Three-phase transmission/distribution lines
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3\$\begingroup\$ Depends on what else they're touching. Birds manage to do it all the time. \$\endgroup\$– brhansCommented May 25, 2022 at 21:43
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\$\begingroup\$ electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/158778/… \$\endgroup\$– brhansCommented May 25, 2022 at 21:45
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\$\begingroup\$ electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/244941/… \$\endgroup\$– brhansCommented May 25, 2022 at 21:46
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\$\begingroup\$ Only if pulling away from the other wires. Leakage currents in humidity could be deadly. Birds are short antennae for E fields. Have you heard of the guy (RIP) who used a DVM on 600 V line and died from arc flash? It's called SHC. \$\endgroup\$– D.A.S.Commented May 25, 2022 at 21:53
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2\$\begingroup\$ @TonyStewartEE75 that's not SHC (which is pseudoscientific nonsense). \$\endgroup\$– Bruce AbbottCommented May 26, 2022 at 0:51
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1 Answer
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Can someone get electrocuted by holding one of the 3 phases in overhead transmission/distribution lines?
Yes, if they are standing on the ground. Especially if they are barefoot and the ground is wet.
It takes very few milliamps of current to be lethal. Small leakages through the insulation, and into the ground and one can become a statistic.
On the other hand, if one is not touching the ground, or some other surface that might conduct a lethal shock, one can touch a high voltage line without getting a shock. Birds do it all the time, and humans who are properly trained do it as well.
I do not mean this to be snarky, but anyone who needs to ask this question is not qualified to handle high voltages safely. They should treat overhead lines as potentially lethal.
answered May 25, 2022 at 21:45
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\$\begingroup\$ You need to electrically tie your body to the line before touching a HV line if your body is dangling in free space. If not, there will be an arc to your body just before contact which could burn you and give you a nasty sensation. \$\endgroup\$– qrkCommented May 25, 2022 at 23:46
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\$\begingroup\$ @qrk I have seen that done by men in helicopters. I wonder why it doesn't seem to apply to birds. \$\endgroup\$ Commented May 26, 2022 at 10:33