Thread: Your not suppose to let the smoke out...

Got some niffty 'when smoke is let loose' vids or stories.

Electricity and finger rings came up in a thread I did not want derail. I talked of letting the smoke out. This is what I'm talking about. Working power company "Trouble Crew" I got to see and try to deal with a lot of this kinda crap. How you ask, we go up stream on power circuit to cut power and call fire department on the way.

Sorry but I can't find this video any where but on Facebook. It shows some rather fine faults and arcs. Enjoy and turn sound up.

https://www.facebook.com/linemantool...6659710095695/

Electricity in high voltage and current....my nemesis. Induction into the rail wreaks havoc on my equipment lol

But very cool video

Lot's of Fire and Smoke! That's for sure!

My mother worked in the office in our little town of Dayton WA for Pacific Power and Light and one of the old grizzled linemen was on a pole when a transformer 'blew'. I guess 'Hot oil' isn't quite the word for it. I'm not sure of what degree the burns were but I do know that he was one hurting unit.

If you've never heard a transformer 'blow' it makes a Very Loud BOOM! Had one blow at about 3am a half a block away and it woke both the wife and me along with the two kids RIGHT UP!

Called the 800 number using a flashlight to see the phone. Hell the neighbors had beat me to it!

Transformers are very loud. And the goo inside (especially the older ones) is definitely not healthy. All kinds of PCBs etc. There were a few yards where they stored them around here in the 80s that became superfund sites.

Originally Posted by mikeyirish

Transformers are very loud. And the goo inside (especially the older ones) is definitely not healthy. All kinds of PCBs etc. There were a few yards where they stored them around here in the 80s that became superfund sites.

PCB's made lots of extra work/money for us. Over a 5 year period we tested every bug/transformer (1,000's) in the system and pulled down all with PCB and replaced. Since 90's power companies by Federal law have to account/track for every transformer from factory to grave. Before that I had my arm up to my shoulder in it changing manual voltage taps.

Har! I won't need embalming when I go I guess.

Originally Posted by mikeyirish

Electricity in high voltage and current....my nemesis. Induction into the rail wreaks havoc on my equipment lol

But very cool video

Induction can be fun stuff. Have measured the voltage induced on 30 miles of transmission/high line not connected to anything next to hot panel and were getting 7kv & 8kv (7,000 to 8,000 volts). One of my funniest sea stories is of a young apprentice picking a large coil of wire that he had just rolled up under hot transmission/high line (50' above him) and lifted it over his head and the induction knocked him to the ground. He was Ok but rattle good. Sometimes when they don't listen you got to let them learn the hard way. They learn and preach the Gospel afterwards.

We use impedance bonds in certain areas but they are not 100 percent effective lol

Makes for a nice show, but even I don't want any part of puttin' it out.

Originally Posted by mikeyirish

We use impedance bonds in certain areas but they are not 100 percent effective lol

That can get scary quick if procedure is not followed. Grounding is your friend.

The bonds are for the equipment silly lol. So as not to fry it.

We have other procedures to ground when we are out there working. But you are correct sir