I Just Had To Turn And Go Back.

[doppa]

on me bike going into chiangmai, passed a few thai guys with a couple of kids flying kites only yards from power cables, drove on, but my brain wouldnt forgive me, if i read somewhere the next day that 'x' amount of thais eletrocuted flying kites, now whether they actually could be electrocuted is something some 'bright spark' on here can verify.

so i turned back, fortunately one guy spoke pretty good english, and seeing as i do, it was easy to explain, however it could be assumed after i'd gone, that they'd continue there dance with death, and i'll be reading about in tomorrows news.

but i felt better for it, but please keep the praise to a minimum;)thanks.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

ahhh.. if the string is water logged then it can conduct electricity. Good to know.

Dry string then probably not. correct?

[Dustoff]

~

Only a worry if they are using wire for string.

Even wet fabric string would give them nothing more than a tingle since water is not a natural conductor of electricity.

~

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I'm going to talk to anyone with kids not in a child safety seat next.

[mallyrd]

~

Only a worry if they are using wire for string.

Even wet fabric string would give them nothing more than a tingle since water is not a natural conductor of electricity.

~

Since when has "water not been a natural conductor of electricity"? I would say that of all of the earths elements then water is without doubt the biggest single conductor of electricity.

[onnut]

I remember I tried to help a Thai guy once.

he was driving into a carpark in his brand new Honda Civic and letting the guard guide him in. and he did not notice a high curb was just about to crunch is side bits under the doors. so I jumped up and stopped him and pointed but he just gave me this blank stare, even his girlfriend ignored me! so I tapped on his car and waved, and do you know what this idiot did? drove over to another spot jumped out and came storming up to me saying its his country and how dare I tell him he cannot park there!

He did not even want to listen to me when I told him he nearly wrecked his car! oh well! I will probably do it all over again if I saw that happening again.

[Tywais]

Since when has "water not been a natural conductor of electricity"?

Since forever. Pure water is not a good conductor of electricity, it's the ionic impurities that makes it conduct. However, rain water will very likely have impurities it has picked up on the way and depending on the concentration will determine how conductive it will be.

[naboo]

Since when has "water not been a natural conductor of electricity"?  I would say that of all of the earths elements then water is without doubt the biggest single conductor of electricity.

Rewire your house, replacing copper wires with water. See what happens and post back.

[Dellboy218]

~

Only a worry if they are using wire for string.

Even wet fabric string would give them nothing more than a tingle since water is not a natural conductor of electricity.

~

Since when has "water not been a natural conductor of electricity"? I would say that of all of the earths elements then water is without doubt the biggest single conductor of electricity.

Actually, water when it is deionised is a very good insulator, in my business we use it for cooling thyristor stacks with 6kV on them. When you are talking water with impurities and minerals in them, well, you would not find me holding a kite with a bit of wet string next to power lines or when lightning is anywhere near.

[Tywais]

in my business we use it for cooling thyristor stacks with 6kV on them.

I believe I can beat that by a little. Working at a particle accelerator (IONs/Electrons) some of our top terminals run at 150-250KV and cooling water is required to run through it for the ION source and analyzer magnet. We have a recirculating system with an ion trap to keep the water pure - resistance greater then 10 Megohm.

I agree, won't catch me with a kite in the rain around live (22kV) power lines. Benjamin Franklin I'm not.

[gotlost]

I have personally used deionized water to wash insulators up to 150,000 volts. As for telling the locals what is safe, never, just stand back and watch the show.

Edited October 20, 2010 by gotlost

[Ricardo]

Since when has "water not been a natural conductor of electricity"?  I would say that of all of the earths elements then water is without doubt the biggest single conductor of electricity.

Rewire your house, replacing copper wires with water. See what happens and post back.

Drop an electric-fire or a radio, into the bath-water you're sitting in, and see what happens.

Water & electricity don't mix.

Well Done, Doppa

[bifftastic]

Since when has "water not been a natural conductor of electricity"? I would say that of all of the earths elements then water is without doubt the biggest single conductor of electricity.

Rewire your house, replacing copper wires with water. See what happens and post back.

I've nearly finished, there's lots of plaster all over the floor, I've got most of the wires out now but when I try to put the water in their place, it just runs down the walls! I'm now stringing ice cubes together to see if that works better, I'll let you know how I get on. Any tips appreciated

[november222]

Since when has "water not been a natural conductor of electricity"? I would say that of all of the earths elements then water is without doubt the biggest single conductor of electricity.

Rewire your house, replacing copper wires with water. See what happens and post back.

I've nearly finished, there's lots of plaster all over the floor, I've got most of the wires out now but when I try to put the water in their place, it just runs down the walls! I'm now stringing ice cubes together to see if that works better, I'll let you know how I get on. Any tips appreciated

dont forget to earth it.

