Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: ftp on July 29, 2009, 07:39:26 pm

Title: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: ftp on July 29, 2009, 07:39:26 pm
I seem to get most of my guttering jobs done when the weather is rather damp which means operating and running my 240v vac in wet weather.
It has been said before that it's fine to operate the Omnipole version (240v) in a downpour.  :o
I think it's only a matter of time before I get a 'belt' off it. So, what I want to know is what happens when a 110v electrical appliance shorts in the wet. Would I still suffer a large shock? A mild shock? or nothing at all.
I have a circuit breaker on the generator so in theory at least I have some protection.
Title: Re: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: matt on July 29, 2009, 07:44:49 pm
i hope you havent done it in he rain today  ? ? ?

a 240 V shock is fairly strong\

i have had a few 110 V shocks and whilst you feel it, its not going to kill you

where as a 240 V can

is it worth it ? ? ? ?
Title: Re: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: ftp on July 29, 2009, 07:49:55 pm
Exactly, which is why i was thinking of going 110v
Title: Re: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: matt on July 29, 2009, 07:52:41 pm
Exactly, which is why i was thinking of going 110v

thats why 110 V has been the only thing allowed on building sites for a long time

Title: Re: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: kevin James on July 29, 2009, 08:37:17 pm
If you cover the leccy bits with plastic, but mist important make sure you have an RCD fitted. I've drilled inti 230 & not felt a ting

Kevin.
Title: Re: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: Nathanael Jones on July 29, 2009, 09:18:21 pm
(http://lc.fdots.com/cc/lc/d1/d1d0423803bab645dd361e8ea06b62ea.gif)
Title: Re: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: drive surgeon on July 30, 2009, 10:39:02 am
i saw a guy get shocked with a vac and his hair stood straight up and his face went white as a ghost. it was scary. :o
Title: Re: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: matt on July 30, 2009, 12:43:13 pm
i was once chasing ( making a groove for a cable ) in the kitchen before tiling

now you allways have electical wires in straight drops DOWN, i got my tester and found the drops for the 2 sockets and the cooker point, i marked them on the wall to know where to avoid, i quickly scanned the wall for anything else, it was all clear

so i start chasing the wall out and BANG, i had chopped though a spur off the 40 amp cooker cable ( some clown had make a spur for the power shower :() it sent me flying across the kitchen, i lifted me off my feet and sent me 3 M away, the bolster chisel was 2 inch wide and thick, it had blown a hole in it about the size of a golf ball

i was lucky to live to be honest

these days, i allways give the advice, dont mess about with 240 V electricity
Title: Re: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: Nathanael Jones on July 30, 2009, 04:28:53 pm
240v is nasty,.. but with the right training and precautions it can be made safe. Years ago I used to work in a pottery firing the kilns. They were all 3 phase (effectively 480volt I'm told) and if an element broke during a firing it had to be repaired whilst the kiln was live.  The precautions in a wet environment would obviously be different, but not impossible to implement. Housing the vac in a waterproof cover would be a simple and effective solution for short term work though I'd imagine,... You might need to get something made/adjusted to suit, but its possible?
Title: Re: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: ftp on July 30, 2009, 07:57:41 pm
Where's Glyn when you need him? He sells the things what's his view?
Title: Re: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: Window Washers on July 30, 2009, 08:26:34 pm
Thats why I went for 110v, also you are using it for commercial reasons it should be 110v anyway.
Title: Re: Vacs, rain and electricity?
Post by: matt on July 30, 2009, 08:42:31 pm
Where's Glyn when you need him? He sells the things what's his view?

you drove him away, a man can only replace a certain number of teddies  :P