Well I'm one of those so called "Smart" engineers that write the code, and I can tell you that, while some of the things we turn into code sound good, they are hardly practical or work in real life. While GFCI outlets are a good idea and have saved countless lives because the implementation of the technology was proper, devices like arc-fault circuit breakers and tamper resistant receptacles have been a disaster for: 1) understanding where the technology should be deployed, and 2) implementing the technology properly. I blame this on us, the people writing the detail, but in some cases without any field understanding and experience. Sometimes I look around the table and all I see is dummies! If you are betting on these people to save you from electrical disaster, you're in big trouble!
(nb. The arc faults trip on incoming arcs too... so any arc on your local drop trip them, and countless people have been hurt by breaking tamper resistant receptacles, forcing a plug into it because it won't open). Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ / J68HZ/ 8P6HK/ ZF2HZ Owner - Operator Big Signal Ranch Staunton, Illinois email: b...@wjschmidt.com -----Original Message----- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Brown Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 2:35 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] GFI outlet, 100W on 20m, and *poof* (RFI?) On 7/28/2012 7:05 AM, David Christ wrote: > Code requirements are there for a reason and are only put in place > after much thought and discussion. Absolutely. The engineers who write electrical codes are very smart, and engineers from many disciplines are part of the process. GFCIs are required because they make it SAFE -- people get KILLED by leakage currents. GFCIs detect the presence of leakage currents and disconnect power from the outlet if there is enough to hurt us. . > I would take the GFI out only as > a last resort. Also RF is not necessarily the problem. I had one > unit that would trip every time I turned a large 21" CRT monitor on. > Changed brands and all was OK. Agreed here too. A GFCI in the loft bathroom in the house I owned in Chicago was only about 15 ft from the dipole into which I transmitted 1.5kW, and it was prone to trip. I replaced it with another unit of the same type from the same mfr and that fixed the problem. I had installed them myself when I renovated the house, and I had some left over. 73, Jim Brown K9YC ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5161 - Release Date: 07/28/12 ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
