Downed Power Lines

[Mike Krzywonski]

Since severe weather can result in downed power lines, I was wondering what types of hazards these can pose to vehicles & their occupants. I've read that the vehicle occupant is safe as long as he doesn't come in contact w/ the vehicle & ground at the same time.

What's the general practice among chasers when they encounter downed power lines that can be manuevered around, but may come in contact w/ the vehicle?

 

[Scott Roberts]

I'll go OVER power lines, but won't risk contact going UNDER. I go around instead. (hence the reason I got stuck on a dirt road 2mi S of Greensburg at 10:30pm May 4th...)

To have gone under the power line I'd just turned around because of, I'd have had to let it scrape from about mid-hood, all the way up the windows, and pull off all my antennas, risking electrical problems with the equipment inside.

...then of course there was the personal risk from being in contact with that equipment

 

[Bill Schintler]

Safety around downed power lines

An important rule of thumb is to always assume a downed line is live, even if it doesn't appear to be. Sometimes a storm chaser will inadvertently drive into a damaged area with lines either down or hanging low. In this case, NEVER step outside of the vehicle. It is normally safe to remain inside of the vehicle even if it makes contact with a live line, as the body of the vehicle acts as a faraday cage, diverting currents around the occupants of the car. An exception to this is contact of a live line with roof-top antennas or other equipment that has a hard wire connection into the passenger compartment.<O</O
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<O</Oto have gone under the power line I'd just turned around because of, I'd have had to let it scrape from about mid-hood, all the way up the windows, and pull off all my antennas, risking electrical problems with the equipment inside.<O</O
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If you have antennas on top of the vehicle, NEVER drive under a line that is hanging low and may risk contact the line. Doing so could cause 10,000 volts or more to be conducted into the passenger compartment via the antenna wiring. That could be very bad for your health.
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- bill<O</O
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