Insulating gloves? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: backd00r
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2015, 04:21:53 am
content: Hi I would like to know if there are any cheap insulating gloves that I could buy to use when I am working with live circuits. I have some electronics experience but I would rather be on the safe side. Also if there are any tricks (other than put one hand in the pocket lol) that you use while repairing and troubleshooting live circuits. my power supply died and I want to repair it. thanks

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2015, 04:49:54 am
content: Linemans gloves would insulate well, but are way overkill unless you plan to work on 100kW 11kV at your deskThey are also impossible to wear while doing anything delicate.Maybe look at better options like an isolating transformer or a RCD/GFI

author: Chipmunk
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2015, 04:50:15 am
content: I wouldn't TRUST any gloves not designed for insulating (they tend to be expensive and are more for industry electricians)Assuming you're dealing with 120v, for working on live equipment I'd suggest in no particular order, a wooden stool, keeping your feet off the floor will reduce your ground connection. For the same reason, a wooden workbench or similar. Do NOT touch the case of the equipment (assuming that is grounded).If this isn't a one off, an isolation transformer is a VERY good investment.Oh and not related to simply protecting you, although it does that: Remember the ground clip on most scopes is connected to mains electrical ground. Forgetting this can be dangerous, expensive, and spectacular

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2015, 05:04:44 am
content: it would help if you gave us a hint what voltage ranges you will be dealing with, if its mains, then is the casing of your power supply grounded? if it is, you will want gloves that extend towards your elbows, dont need to be thick, its mainly to prevent you touching something at mains while your arm rests on the frame (less likely to kill you but hurts like all @#$@,the main 2 things to look out for is active to earth, and active to neutral, in most cases active to earth will trip a RCD in your house if you have one installed, in no cases will your touching between mains and neutral trip anything, so watch out for active-nuetralif its a linear supply you will likely find the mains portion is insulated and connected through a fuse to a transformer, if it is switchmode then even an hour after unplugging you can still consider the circuit live as it will hold its 350V DC for a very very long time,for stuff like switchmodes, when measuring with a multimeter, fit a bit of heat-shrink over the probe so only the very tip can touch anything, if your measuring to a common reference point, tack on a wire or similar while it is powered down so you can semi-peremernantly have 1 lead connected for the majority of the time, as what ever hand your not focusing on will drift, and may slip and touch something,if your using a scope, using 2 probes as a poor mans differential is one of the safer options, as you do not need to connect the ground in most cases, meaning with the witches hats on them you only need to focus on the signals and should not hurt anything unless you exceed the maximum input voltage of the scope,if you are tweaking trim-pots etc, get a plastic or ceramic tool, reduces the risk of shorts, and as most people get into the habit of resting a finger on the shaft it stops you being hurt if you brush against anything while leaning around the device to see what changed,use a desk suitably sized for your device and your test equipment, if something falls off it may jerk on you or the device with the connected leads,

author: SArepairman
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2015, 07:02:32 am
content: I was shown that the #1 thing you should remember, should you get a pair of line mans gloves, is to do a pressure test. They roll up the glove from the bottom and see if it holds air like a balloon. He also showed us exploding food.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2015, 03:11:12 pm
content: This is a common idea with people who have no experience around mains voltages. You can just put on a pair of gloves and not be electrocuted. If you don't learn about safety, the ways you can be electrocuted, the best practices and how you can setup a safe work area, the gloves can be more dangerous than bare hands.Read this (all 10 or so pages) and if there is anything you don't understand ask on the forums in the beginners section.http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/chpt_3/1.html

author: backd00r
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2015, 03:30:14 pm
content: Thanks all for the information. I am planning to work on a 120v live variable power supply. It is an hp that goes up to 15v max voltage DC. So a pretty small device. I will take a look at how expensive insulating transformer s run. I think we should have a thread about safety while working with live circuits.

author: nixfu
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 04, 2015, 04:03:37 pm
content: This reminds me of how I submitted this "ASK YAHOO"question 6 years ago as a joke right after a co-worker told me his story of using Oven Mitts for electrical work in his breaker box, and he was serious and thought it was a good idea. After I stopping laughing my ass off, I put this question to yahoo just to humiliate him and share this great idiocy with the rest of the world.Quotehttps://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090114063900AAzuP4H

author: KDC
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2015, 01:44:05 pm
content: (Note, I am an electrician by trade, so my view on things is somewhat skewed. I have work issued insulating gloves rated for 1000V and 25KV. I've also had some mishaps where the gloves saved me from some serious damage.)While such gloves exist, there's more to it than just slapping them on and going to town.We'll skip through basic electrical safety and the need for hazard assessment and barriers to eliminate/minimize the hazards for now and focus just on the gloves.First, you need to be trained to inspect the gloves. No point having them if you can't preform the field verification to ensure that they will do their job. Sure you can read about it, but being properly trained should include doing the inspection on gloves that have damage to see what it looks like.Then comes the understanding that these gloves are supposed to be tested at 6 month, and that needs to be paid for. Doesn't matter if they get worn or not, they still should be sent in for testing.Then they're just a plain pain in the rear to work with. Imagine wearing a pair of rubber dish gloves, with a pair of snug leather gloves over them. Now do your work.Just for reference, a glove kit (insulating gloves, leather cover, storage bag) starts around $90 in the US.Now on to some more helpful advice:While it may be more of a pain, is there any reason you need to make any connections while things are live? If you made your test connections with the unit powered off, then powered it on, you could still do your tests, while eliminating the hazards of poking around live equipment.Have you done all the troubleshooting you can on paper first? Write out the exact problem you're having, pull out the schematic and start working your way through it and list the possible causes, prior to testing.