Engaging high voltage disconnectors - GIF

Engaging high voltage disconnectors.

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Previously:

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...143#post214448
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...078#post134248
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...850#post167645
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...430#post154706
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...335#post208294

Why doesn't the arc continue until full contact is made?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by piper184

Why doesn't the arc continue until full contact is made?

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The way I see it, probably neither line was energized this was to bleed off the static charge build up. Had there been power on either line the discharge ball would have served as a fuse and the wire it was mounted on would have burned away letting the man know the line was live.

That makes sense. I've seen clips of them disconnecting and the arc kept getting bigger until it could no longer reach. Those arcs were considerably more powerful, but I have no frame of reference for power differences.

One would think that the faster the connections could be made/broken, the better. Like spring loaded switches. But maybe that isn't practical at these higher power lines.