EPRI: Arc Flash Study Project

BPA's High Voltage Lab in Vancouver, Wash., played host to an Electric Power Research Institute study on how to protect high-voltage workers from arc flashes and arc-related injuries. The lab testing gave researchers real-world data to confirm the validity of their computer analyses. The tests were funded by the agency's Office of Technology and Innovation and conducted by BPA's Laboratories and Field Services.

[@PhxSt0rmz]

This is one of those moments where you get to say "I wish I worked there!" Nice video, Looks like a lot of good research can be done there, Especially with that large MarX generator I saw behind a sheet!

[@nfpa70e1]

Several utilities are involved in this ongoing study to make arc flash calculations realistic for higher voltages. Arc Rated clothing usually prevents deaths from arc flashes and dramatically reduces injuries over ignitable clothing but we need to help protect better. Lots of work to do on this front but moving to arc rated clothing is always good.

[@t13fox67]

Excellent video. How does the high voltage lab actually work? I'm a retired industrial electrician and I would love to work in a high voltage lab. Thank you so much. Quite interesting.

[@EphemeralProductions]

Electricity is scary and amazing. I'm always wowed when I see videos of arc flashes like this, because at the second the arc goes off, the entire screen is bright white, like you see when a nuclear bomb goes off! It's scary the amount of energy released! Gives you a healthy respect of it (or fear as the case may be). LOL

[@TheSentientCloud]

Must visit...

[@BonnevillePower]

@lakewood85 - Good ? ... Europe uses 50 Hz because it better fits the metric system. And after WWII the voltage was doubled from 110V to 220V because higher voltages use less copper, which was expensive at the time. The proliferation of 110V in North America prevented the doubling of voltage but large appliances still use 220-240V plugs.

[@loupole5654]

Definitely an interesting tidbit. . .(regarding Europe and 220 volt mains)

[@Videogamer-555]

Didn't Europe also have a lot of 110V equipment in place before the switch? Why is Europe willing to render obsolete old equipment, but the USA isn't?

[@weeardguy]

@@Videogamer-555 I can't remember hearing anything about 110 Volt in the Netherlands, but of course there is more Europe besides the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, 127/220 Volt three phase power has been used in a number of cities, in two possible configurations: one as a two-phase (of the possible three) system with a voltage of 220 between phases and 127 Volt + neutral. From what I know, the two-phase system was the more common configuration. It could be there are still a few connections with those configurations left, but by far the most now use 230/400 Volt configurations.

[@Videogamer-555]

@@weeardguy So there are residential electrical outlets in people's houses, that use 3-phase AC electricity? I thought that was only for industrial usage.

[@weeardguy]

@@Videogamer-555 There are residential buildings that indeed can feature a 3-phase outlet if the main-connection/configuration allows for it, but it's not standard. My home for example gets 3-phase power in, with all 3 phases fused in the main-junction box, at 25 Amp each if I remember it right (we cook with electricity and heating is done via city-heating). The cooker/oven is connected with a so-called Perilex plug. I consider it to be one of the worst 'standards' we have in the Dutch electrical code as it can be wired in two different manners: one is 3P+N+PE, the other is 2P+2N+PE, with the 2 phases coming from the same original phase, but seperately fused with a special, linked circuit-breaker: if one phase trips, it will take the other phase with it, just like it will break the neutrals as well (by code, the neutral has to be broken in all situations). If the home is bigger or is heated with electricity, 3x35 Amp or even 3x50 Amp fuse-ratings are very normal. But there are also a lot of homes where all 3-phases do enter the home, but only 1 is fused with a 35 Amp fuse (or 32 Amp automatic circuit breaker) at the main junction box. The connection-fee is higher with a 3-phase supply than when you only use 1-phase, so usually, people will tend to stay with a 1-phase connection if they don't need 3-phase power or don't run into troubles with their main-fuse. But if you have a small workshop attached to your home or you want to use a 3-phase benchdrill in your shed for example, people can extend all 3 phases (if available) to their shed and place an industrial CEE-form type socket there. If the 2 remaining phases aren't fused, one will have to call the electricity-company and request upping the connection to a 3-phase system. This will increase the connection-fee and an engineer will come by to replace all the fuses, which is not cheap to say the least (as the main junction box is sealed, one can't do this yourself without getting into trouble) As with a 3x25 Amp main-fuse rating, the maximum CEE-form outlet you can fully use is a red 3x16Amp, but one has to fuse it carefully to prevent the main fuse or breaker from tripping in the event of a short. This is called 'selectivity', which most likely also exists in the USA :) ) Hope this cleared it up ;)

[@BackyardBeeKeepingNuevo]

Why do we use 60 hz electricity and Europe uses 50 hz electricity?

[@EphemeralProductions]

has to do basically with Tesla wanting 60hz and for reasons I can't remember, most of the world ended up adopting 50 hz.

[@Permaglo]

This experiment used only 3/4 amps of current. Roughly, what is the max current on an actual 500kV line during peak usage?

[@EphemeralProductions]

Permaglo anywhere from 200 amps all the way up to over 1000. Either way, enough to vaporize someone instantly.

[@Videogamer-555]

@@EphemeralProductions Is the 1000Amp figure based on an electrical fault situation, or an actual realistic normal usage situation?

[@EphemeralProductions]

Videogamer555 : operating conditions, from what I've heard

[@bjtaudio]

I was thinking it is hard to protect yourself against a incredibly powerful 2000~3000 Mega-Watt flash-over blowing up in your face. I can imagine the massive white hot explosion, sending the 80Kg test dummy into the air, along with part of the conductors, insulator and clouds of vaporised metals and sparks. It as powerful as several sticks of dynamite, the physical force of the blast can crush you. It way more powerful than the arcs and explosions posted on u-tube so far. A system disturbance!

[@incrediblemichael]

that whas a huge arc wtf like and subscription you got from me