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Arcing, the kind that's caused by a loose connection which is basically what's happening if you sever a cable is an incredible process to visualise.
This is why 18th has 'suggested' AFDD's now. The usual one it that IEE suggests you do this in current Regs. Then in the 19th Edition it'll become statuary.
Mr_Sworld-
Yes, been watching it coming over the hill! Apparently the available units are a bit clunky at the moment. I suppose there are a lot of big firms who install a huge amount of these before it filters down to the domestic market.
Arcing in Consumer Units is the main cause of electrical fire in the UK so it makes sense they're looking at it. I'm not sure if this is the prime reason for the recommendation.
Airhead
Arcing, the kind that's caused by a loose connection which is basically what's happening if you sever a cable is an incredible process to visualise. The energy is basically consuming the metal that is conducting it. I suppose I'm just a bit fascinated by welding but that's basically a more controlled version of that explosion.
I would have thought that greater amperage would hold a greater risk by a margin but LV can kill you for sure and after that it doesn't really matter how much you were killed :)
I'm not sure about the breakers that would operate on LV outside of properties. Certainly inside a house you are at incredibly low risk of death with a working RCD but sticking a shovel in an LV main does sound like the kind of thing that could easily burn you alive. You do hear about people surviving it though. I've seen video of a builder hitting one with a breaker. There were 2 of them near it and they both suffered terrible injuries, survived but I'm not sure they are working again.
I'm only theoretically interested, I'm not offering to try it out.