# Steel fish tapes and hot panels.



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

This is what happens to the connector on the far end when a screwball is pushing a fish tape into a hot panel with wreckless abandon.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

OK, whats the story Marc? You can't just leave us hanging ya know!:no:


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

In this case, the fish tape pushed a foriegn object of some sort (all we found was slag) into a 600 amp service disconnect. I don't think I could even list all the mistakes that went into this one.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

JohnJ0906 said:


> OK, whats the story Marc? You can't just leave us hanging ya know!:no:


Not much to say. Some meat-head was about 75' from a panel pushing a fish tape into a 4-square into a hot panel. The panel was not within sight from where the person jamming in the fish tape was. There are options. Have a helper hold his finger over the connector opening in the panel, non-metallic fish tape, or deenergize the panel. The fish tape jammer-inner meat-head decided that it might work if he just pushed the fish tape through anyhow. It contacted a lug in the panel, and burned off the fish tape (luckily) without tripping that panel's feeder breaker or hurting the meat-head. Blew up the conduit connector at the panel a bit, and put a black mark on the lug. That leg to ground was only 120V. Would have been much worse at a different voltage. 

Dumb, dumb, dumb. This is what happens on Friday's, sometimes.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

JohnJ0906 said:


> In this case, the fish tape pushed a foriegn object of some sort (all we found was slag) into a 600 amp service disconnect. I don't think I could even list all the mistakes that went into this one.


John... was that at 480? Looks like a 480 blowup.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

No, 208Y/120. Whatever was knocked in there took about 20 seconds to blow clear. HMMMMMM....bang!bang!, etc. Not a good day except noone hurt. Just a real bad case of too many people working in an area, miscommunication, and someone with a fish tape who shouldn't be using it. I still would like to know what was in the conduit, but, like I said, there was only slag left.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

JohnJ0906 said:


> I still would like to know what was in the conduit, but, like I said, there was only slag left.


Don't suppose it was one of those flexible fish tape leaders? Possibly? I can see that blowing up and leaving the fish tape in tact, since it's pretty much a tightly wound inductor that might take 20 seconds to vaporize.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

No, fish tape was intact. Still had the little loop on the end and all. No leader.


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## Wireless (Jan 22, 2007)

MDShunk said:


> There are options. Have a helper hold his finger over the connector opening in the panel, non-metallic fish tape, or deenergize the panel.


You can attach a ridgid coupling with a blank screwed into it to the connector.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Wireless said:


> You can attach a ridgid coupling with a blank screwed into it to the connector.


Yep, I've done the same thing when I'm by myself, except with a bushing. Install the knockout inside the bushing, and screw it on. Guess you're not supposed to work in hot panels at all, technically, but there are ways to do it safely if you care to.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

We handle a large number of blows up, number one issue usually lose connection that leads to arcing carbon tracking then blow up, 2nd water, 3rd electricians dropping covers, 4th water, 5th electricians pushing conductors into switchboard other end connected including the EGC, something about ground and energized bus that does not mix, 6th fishtapes and with the newer fiberglass tapes this (ONE WOULD THINK) should decrease. 

Number 1 and 2 usually are on 480/277, 3, 4, 5 and 6 happen anywhere workers are being stupid, though as one would expect the situation is worse at 480/277. Of course if you get killed on a 208/120 system that would qualify you for WORSE.

Does anyone ever tape the first two feet and have an another worker there with a block over the end of the conduit.


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## oldman (Mar 30, 2007)

instead of just putting a blank at the connector coming in, try a threaded coupling into some carflex or smurf tube to extend out of the panel. You can even leave it on to pull the wire back, and just unscrew it after the wire is pulled. Severely reduces the risk of contacting a live part in the panel.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

oldman said:


> instead of just putting a blank at the connector coming in, try a threaded coupling into some carflex or smurf tube to extend out of the panel. You can even leave it on to pull the wire back, and just unscrew it after the wire is pulled. Severely reduces the risk of contacting a live part in the panel.


Thanks! :thumbsup: 

There's a nice "tip of the day". One of those "why didn't I think of that" type of ideas. Probably some guys do this already, and didn't realize it was a tip. Thanks, again.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

oldman said:


> instead of just putting a blank at the connector coming in, try a threaded coupling into some carflex or smurf tube to extend out of the panel. You can even leave it on to pull the wire back, and just unscrew it after the wire is pulled. Severely reduces the risk of contacting a live part in the panel.


Thanks Oldman. Durn good idea! :thumbsup:


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