My Mishaps and A Mega Reprimand, plus A Gardening Session....

That safety device is a Ground Fault Circut Interupter (GFCI). All of my outdoor receptacles contain this and there are these types of recepticle in my bathrooms and kitchen. These things save lives. I had a discussion about this a while ago where one of the members had an electric oil radiator sitting on the gravel bed of her greenhouse. I asked her if she had the heater plugged into a GFI receptacle. It turned out that it was plugged into one located in her garage. My concern was that if a rodent chewed into the cord the potential for a shock would be present. That GFI circuit breaker was what your husband placed in the electric line, I hope you husband is feeling better soon and I will praise him too....GREAT THINKING AND DOING PAL!

Glad you didn't get an electric shock Linclass. You have been working hard haven't you. You've also got me thinking about that GFCI I'm not sure we have one...must check that out.

Hi Sue, glad to hear you were not harmed while pruning you electric cables, sounds as if you got quite a lot done today, it's been very nice here today, but the garden is still too wet to do anything, Derek

Well done Lincslass and thank goodness no injury sustained!

You've been a busy bee!
Lucky you weren't' in contact with the water in the pond when you cut thought the electrics!! A lucky escape!

Goodness Lincs, you were lucky even if you did get into trouble. I hope OH doesn't have a relapse though going out in the cold!

Loosetrife, they are called circuit breakers in UK I think. Very wise to use them on everything outdoors.

I think we use armoured cable here.....
and a safety breaker for all the power, so pleased you were safe
Lincs, we tend to be blasè about electricity I think......its usually the toaster that trips ours.....a stuck currant. ... (or current?)

well done you on getting stuck in....hope OH manflu is getting better...i have a circuit breaker on my outside electrics...i have also run a wire through a length of alcethene (water)pipe to give it a bit more protection...

Every gardener should have one, (RCD circuit breaker to their outdoor appliances) and a useful OH! Like Sandra my cable also runs thro' a pipe as double protection against accidental forking. Better safe than sorry. Lol

I must check with my OH - on our electric safety measures in the garden - interesting post - have a good day - Jane

I was so angry with myself as usually I'm really careful around that area, we've had the pond for over 35yrs and thats the first and only time I've had an accident, just goes to show one cannot be too aware when working with and near electrics,( a big warning) I think I worried more after I'd finished and gone back indoors , mulling over my actions and the thought of what could have happened than actually at the time, might seem daft but I was more concerned about getting the pump back on for the fish..
Pleased I got some jobs done yesterday though as its pouring down today, typical weather for half term break......

Pouring here too Lincs, thinking of Loosestrifes comments I think we call it an Earth leakage breaker rather than a Ground fault circuit breaker....same thing I guess
just pleased you're ok x

Oh Sue...I'm pleased you didn't get a shock ! But hubby did, didn't he ! Hahaa! I had to read it to Rick about the "man flu" and" choice words" as I could picture him doing the self same thing !
But...in our first home, we had a very large pond and Rick was splitting a huge Iris and the spade went straight through and into the wire ! He had special boots on , so is still here to tell the tale ! In those days we had no circuit breaker either !
Looking forward to seeing the spring photos ! xx

I heard on the radio that most gardening accidents are caused by lawn mowers :/ with Hedge trimmers coming second snoopy! Be careful everyone, the season hasn't even started yet! My water feature electric socket has packed up, so OH will need to check it for loose connections soon......... :/

I bet you feel so much better for getting this off your chest and confessing 'all' to us!
I am relieved that you didn't get hurt and also relieved that you didn't get into too much trouble!
We ALL make mistakes and you were a brave soul to admit it so quickly!!
x

With regards to the " MAN FLU " this virus attaches itself to the XY chromosome only. The only way to rid man of this scourge is to introduce a recombinant strand of DNA....one that contains TLC from an XX chromosome.

Hmmmm......?

Oh dear, what a day you had. Hope you've been forgiven by now. I know I should use a circuit thingy when I mow the lawn but tend to forget. Your blog will make me be more careful although I don't have a pond or any outside electrics to worry about (just the mower lead!). A very timely reminder before the weather improves :)

Nope not forgiven as he is in fact still feeling very rough and going out in the cold didn't help..
L'strife the TLC is not appreciated at the mo and is considered nagging, he will go to bed when he feels like it, not when he's told, thats the response I got when I noticed him asleep crouched over the worktop in the kitchen, lol....

Sorry I'm so late reading your blog Sue - can't get round to GoY sometimes lol

I'm glad you didn't injure yourself, but I don't think you should have grovelled. I don't believe in grovelling.
Accidents happen. One has to accept it.
Your husband doesn't sound very patient, even if he did have flue. He should have been glad you were all right !
Sorry, but I can't be doing with impatient people ... even if they've got flue. It's no excuse.

Did you say your fuchsia and succulent collections have survived the winter ?
I'm pleased to hear that :o)

Thanks for a really (polite version of bl---y) good laugh. 'im in doors read it over my shoulder and fell about - could relate to many similar episodes. We always end up laughing about them but it often takes 24 hours to see the funny side.

Hywel he is definitely not known for his patience and thats a fact but I can match him, the sparks can fly around here and thats without me catching at the wires, (shouldn't joke about it really should I) actually the wire got sorted out a darn sight quicker than it would have done if he'd been healthy, don't think he had the energy to hang around outside moaning at me, as to the grovelling it doesn't happen often I can assure you of that but I've learnt over the years when it will help my cause. LOL..
I'm really chuffed that everything has fared well in my g'houses but as I said I've managed in the past and then lost them in the springtime, think I used to kill them with kindness and being too eager to give them a drink ....

Have a look at Homebirds all our yesterdays blog if you want a nostalgic giggle......

know what you mean about lack of patience, especially when poorly...
I'm sure I wrote this ditty one before. ....

patience ia a virtue
posess it if you can
Its often found in woman
but NEVER in a man.....

LOL, Definitely not my man Pam but I have to admit he's not as quick to lose it as when he was younger...

Like Hywel I am running late in as usual in catching up. Thank goodness you were alright. We have quite a lot of underground installations. The first was for an oil feeder pipe from the tank to the house. Our plumber installed it in a plastic pipe in case we damaged it. Our electrics are also fed through plastic pipe as OH thinks I'm a bit too much eager gardener and not enough health and safety conscious. We also have dedicated circuit breakers installed. OH seldom gets upset but did suggest to the plumber who was installing the back door loo that the project could be improved if he did something different. Bless the man he complied but he was upset at being told. I hope the man flu has been conquered and all is peaceful and quiet again, but gosh that sounds dull. I retract the middle bit of that sentence.

Thought, oh, my gosh, she did get a terrible shock. And they are not fun. As I read on], realized you were OK, phew. As u say, electricity is not to be judged without great caution... I hit the toaster with wet hands, and Wow, thought I was electrocuted. Envy u with all your blooming plants.