[jackr]

He did not even want to listen to me when I told him he nearly wrecked his car! oh well! I will probably do it all over again if I saw that happening again.

I know the type. What a buffalo. I bet you'd wished you'd let the prick crunch it now.

I'm surprised by some of the info on here, though. Kites, kids and HT lines do not a good combo make; that's a given. If we're talking the standard telegraph poles with phone lines and insulated cables running along, then that's different, although is still a good idea to avoid.

While pure water is indeed not a conductor, the water we generally come into to contact day-to-day is not pure, neither is rain, and is a pretty good conductor of electricity. Although lightening doesn't like rain, I bet you guys would still fly your kites during an electrical storm thinking that you'd be ok with your string that doesn't conduct electricity, right.

Wet string will indeed conduct juice, and even dry string can become a conductor at the sort of voltages that are carried along these HTs - in the UK, 275 and 400 kv, perhaps same here. It's not 12v DC up there. Well done, op.

[jayjay0]

He did not even want to listen to me when I told him he nearly wrecked his car! oh well! I will probably do it all over again if I saw that happening again.

I know the type. What a buffalo. I bet you'd wished you'd let the prick crunch it now.

I'm surprised by some of the info on here, though. Kites, kids and HT lines do not a good combo make; that's a given. If we're talking the standard telegraph poles with phone lines and insulated cables running along, then that's different, although is still a good idea to avoid.

While pure water is indeed not a conductor, the water we generally come into to contact day-to-day is not pure, neither is rain, and is a pretty good conductor of electricity. Although lightening doesn't like rain, I bet you guys would still fly your kites during an electrical storm thinking that you'd be ok with your string that doesn't conduct electricity, right.

Wet string will indeed conduct juice, and even dry string can become a conductor at the sort of voltages that are carried along these HTs - in the UK, 275 and 400 kv, perhaps same here. It's not 12v DC up there. Well done, op.

And just where can I buy this pure water? I have two machines it is good to use it in.

[bifftastic]

Since when has "water not been a natural conductor of electricity"? I would say that of all of the earths elements then water is without doubt the biggest single conductor of electricity.

Rewire your house, replacing copper wires with water. See what happens and post back.

I've nearly finished, there's lots of plaster all over the floor, I've got most of the wires out now but when I try to put the water in their place, it just runs down the walls! I'm now stringing ice cubes together to see if that works better, I'll let you know how I get on. Any tips appreciated

dont forget to earth it.

Hmm, I'm on the phone to the landlord now.... 'what do you mean hot and cold is enough? what about the earth?!'

[naboo]

I've nearly finished, there's lots of plaster all over the floor, I've got most of the wires out now but when I try to put the water in their place, it just runs down the walls! I'm now stringing ice cubes together to see if that works better, I'll let you know how I get on. Any tips appreciated 

Add some salt, and hook up your new water wires to a jacuzzi. Have a nice, long relaxing bath after all your hard work. Don't forget to post back!

[Dustoff]

Drop an electric-fire or a radio, into the bath-water you're sitting in, and see what happens.

~

Been watching lots of old, scary movies have you?

What happens is that, due to the impurities in the water, the house circuit-breaker pops off, the lights go off and the person in the bathtub is just fine, thank you.

Electricity chooses the easiest path to ground. The danger of electrical appliances next to your bathtub is you reaching out to touch them with contaminated water dripping from your hands, making you the ONLY path to ground. Throwing that clock radio in the bathtub with your wife will only interrupt your football game on television (the very reason she gives you so much crap)..

Too funny. Water on a kitestring is probably less of a danger over powerlines than during a thunderstorm. Yes, it could conduct from an extremely high-voltage powerline but those are usually hundreds of feet in the air, not the normal heavily plastic-coated lines that serve homes and communities. Even then, the chances of dangerous ZAPS are minimal indeed.

I challenge anyone to show an example of a death by kiting electrocution! It is more likely that I will die from laughing...

~

[bazmlb]

Drop an electric-fire or a radio, into the bath-water you're sitting in, and see what happens.

~

Been watching lots of old, scary movies have you?

What happens is that, due to the impurities in the water, the house circuit-breaker pops off, the lights go off and the person in the bathtub is just fine, thank you.

Electricity chooses the easiest path to ground. The danger of electrical appliances next to your bathtub is you reaching out to touch them with contaminated water dripping from your hands, making you the ONLY path to ground. Throwing that clock radio in the bathtub with your wife will only interrupt your football game on television (the very reason she gives you so much crap)..

Too funny. Water on a kitestring is probably less of a danger over powerlines than during a thunderstorm. Yes, it could conduct from an extremely high-voltage powerline but those are usually hundreds of feet in the air, not the normal heavily plastic-coated lines that serve homes and communities. Even then, the chances of dangerous ZAPS are minimal indeed.

