Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - live wiring
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hotwire
11-15-08, 08:47 AM
Working with the low voltage wiring for ceiling lights. Do I need to turn off the breaker or can I safely work with these wires hot?
Rick Johnston
11-15-08, 10:03 AM
It's never a good idea to work on any electrical circuits when they're hot. On a low voltage system, just cutting the wires can cause a short and damage the transformer.
Can it be deadly? It's not the voltage, it's the current. It can take as few as 6 milliamps across the heart to interfere with heart rhythm. Grab the positive wire in one hand and the negative in the other and you've completed a circuit across your heart.
Low voltage wiring can also arc. While it probably won't hurt you, it can startle you. If you're on a ladder at the time you could find youself on the floor.
Can it be deadly? It's not the voltage, it's the current. It can take as few as 6 milliamps across the heart to interfere with heart rhythm. Grab the positive wire in one hand and the negative in the other and you've completed a circuit across your heart.
Low voltage wiring can also arc. While it probably won't hurt you, it can startle you. If you're on a ladder at the time you could find youself on the floor.