Can you touch a high tension power line?

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Terry

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Can you touch a high tension power line? That was the question of the day back in the 60's when I went hiking with friends and family. Power lines were crossing the Cascades near the Hyak ski area. The lines were kind of in place but not pulled tight overhead. Big fat wires too. I knew touching a hot wire would kill us, but there was my dad's friend, Mr. Gustafson, going up to the wire as it hung at about the level of our head and went up and grabbed it. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Just kidding. They weren't powered up yet. But still, as a kid I was thinking that maybe that's the reason men don't live as long as women.

power-line-terrylove-01.jpg


The back side of Hyak (Snoqualmie East) during construction of the power lines from Eastern Washington.
 

hj

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IF you are at the same potential as the wire, you can do it, but just do NOT touch any wires while doing it. would he have been surprised if they had already powered it up!
 
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Sylvan

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When I was a stationary engineer (prior to being a master plumber) One of my assistants went to a box and placed his finger on one of the brass bus bar saying how it is safe as long as your not standing on a wet surface or touching something else so keep one hand in your pocket.

So I then asked this moron why would you do it with nothing to gain and everything to lose?
 
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