POWER LINES DOWN:

[JL]

or YOUR kite in power lines: "Ksd: MF4, yes power can arc. while doing storm duty over the years, I have had the pleasure of seeing typical primary lines (14,000 kv) arc upto 5ft to the neutral or vegiation (ie trees). 14,000 is usually what is going through the single lines. when you see 3 lines at the top of the pole it is 25kv, which if it should hit the ground could energize the ground upto 33m away. 10ft is the general rule for people to keep away from 14,400 kv lines while they are in the air. If you ever see one down, never approach it...NEVER. At times BC Hydro will reenergize the line testing it, even if the line is snapped, so what you think is dead, may not be. Also, if the power is out and somebody has a generator going, it has the potential to backfeed into the system and kill you as well should you grab the line. I know of 4 BC Hydro linemen over the years who have been killed that way, assuming it is not energized." Thanks

[more force 4]

Jimmy is now a Big Kahuna???

Another trick I picked up at the Hydro safety course was if wires land near you, or you MUST leave an energized vehicle, NEVER walk or run away - you may be OK standing in one spot on one foot - to move away you either hop with both feet together or shuffle no further than heel-to-toe, keeping your feet touching each other. THat way you don't step in two different voltage zones which will make the current flow through you.

[TURTLE]

We just got our power back in Mill Bay. It went out Sat about 3:30 and returned sometime before we came home at 9:30pm. This is the second outtage in a week.
Lots of debris flying through the air!!

Turtle

[kitesurferdale]

Mf4 is right about the vehicle thing, however, when you are getting out of that vehicle it is important that you do it in one fluid movement, and when you touch the ground you are not touching the vehicle at the same time as the voltage could travel through you to the vehicle (better conduction) or throught the vehicle, into you and into the ground. This situation is called touch potential, while the example of shuffling on the ground to get away is called step potential.

[kitesurferdale]

Oh yeh, here is another thought for you all. When I was a kid they said power always takes the path of least resistance, while this is generally true, it is somewhat misleading. Power takes all paths to ground not just the one with least resistance, however the path with the least resistance would get the most current running through it.