Insulated Tools - Any use?
- Thread starter sjotis
- Start date
ToolmanTom
Well-known member
Not those particularly but, I do have some. I work on live circuits, I need to adjust metal screws while monitoring the oscilloscope. If the tool was not insulated it would throw the readings way off.
Not much for car stuff, but for sure in my electrical tool pouch.
I had 4 inchs of screwdriver shaft vaporize on me when I touched the edge of the box I was working in while tightening down a lug.
It was supposed to be a dead circuit, but you never know.
All those screwdriver shafts are rubber coated except fot the last inch at the tip.
Same fot the pliers. Just like your pic.
I had 4 inchs of screwdriver shaft vaporize on me when I touched the edge of the box I was working in while tightening down a lug.
It was supposed to be a dead circuit, but you never know.
All those screwdriver shafts are rubber coated except fot the last inch at the tip.
Same fot the pliers. Just like your pic.
LoneGunman
Well-known member
"It was supposed to be a dead circuit, but you never know."
Famous last words of a whole bunch of people. I'm sure youve heard it before but ALWAYS check a "dead circuit". The proper way to check a dead circuit is to check your meter on a known live circuit first, check the circuit you are working on to verify it is not energized then check the meter again on the known live circuit. Also don't forget to lock out and tag whatevers feeding that circuit.
If your screwdriver vaporized you were obviouslt not working on a 120/240 volt system, you are lucky the arc flash didn't get you.
Famous last words of a whole bunch of people. I'm sure youve heard it before but ALWAYS check a "dead circuit". The proper way to check a dead circuit is to check your meter on a known live circuit first, check the circuit you are working on to verify it is not energized then check the meter again on the known live circuit. Also don't forget to lock out and tag whatevers feeding that circuit.
If your screwdriver vaporized you were obviouslt not working on a 120/240 volt system, you are lucky the arc flash didn't get you.
Merkava_4
Banned
I unplugged a welding machine at Fresno City College one day. The plug had an internal short and a white flash shot out about 3 feet when I unplugged it. The plug receptacle was powered up with 480V 3-phase. It knocked the power out on the whole entire campus for 5 hours.
blue302stang
Well-known member
Yes, insulated tools are required to work on hybrids. The electrical drive side of a hybrid is something like 240VDC
wakeboarder311
Well-known member
you can vaporize a screwdriver on a 120 volt circuit i can speak from first hand experience
. i only beleive in Klien
. i only beleive in Klienwakeboarder311
Well-known member
what people dont understand it may be only lets say a 20 amp circuit breaker but its the fault current availible. it could be anywhere from 10k up to 65k
LoneGunman
Well-known member
you can vaporize a screwdriver on a 120 volt circuit i can speak from first hand experience
I guess it's semantics, I'd considered "vaporized" as nothing left as in an arc flash on a higher voltage system. I have never heard of an arc flash on a 120/240 volt system, then again whats the appropriate definition of "arc flash"?
I use to only believe in Klein Tools until I bought some of the German tools like Wiha, Wera and knipex, no more Klein for me.
*edit, learn something new everyday, just read an article by Holt about arc flashes on 120/240 systems.
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I unplugged a welding machine at Fresno City College one day. The plug had an internal short and a white flash shot out about 3 feet when I unplugged it. The plug receptacle was powered up with 480V 3-phase. It knocked the power out on the whole entire campus for 5 hours.
You're lucky to be alive to talk about it ...
In my electrical bag I keep an insulated screwdriver (1000v) that you can change out the different bits on. You know, just a plain ol' multi screwdriver except that it is made out of some kind of plastic composite. Of all places, I got it at Wally World for like $3 or something. I don't work on live circuits so this suits my needs fine.
But can't you deactivate the whole system easily before you work on it?
eschoendorff
Well-known member
Especially since Klein screwdrivers are just basically pratt-reed screwdrivers anyway...
http://www.pratt-read.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=4&cid=4
Uncle Buck
Banned
I unplugged a welding machine at Fresno City College one day. The plug had an internal short and a white flash shot out about 3 feet when I unplugged it. The plug receptacle was powered up with 480V 3-phase. It knocked the power out on the whole entire campus for 5 hours.
You just explained a whole lot there bub!
BrianAltenhofel
Well-known member
All the circuits in my trailer house are breakered on the neutral leg. It was NOT a fun experience to think that the circuit was dead and find it hot when you hooked up the ground wire (the previous fan went hot-neutral with no ground and the ground wire to it was just capped).
I'm waiting to replace the box because I need a new panel to send 220 to the garage. Federal Pacific breakers are way too expensive ($70 at HD last time I looked) and I don't like that the kitchen outlets (including fridge) and swimming pool pump are all running off the same 15 amp breaker. Right now, the front porch, back porch, cellar, and garage are on a single 20 amp breaker. Trust me, that has been real fun with a deep freeze, welder, beer fridge, and various other power tools.
(Hey, at least the trailer was old enough and the pool has about foot above ground so that we only paid for the land it sits on...)
eschoendorff
Well-known member
Clearly, welders should be banned *sic*! 
Rrumbler
Well-known member
I have had insulated Klein drivers in my box and belt since the early sixties, still use some of the originals, but they are a bit long in the tooth, and have a lot of battle scars. I would never depend on an insulated driver, regardless of the rating, for shock protection, but always considered them a godsend when working in close, congested panels, or terminal blocs and switch sets. They may have saved me a burn or flash, or two, fer-sure.