Usually yes. Also, the max current before the breaker trips isn’t the breaker rating but could be any amount over that up to the max short circuit capacity of the transformer feeding it. Household size could be into the tens of thousands of amps. Read the tiny print on a breaker for the interrupting rating sometime.
Thank you. * off to look up “carbon tracking” *
I know all about breakers.
A daily occurrence? :dubious: If that were true, the place would be shut down and a major investigation would occur. (At least in the U.S.) Sorry, but I do not believe it is a daily occurrence at your workplace.
So let’s do some math. We will assume the following:
- A standard 120 VAC plug (NEMA 5-15P plug) has 120 V between the hot and neutral prongs.
- Salty water – and only salty water – is between the hot and neutral prongs.
- Resistance of salty water is low enough to cause 16 A to flow in the circuit (7.5 Ω).
- Temperature = 30 °C.
Based on the dimensions and spacing of the hot and neutral prongs, the resistivity of the salt water would have to be 0.07 Ω·m or less. For the saltwater to have a resistivity of 0.07 Ω·m at 30 °C, it would have to have a concentration of 100,000 ppm of salt.
Saltwater with a concentration of 100,000 ppm of salt is extremely unlikely, as the concentration of highly saline water is 10,000 to 35,000 ppm. Furthermore, it is not possible for the volume between the two prongs to be 100% filled with saltwater. The prongs are plugged into a receptacle, so there is a lot of plastic insulation between them.
OTOH, what if the load is drawing 13 A? In that case, the saltwater only needs to draw 3 A (40 Ω), which means the resistivity would be 0.38 Ω·m (20,000 ppm of salt). This is within the range of highly saline water. But let’s not forget it is still not possible for the volume between the two prongs to be 100% filled with saltwater; the prongs are plugged into a receptacle, so there is a lot of plastic insulation between them.
And that’s for saltwater… regular ol’ “dirty water” will have a much higher resistivity.
So I agree with beowulff… I don’t think it’s possible for the water itself to trip a breaker. However, I suppose it could lead to a situation where parallel arcing occurs via arc tracking or carbonization of the insulation, and this can cause a breaker to trip. It could also cause corrosion which can create a poor connection and eventually cause a “glowing contact” to form.
Nitpick: this asuumes that the neutral is the only return path to the source. Which, while possible, is unlikely in any semi modern instalation.
Yes, there’s also the ground prong. And metal box (if metal). And metal outlet cover (if metal). And the un-insulated ground wire. And the “internals” of the receptacle. But I am confident that, if you perform a 1st-order model on each return path, you will get a similar result.
I don’t know what that is, but I have to assume that it does not involve spraying a live cord with salt water and seeing what happens, which is a little disappointing.
BTW -
The real concern is NOT that getting a power cord wet will trip the breaker - it’e the exact opposite!
That is, if there is a mid-resistance connection formed by dirty water, the plug can get very hot and cause a fire long before the breaker will trip. Also, it’s a shock hazard.
This is the most important thing.
I don’t want to touch a plug or receptacle that’s wet.
So aside from the damage to a surge protector or extension cord itself - what about the appliances attached to that power strip? Would a water-soaked power strip shoot too much, or too little, electricity into a computer hooked up to it?
No.
I mean, come on now. It’s just a wire.