A metal-cased washing machine is connected to the 230 V mains supply. The earth wire inside the plug becomes disconnected. A fault then causes the live wire...
Question 1 Report
A metal-cased washing machine is connected to the 230 V mains supply. The earth wire inside the plug becomes disconnected. A fault then causes the live wire to touch the metal case.
What is the danger to a person who touches the case?
Answer Details
With the earth wire disconnected, when the live wire touches the metal case, the case becomes live at 230 V. There is no safe path for the fault current to flow to ground.
When a person touches the case, current flows through their body to the ground, causing a potentially fatal electric shock. The fuse does not blow because the current through a human body (typically a few tens of milliamps) is much less than the fuse rating. Without the earth wire providing a low-resistance alternative path, the person's body is the only available path to earth.
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