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Lnhnd13
06-26-2008, 09:39 PM
Somewhere in Texas an AEP crew was responding to poor voltage.

7620 to 2400 step down transformer next to a 2400 to 480 transformer. They checked voltage w/ a fluke meter at the step down transformer. Meter blew up burning the face and neck of one of the guys. thats all i have

BigClive
06-27-2008, 06:38 AM
I do know someone who had a VERY close scrape when they were tired and went to apply an ordinary Fluke meter to 11kV terminals. He got one lead on and as he approached with the other it made a loud hissing noise and he snatched the probes away.

Even on secondary an inadequately protected meter can explode if you leave it's probes in the high current measuring position. This could be down to forgetting that was the last test you did, or someone playing with the meter and not plugging the probes into the correct sockets. You SHOULD always check before applying the meter, but sometimes it doesn't happen.

Good meters like Industrial Flukes do have a high energy protection circuit in the form of an HRC fuse inside. If that blows it MUST be replaced with a suitable replacement.

There are a lot of injuries caused by factory maintenance guys using cheap hobby meters with high current machine supplies.