You can use a Non-Contact Voltage Tester to confirm there’s no voltage potential in the water. I also wear rubber boots when I’m working around concert-sized generators (100kW or so) in the rain.
Recently reading so much about hot skin shocks and electrocutions from broken RV park grounds and failed water heater elements, it might be time to upgrade some codes. If a GFCI in the RV panel board could detect a bad water heater element, why is it not required? If a ground trace wire could be at the end pedestal of a distribution system to electronically monitor the ground connection back to the service entrance panel and shut the power down at the service entrance panel, why is it not required? It seems putting folks lives at risk because it costs too much to make things safe is a false economy.
We stayed in a campground in Georgia on a rainy night. The next morning we were surrounded by water a couple of inches deep. I tried ditching to get the water to drain away and got it most to drain except around the pedestal. I contacted the campground office and got maintenance to turn off the breaker at the pedestal before unplugging our surge protector and cable. That could have been a very dangerous situation.
I have noticed that campground pedestals are anything but standard and outlet locations vary a lot. Some are low to the ground so the surge protector is not really hanging as it should. Relieving the strain of a hanging surge protector may require some ingenuity. I can only imagine the kinds of dangerous situations that could arise when the ground is wet. Seems like a great product opportunity if there could be a device that monitors and warns when there is a shock risk. I know that is a tall order. Maybe a set of non•contact electrical testers built into door handles and the high touch areas that produce warning signals when hazardous electrical energy is present?
For pedestals that are too low, a short 50- or 30-Amp extension cord looped over top of the pedestal will get your surge protector off the ground and out of any water. I also use tie line to secure the surge protector to the post so it doesn’t pull out of the pedestal outlet.
Is there a reasonable suggestion for disconnecting (no one available to shut off power) from pedestal with standing water?
You can use a Non-Contact Voltage Tester to confirm there’s no voltage potential in the water. I also wear rubber boots when I’m working around concert-sized generators (100kW or so) in the rain.
Recently reading so much about hot skin shocks and electrocutions from broken RV park grounds and failed water heater elements, it might be time to upgrade some codes. If a GFCI in the RV panel board could detect a bad water heater element, why is it not required? If a ground trace wire could be at the end pedestal of a distribution system to electronically monitor the ground connection back to the service entrance panel and shut the power down at the service entrance panel, why is it not required? It seems putting folks lives at risk because it costs too much to make things safe is a false economy.
There is new code coming soon that I’ll address as soon as it’s made public.
We stayed in a campground in Georgia on a rainy night. The next morning we were surrounded by water a couple of inches deep. I tried ditching to get the water to drain away and got it most to drain except around the pedestal. I contacted the campground office and got maintenance to turn off the breaker at the pedestal before unplugging our surge protector and cable. That could have been a very dangerous situation.
I have noticed that campground pedestals are anything but standard and outlet locations vary a lot. Some are low to the ground so the surge protector is not really hanging as it should. Relieving the strain of a hanging surge protector may require some ingenuity. I can only imagine the kinds of dangerous situations that could arise when the ground is wet. Seems like a great product opportunity if there could be a device that monitors and warns when there is a shock risk. I know that is a tall order. Maybe a set of non•contact electrical testers built into door handles and the high touch areas that produce warning signals when hazardous electrical energy is present?
For pedestals that are too low, a short 50- or 30-Amp extension cord looped over top of the pedestal will get your surge protector off the ground and out of any water. I also use tie line to secure the surge protector to the post so it doesn’t pull out of the pedestal outlet.
Here’s a 3-ft extension that is a little too short (5 ft would be better) but you get the idea… https://www.amazon.com/Tera-Electric-Vehicle-Extension-Cord/dp/B0CJYBXKGP/ref=asc_df_B0CKPQ9VDT/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=680372655100&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4198107825673495308&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1018611&hvtargid=pla-2261296053339&psc=1&mcid=80d948697de237b3921bc3d83748b4e2&gad_source=1&th=1