Wet Hotsticks

[Miami Bear]

Hey fellas,

I am trying to understand the reasoning behind something. We are supposed to wipe moisture and dirt off our booms to make sure electricity won't track. We are supposed to wipe our hotsticks for the same reason. Why then, is it safe to work with our hotsticks in the rain? Isn't there a small possibility that if a complete sheet of water forms for a split second it would provide a path to your hands on the surface of the stick?

[Miami Bear]

Pure water is not a conductor.

Wipe the hotsticks and boom to remove dirt, dust and other debris because it could contaminate the rain water, which should be close to distilled water. Any contaminates could cause the rain water to track.

I always thought rainwater was pretty contaminated, had no idea it was even close to distilled. Well if that's the case, makes perfect sense, thanks.

[BigClive]

Rain water is pretty pure, but it only takes the tiniest amount of impurity to make it conductive. Even an invisible trace of dirt smeared along the stick as you cleaned it could make the water conductive enough to track at the high voltages involved.

[Miami Bear]

Makes perfect sense. It had been nagging me for a while so I'm glad I asked instead of working with the doubt.

[Squizzy]

We have an answer to wet hotsticks, we just don't work in the rain with them.

[scammy]

just dont work in the rain,,each raindrop has a peice of dirt in it,,2 mos ago we had a transformer on fire,an inexperianced lineman took a hot cutter to cut the primary lead and made contact ,,he didnt wear his gloves ,,,,,,,a more experianced lineman would have opened the branch line,,scammy

[BigClive]

I don’t think even Glasgow is that dirty.

You ain't seen Glasgow.

My biggest water contamination issue here is bird shit in the city centre. If water drips off a surface that has been fouled then it becomes nicely conductive.

You can keep gambling with hotsticks in the rain if you wish. I guess they don't test them while they're wet and in a "just out the truck and given a quick wipe with the nearest rag" condition.

[Miami Bear]

We have an answer to wet hotsticks, we just don't work in the rain with them.

I understand not wanting to do it during a downpour but not even in a light, on and off rain?

[scammy]

use the stick and wear your gloves and shoes if ya have them,scammy

[BigClive]

Tell me CL... Do you, or have you ever had a stun-gun?