ADS

Coby:

So if I am in good contact with earth and I touch a hazardous live line conductor, the trip will trip and I won't feel a thing - correct, no argument there.


 

That's additional protection by RCD.


Nothing at all to do directly with ADS, which relates to Class I equipment and installed wiring systems and accessories only.

 

If I am not in good contact with earth and I touch a hazardous live line conductor, the trip will not trip and I will feel "nary a tingle" - you have obviously never done any electrical installation work in your life!

If an electrician touches a hazardous live conductor, regardless of whether they are in good contact with Earth or earth, they, their employer, or the duty holder of the installation, are most likely in breach of the Electricity at Work Regulations.

Regardless of that, if you are not in good contact with Earth or earth, if sufficient current may flow to operate an RCD protecting that conductor, it will operate in a time that should prevent fatal shock in 90-95 % of people, but not in a time that takes away the sensation. If insufficient current flows to operate the RCD, you will still receive a perceptive shock, but again over 90 % of people should not have any lasting physiological effect.


RCDs do not prevent electric shock, they are intended to limit the duration of the shock and hence reduce the impact of physiological effects of that shock.


If the conductor is not protected by an RCD, and ADS is provided by an overcurrent protective device, then you may receive a fatal shock, which is why hazardous live conductors should always be protected by at least basic protection, plus one other method of protection put in place (e.g. ADS or Class II or similar construction).

Coby:

So if I am in good contact with earth and I touch a hazardous live line conductor, the trip will trip and I won't feel a thing - correct, no argument there.


 

That's additional protection by RCD.


Nothing at all to do directly with ADS, which relates to Class I equipment and installed wiring systems and accessories only.

 

If I am not in good contact with earth and I touch a hazardous live line conductor, the trip will not trip and I will feel "nary a tingle" - you have obviously never done any electrical installation work in your life!

If an electrician touches a hazardous live conductor, regardless of whether they are in good contact with Earth or earth, they, their employer, or the duty holder of the installation, are most likely in breach of the Electricity at Work Regulations.

Regardless of that, if you are not in good contact with Earth or earth, if sufficient current may flow to operate an RCD protecting that conductor, it will operate in a time that should prevent fatal shock in 90-95 % of people, but not in a time that takes away the sensation. If insufficient current flows to operate the RCD, you will still receive a perceptive shock, but again over 90 % of people should not have any lasting physiological effect.


RCDs do not prevent electric shock, they are intended to limit the duration of the shock and hence reduce the impact of physiological effects of that shock.


If the conductor is not protected by an RCD, and ADS is provided by an overcurrent protective device, then you may receive a fatal shock, which is why hazardous live conductors should always be protected by at least basic protection, plus one other method of protection put in place (e.g. ADS or Class II or similar construction).