2007-09-12 10:01:28 · 10 answers · asked by khilood a 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Because there was no ground fault. You became the load for the curcuit. The GFCI stands for Ground Fault Current interrupter, they trip when current flows through a grounded path. If you touched the hot and a ground, or to a lesser extent the netural and the ground the GFCI would have tripped.
The GFCI senses the amount of current going out the hot lead and senses the amout of current comming back through the netural with the use of current transformers. if the imbalance is more than 5mA the GFCI trips normaly within 1/40th of a second.
An unintentional electric path between a source of current and a grounded surface is referred to as a "ground-fault." Ground faults occur when current is leaking somewhere, in effect, electricity is escaping to the ground. How it leaks is very important. If your body provides a path to the ground for this leakage, you could electrocuted.
2007-09-12 10:12:13 · answer #1 · answered by sigma_ 3 · 13⤊ 0⤋
Like freakboynv (hi sparks) said, there are some dangerous and plain wrong answers given here. Don't take electrical advise from untrained and unqualified people on yahoo. Especially the ones who lie and pose as electricians. They should be ashamed. They will get someone killed someday or burn their house down. In a residential service, 240/120 volt, the neutral wire is bonded to the grounding system (earth). That keeps the neutral at the same potential (voltage) as the ground. So if you are grounded and touch the neutral wire you should not get a shock if everything is well with the system. But if the neutral has a bad connection or is open downstream you will find yourself conducting the current, or some of it, that normally flows through the neutral wire. And be dead. And here is a news flash for the untrained: Electricity does not take the path of least resistance. It takes every path available to it, in proportion to the resistance of that path. In other words when your electric, metal handled drill shorts out and you are standing in the water from washing your car, most of the electric current will flow down the ground wire of the drill. But enough of it will also flow through you to kill you. Graveyard dead. Edit: Greg, Sorry you didn't like my answer, but I stand by it. I am stating basic electrical theory and ohms law above. Both are available on the internet if you wish to look it up. The example above actually happened.
2016-04-04 17:34:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupt) this kind of outlet interrupts mainly when the earth (ground) senses a current. if in that case you touched the (hot and the ground wires) or the hot wire and you are bare footed the circuit will be interrupted.
For your case the GFCI has seen you as an electric appliance since appliances are connected to the hot and the neutral wires. and GFCI detects a fault when current flows on the earth(ground) wire. for your situation the GFCI doesnt detect a fault.
in other words, the GFCI does not offer protection to that kind of situation. other kind of protective device such as insulations can protect you from that.
2007-09-12 12:47:31 · answer #3 · answered by Jowi E 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
A previous correspondent asserts that a GFI trips "when the earth (ground) senses a current".
No it doesn't.
A GFI is a differential current sensor which compares the current in the line and neutral conductors.
If the line current is higher than the neutral current, the difference must be flowing back to the generator through an alternative path. The only path this can be is through the Earth.
2007-09-12 13:06:29 · answer #4 · answered by dmb06851 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's not a ground fault.
If you touch the hot wire ant the faucet you would be grounded and trip the GFIC.
You were just completing a normal circuit as far as you GFIC knew. That then depends on the main fuss to blow which could take several minutes after you are dead.
2007-09-12 10:12:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Because you did not create a ground fault. Attempted suicide by touching the hot and ground wires would have been a better test of GFCI.
2007-09-12 13:00:24 · answer #6 · answered by mechnginear 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The current into your body from the hot lead equalled the current leaving your body into the neutral lead. The GFCI sensed no difference in current between hot and neutral, therefore all was 'normal'.
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2007-09-12 11:01:20 · answer #7 · answered by tlbs101 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Because there was no current leak. Only will trip if the currents in both wires do not equal ... i.e if you get electricuted - a surge in current may as in your case not cause it to trip ......
2007-09-12 10:08:38 · answer #8 · answered by aussie_east_ender 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Hmmm.... not sure. Why don't you go grab them for about 10 more minutes, then come back and let us know if it tripped or not.
2007-09-12 10:08:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋
You have too much resistance.
2007-09-12 10:06:52 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