Hedgetrimmers and power cables.....

**MurrayD99** · 12th February 2007, 11:24 AM

Cutting the hedge Sunday, nearly finished and I stupidly

whacked through the insulation and some of the internal wires in my big, heavy, 30m extension cable. Of course the hedge cutter stopped - but fortunately the RCD at the wall and the circuit breaker both did their thing.

I'm not going to get upset that a new cable is expensive - just happy the safety stuff all worked.

**Harry72** · 12th February 2007, 02:19 PM

At least your not hurt!
Oh well... now you got 2 extension cords!

**MikGan** · 12th April 2007, 11:09 PM

My fathers done the same thing a few times now, doest seem to learn.. *shakes head*

**chrisv** · 13th April 2007, 11:52 PM

Like Harry said, look at the bright side of things. You know have 2 extension leads and your RCD protection is fully functional. As much as i hate to say it these units are very dangerous on extension leads....no matter how safe you think you are. But as I am writing this i remember I have an electric hedge trimeer in the garage

.

End of the day all is well and just shows no matter how safe you are accidents can happen so easily.

**martrix** · 14th April 2007, 12:15 AM

............

I did a similar thing last week. Was cutting a 45º mitre on some steel tubing with an angle grinder. Finished the cut and the off cut hit the bench then dropped off and spliced straight through the lead on the concrete. Crappy old power board switched off instantly.

I now have a slightly shorter lead.

**bsrlee** · 14th April 2007, 12:20 AM

Sometimes the cutter wins and sometimes the cable wins. I have a couple of 15amp wire/10amp plug cords that were one longer cable once, and I have a skinny, cheap 10 amp cable that stalled the hedge cutter

Now I use the petrol weed whacker for everything - what it won't cut the shears or axe will.

**mixin** · 14th April 2007, 12:27 AM

Reminds me of cutting 75 x 75 square tube in the cutoff saw.

I have a bench outside the shed for "spark jobs" so I don't risk igniting the inside contents of the shed. However as it is an all-weather area, I don't have power out there, and need to run a lead.

The offcut from the saw did exactly as described above. Because I had finished the cut, and the saw was slowing, I had no idea it had just happened. I picked up the offcut & tossed it, then undid the clamp & removed the tube from the saw, ready to drill a couple of holes in it.

I unplugged the saw, plugged the drill back into the lead, and it didn't run. I then realised the lights inside the shed were out.

Now this was not uncommon, as the shed fridge used to trip it once a week or so on average, until I had the dodgy internal door heaters in it disconnected.

Now not thinking, I checked the RCD, and seeing it was off, immediately went to flick it back on, just as I would have with the fridge.

At the last second I clicked that something wasn't right. I checked the lead quickly & couldn't see anything. Then I had one of those "wake up you fool" moments, and figured out the offcut just may have landed on the lead.
I took a really close look at it, and you could hardly see the cut, but it was there. Murphy made sure that it went through active & earth - the eath was completely severed, but the active only exposed.

Now I have matching colour 17m & 3m leads

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