electric shock

In article , Wolfgang Schwanke
scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote in
:

In article , Wolfgang Schwanke
scribeth thus
Martin wrote in
:

In one of today's newspapers there is a photo of a paraplegic guy
who has just swum between two of the Indonesian islands using
special attachments to what is left of his legs. It says he was
electrocuted whilst removing a TV aerial

There must be something about electricity in Indonesia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zca97nkMkHE


JOOI how is it they receive shocks as some have a towel under their
feet so its not rail to rail, and surely Both rails would be bonded
together to provide the return conductor and surely it isn't leakage
at that distance from the overhead at 25 kV..

I've seen similar reports about that place on one or two television
stations, and some other clips are also on youtube. The patients'
"spasms" in the different clips look similar enough, in some of them the
reporters try it out for themselves, so I think it's legit. I've been
wondering why the rails are under current at all, and why there should
be a voltage difference between the two rails. The wiring of Indonesian
railways must either be completely different from ours, or there's a
fault in that area.


IIRC there should be -A- current between the rails for track circuit
detection, usually a rather low voltage. I believe it was 6 VDC when I
last measured one. That may be either DC or AC with impedance bonds so
as to make sure that both running rails are bonded so no dangerous
currents can be effected across them.

ISTR that a differing AC frequency to the mains was in use.

I don't know if they even do that in that country.

I'm sure a post to UK railway will give chapter and verse..


--
Tony Sayer

In article ,
Terry Casey scribeth thus
In article , says...

I seem to recall somebody telling me that when they were a lad,
they along with some friends used to put something temporarily
across the tracks to cause the signal to change from green to danger.


Standard equipment in a BR brake van was a length of wire with a clip on
each end for that very purpose. Obviously an addition to the time
honoured use of detonators to protect the rear of a train in the event
of a breakdown.


Track circuiting clips. One had to use them in anger .. long story;!..
--
Tony Sayer

Terry Casey wrote:
In article , says...
I seem to recall somebody telling me that when they were a lad,
they along with some friends used to put something temporarily
across the tracks to cause the signal to change from green to danger.


Standard equipment in a BR brake van was a length of wire with a clip on
each end for that very purpose. Obviously an addition to the time
honoured use of detonators to protect the rear of a train in the event
of a breakdown.

Why I was a lad we used to rob the wooden cabinets at the side of the
main east coast line. We were after batteries. They were very large
square black cells, each 1.5V. They lasted forever in our gang hut
telephone network. I never know what they were for until this discussion
started.

Bill