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Originally posted by sparky:
CanadianSparky;
probably the most prevalant 3 ph is 208/120Y folowed by 480/277Y .
Virgil;
i worked for a lot of different contractors here that knew nothing of safety practices or PPE, they would simply joke that i was not to get paid for 'welding'. Some would even make up service drops bare handed. It took me quite a while to realize my upbringing in this trade was outragoeusly flawed, so don't be impressed with my ignorance. [Linked Image]
Today if i visit similar situations i will ask the customer if he/she would like me to trace out the circuit or shut the main off, and i'll usually leave one of my computer generated panel scheduled for them.
There are, however, situations that require that i do live work. A common case in point is making on an overhead service drop, i would be interested in how others go about this. [Linked Image]


After making hot-taps in a sleet storm with only leather gloves I got a genuine pair of linemans gloves, the gloves are rubber proof tested to 5kv( they do make them heavier)and a pair of leather protecctors over top.
When I make hot taps, its one at a time, very slow and I tape them first with 1 inch 3m rubber tape then two wraps of 33+. Here in my area we use Romex connectors for split-bolts too. the neutral is always last I usually shaking by then.
On one occasion, I was tying in the taps on a house that had been sided with steel and while stripping off the insulation from OEs cable, holding the hot cable in my left hand knife in the right I slipped with my left hand and it went right into the siding, burnt a hole in the siding about 1/2 inch in diameter.
On higher voltage, when I worked in Cleveland 4160 was the highest we ever worked on it was coats, gloves mask, and a dead stick to shut the power off, dead-stivk was 10 feet long, and it was still a shaky deal.