Anyone out there ever heard of or used a "chicken switch"? I just heard about it. I guess it fits over a switch and you use a remote control to operate the mechanism to flip the switch. You are out of the danger zone. I guess it is similar to remote racking. Who makes these?

Brian,
We've bought one, and currently have it out for the electricians to try. I haven't heard back from them yet, but when I played with it, it worked well. It slips over a pistol grip operator, and holds onto the switchgear front with magnets. The operator is connected with a cord so that you should be out of the arc flash boundary when you operate the breaker.

It is made by a private outfit, MarTek Ltd. You can find out more info, and even view a video of it at http://www.chickenswitch.com/

Several major equipment manufacturers also offer remote operators AND breaker rack-out/rack-in devices. Breakers are designed to safely interrupt rated full fault levels that is seldom available. Rack-in, rack-out is the tmie when I get most nervous as loose wires or misalligned, deformed stabs could create an unconfined and uncontrolled arc that will be interrupted by the upstream breaker, but until then the whole let-through energy blows through wherever it can.

Has anyone used anything to reduce the incident energy on the low side of a padmounted transformer? IE 480 Volt side?

I have done a retrofit to the MV switch retrofilling a 15kV vacuum breaker in place of the fuses. The VCB has CT's on the promary and secondary side of the transformer thus sensing a secondary fault quickly and denergizing the transformer ina matter of cycles. I have also incorperated light sensing relays on the LV switchgear transition/main breaker section sending input to same device, a little quicker and more expensive option.

We are a large pulp and paper mill and recently purchased one of these Chicken Switches. It works very well and our guys like it. It's a quick and easy solution to reducing exposure to arc flash hazards on the types of breakers that it's designed for. We just sent an order for a second one. The battery power is good for portability, but it would be nice if they had a wired power option. At least with our second unit, we hope to never be without one that is functional.

I just ductape a stick against the handle with a string on the top end and one on the bottom. Pull the bottom = open, pull the top = closed. Keep that $1000 or so in my pocket........