Rain + Power pylon = Static?

[bulldog5046]

Something happened yesterday that confused me a bit, i was hoping someone may be able to explain what happened.

I was walking with an umbrella in light rain, i passed underneath a power cables between pylons when electricity started sparking in a small area at the top of the umbrella, moving it closer to the floor caused it to stop.

i assume what happened was the rain falling past the power cables was positively charged and when it hit the umbrella was earthing via me.

is this correct? or is it something more sinister?

Thanks,
Ry

 

[Focus Owner]

your wife wants you dead

interesting

 

[Chas Uno]

Water conducts electricity. The rain was probably allowing a path for some of the static around the pylons to conduct through your umbrella (I assume it had a metal tip/ handle), then through you to the ground. You were in effect acting as a walking earth wire.

Count yourself lucky you didn't earth one of the big pylon cables else you would've been fried instantly with a zillion volts!

 

[Focus Owner]

low current at least

 

[bulldog5046]

Water conducts electricity. The rain was probably allowing a path for some of the static around the pylons to conduct through your umbrella (I assume it had a metal tip/ handle), then through you to the ground. You were in effect acting as a walking earth wire.

Count yourself lucky you didn't earth one of the big pylon cables else you would've been fried instantly with a zillion volts!

that was kind of my reason for asking, i was concerned at the time i might suddenly become an earth rod (and not a very good one!).

i did doubt if electricity could make the 20-30ft jump down to me though

 

[sludgeguts]

My FiL lives really close to pylons & when it's raining the air doesn't half crackle.
It's also great at halloween with kids walking around holding fluorescent tubes in the air - the inducted current lights the phosphor in the tubes & gives an eerie glow.
Theoretically, if you lived close enough I suppose you could run a cable along your rooftop & enjoy lashings of free, inducted, leccy:devil:

BTW, bulldog "i did doubt if electricity could make the 20-30ft jump down to me though" It manages the 2-300ft jump from cloud to earth. Granted the current is much higher but with the amount of rain we get, anything's possible.

 

[Rockbottom]

It was really weird, I heard a crackling noise coming from Ryan's umbrella and I was then I saw the sparking at the top of the umbrella and then I was even more

 

[arc]

so where the photos, that sounds like a cool shot to me

 

[Rockbottom]

so where the photos, that sounds like a cool shot to me

Didn't think of taking any. :bang:

 

[Andy Monty]

what it is most power lines carries Line Live supply, most power lines don't carry the Neutral as a lot of substations are PME (protected multiple earth) the Negative is connected to ground....

as it was wet you and your brollie acted as an increase in hight alowing the negative electrons are trying to reach the positive electrons to even out the imbalance

like happens in thunder storms




http://www.rsgb.org/emc/pdfs/leaflets/emc7protectivemultipleearthingmembers.pdf



Well thats how I understand it

 

[sludgeguts]

If memory serves...
Although we only see lightening flashes travelling one way, they actually travel in both directions (can't remember if it's ground to cloud & back or vice versa - but then it has been 30-odd years since I was taught about clouds etc.

 

[Dwinsor]

yes you are right. it also travels up into the atmosphere above the clouds.

 

[sledge]

Something happened yesterday that confused me a bit, i was hoping someone may be able to explain what happened.

I was walking with an umbrella in light rain, i passed underneath a power cables between pylons when electricity started sparking in a small area at the top of the umbrella, moving it closer to the floor caused it to stop.

i assume what happened was the rain falling past the power cables was positively charged and when it hit the umbrella was earthing via me.

is this correct? or is it something more sinister?

Thanks,
Ry

Totaly safe, totaly normal. The humming and arcing you heard/saw is down to Corona (or Coronal) discharge, do a search on the topic and all your questions will be answered.....oh go on then I will do it.

http://www.wonderquest.com/SnappingPowerLines.htm

BTW Corona discharge is a major headache in the power generation and distribution industry, both from the lines and in generator and transformer windings. If anyone knows how to prevent and eliminate CD in a cost effective and practical way please IM me because I can make you a very rich man (or woman)

 

[craigb244]

Totaly safe, totaly normal. The humming and arcing you heard/saw is down to Corona (or Coronal) discharge, do a search on the topic and all your questions will be answered.....oh go on then I will do it.

http://www.wonderquest.com/SnappingPowerLines.htm

BTW Corona discharge is a major headache in the power generation and distribution industry, both from the lines and in generator and transformer windings. If anyone knows how to prevent and eliminate CD in a cost effective and practical way please IM me because I can make you a very rich man (or woman)

I can help you discharge bottles of Corona if you like (free of charge) :yum: