Hey I was reading about birds on power lines and had a question.

If you jumped, and while in mid air, touched a high voltage power line, would you be shocked? Technically you've gotten rid of ground so I would think that you wouldn't. Whats the verdict??

Thanks.

 

After I saw this video, I wouldn´t try it. You can see that even though the helicopter is not touching ground, the static electricity discharges, and also AC current back and forth to the helicopter creates some serious sparks.
The static part is caused by gathering stacic charge by moving through air.
The AC part is because the helicopter acts like a capacitor (the second pole is the earth).

http://media.putfile.com/Amazing-electrical-worker

 

Hi,When the guy's have to work on the H.V. lines 32,00 to 100,000 volts, they are lowered and hooked onto the cables in a cage (by chopper)... but first the cage is taken to the potential of the cable with a wire hooked on to the same cable.... So if you were to jump towards the cable, there would be a very short time that you were at a different potenial to the cable (and depending on the moisture content of the air), you would therefore get a flashover until you touched the cable... By that time it may be too late....Daniel.

 

Ah, makes sense - thanks guys

 

I think this may answer all of your questions... and then some.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3q9WdjD5wc&feature=related

 

Distance from the high voltage wires to the ground makes a capacitive voltage divider.
If you stand on the ground and are grounded then you raise your arms under high voltage power lines then your hands are at a high voltage that can light a fluorescent tube in your hand.