely to clear a short (they are for lightning protection). You need to have a ground wire that goes back to the panel.
To me it looks like a ground connection at the top of the light pole was missing or compromised.
gayler
Well-known member
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/10/electricians_continue_to_inves.html
Assuming that the fence is in the ground (from the photos it appears to be), this might be a good example of how ground paths to earth are not likely to clear a short (they are for lightning protection). You need to have a ground wire that goes back to the panel.
To me it looks like a ground connection at the top of the light pole was missing or compromised.
In the artical it says "Bonter said high school electricians used a boom lift to dismantle the light tower believed to have caused the shock Lorinczy received at a Sept. 30 middle school football game, a shock that killed him three days later.
Why are The school electricians anywhere near the investigation?
sberry
Banned
We can pretty much figure out what went wrong but finding out where is another matter. Whats scary is I was wiring since I was a kid. I am a fairly profficient installer in terms of design so not everyone knew I didn't know.
These forums help millions, I have actually retro actively repaired work I did way back in the day.
These forums help millions, I have actually retro actively repaired work I did way back in the day.