I challenge anyone to show an example of a death by kiting electrocution! It is more likely that I will die from laughing...

~

Luckily they are this crazy here in Thailand http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3491057.stm and http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2007/02/200852514615891156.html

[rodcourt49]

I have personally used deionized water to wash insulators up to 150,000 volts.

As for telling the locals what is safe, never, just stand back and watch the show.

..really. Regardless of the wet string and conductivity..the mere fact kites have strings and will probably get entangled in the power lines and they will go and try to free it is reason enough to stop and point out the dangers, as per the other post about parking the car..if it makes you feel that you acted correctly, go ahead..how else will people be educated..too late when there's a fatality.

Edited October 21, 2010 by rodcourt49

[gotlost]

I have personally used deionized water to wash insulators up to 150,000 volts.

As for telling the locals what is safe, never, just stand back and watch the show.

..really. Regardless of the wet string and conductivity..the mere fact kites have strings and will probably get entangled in the power lines and they will go and try to free it is reason enough to stop and point out the dangers, as per the other post about parking the car..if it makes you feel that you acted correctly, go ahead..how else will people be educated..too late when there's a fatality.

When they have an attitude of superiority and know it all they can take the responsibility also.

[trainman34014]

I have personally used deionized water to wash insulators up to 150,000 volts.

As for telling the locals what is safe, never, just stand back and watch the show.

..really. Regardless of the wet string and conductivity..the mere fact kites have strings and will probably get entangled in the power lines and they will go and try to free it is reason enough to stop and point out the dangers, as per the other post about parking the car..if it makes you feel that you acted correctly, go ahead..how else will people be educated..too late when there's a fatality.

When they have an attitude of superiority and know it all they can take the responsibility also.

Yes; and a lot of them do have a 'Superiority Complex' especially when they have a seat cover sitting next to them so, let them crunch the car, fry themselves or be generally Som Nam Nah while you continue to look after your own skin in a potentially dangerous country.

Edited October 21, 2010 by trainman34014

[gotlost]

I have personally used deionized water to wash insulators up to 150,000 volts.

As for telling the locals what is safe, never, just stand back and watch the show.

..really. Regardless of the wet string and conductivity..the mere fact kites have strings and will probably get entangled in the power lines and they will go and try to free it is reason enough to stop and point out the dangers, as per the other post about parking the car..if it makes you feel that you acted correctly, go ahead..how else will people be educated..too late when there's a fatality.

When they have an attitude of superiority and know it all they can take the responsibility also.

Yes; and a lot of them do have a 'Superiority Complex' especially when they have a seat cover sitting next to them so, let them crunch the car, fry themselves or be generally Som Nam Nah while you continue to look after your own skin in a potentially dangerous country.

Excellent idea.

[lonewolf99]

I remembr watching "Mythbusters" on the Discovery channel and they were dropping electrical appliances into a bath and measuring voltages / current etc.

I am not sure what the conclusion was....I think "Instant Death"......and its not just Kite lines....Carbon Fishing rods and nylon fishing line has "actually caused "Instant Death".

As for telling Thais

[TPI]

What are you, some sort of "do-gooder or something? Next you'll be saying that pulling out into traffic without looking or filling up your car with LPG while smoking a cigarette is dangerous! Don't you realise that "real men" don't need to think about that!

[hhper]

What are you, some sort of "do-gooder or something? Next you'll be saying that pulling out into traffic without looking or filling up your car with LPG while smoking a cigarette is dangerous! Don't you realise that "real men" don't need to think about that!

Couldn't agree more, the OP needs to get a life. Doing what he did and then coming on here to tell everyone.............that is sad.

[tomartoh]

What are you, some sort of "do-gooder or something? Next you'll be saying that pulling out into traffic without looking or filling up your car with LPG while smoking a cigarette is dangerous! Don't you realise that "real men" don't need to think about that!

Couldn't agree more, the OP needs to get a life. Doing what he did and then coming on here to tell everyone.............that is sad.

I cannot imagine anyone with a modicum of brain cells trying to tell a Thai what or how to do, unless they just arrived in this country and don't know any better.

[Dellboy218]

I can always recognise the local Lecky, he is the one with the 'neon' screwdriver just as the local welder is the one with the fake Raybans. Perhaps someone else has some ready identifiers for respective tradesmen?

[trainman34014]

I can always recognise the local Lecky, he is the one with the 'neon' screwdriver just as the local welder is the one with the fake Raybans. Perhaps someone else has some ready identifiers for respective tradesmen?

I saw a car mechanic trying to use a bicycle spanner on someones brake line!