How many volts???

[Limbrat]

This is my profession . the company i work for we have 4kv, 13, 27, and 33 for primary voltage. 345,000 transmission voltage. Counting an insulator does you nothing as its the same poly insulators. Poles are badged / marked to identify. Numbers, letters, colors, etc are used for identifying.

Lineman for 35 years at Florida Power/Duke Energy Hammer. Counting bells on a transmission line in our system absolutely identifies transmission voltage. It may be inconsistent on the same voltage at other utilities but that would be pretty crazy. As I said, polys are a different story. All our poles are tagged as well. We have 4 different transmission voltages from 69-500kv. Where are you man and what company do you work for?

Willard, that's a single phase primary tap, feeding off the three phase pole with the crossarm on it. Made up solid too which no fused jack. Looks like our inland construction. I'd be curious to know what the primary voltage is. I'd bet 7,200 or less. The three under the transformer are the neutral and two secondary legs that feed your house.

 

[hammer0419]

That is just a single phase of primary going into the top of a cut-out and then down into a single phase transformer. That phase could be 4kv 13kv. Directly below the transformer is the secondary rack. Two opposite phases (120&120) and a system neutral.

 

[hammer0419]

Lineman for 35 years at Florida Power/Duke Energy Hammer, distribution and transmission, secondary to live line barehand transmission voltages. Counting bells on a transmission line in our system absolutely identifies transmission voltage. It may be inconsistent at other utilities but that would be pretty crazy. As I said, polys are a different story. All our poles are tagged as well. We have 4 different transmission voltages from 69-500kv. Where are you at man and what company do you work for?

Yes I should have been clear transmission vs primary. Transmission def count bells. NY.

 

[HolmenTree]

Thanks hammer for the info.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hammer, what is your first name? Mine is Butch...

Don't be shy to fill out your profile!

 

[hammer0419]

Hey Butch.... Jim

 

[NickfromWI]

Here's one for you. What's this thing?




love
nick

 

[treebilly]

Looks like a line that's been spliced with a fuse in it( that block with the jumper wire on it)

 

[Raj]

http://www.annsgarden.com/poles/poles.htm

 

[Sgriff]

^ very informative,great post!

 

[Al Smith]

Around here it's 4160.7200,12,470 13.8kv or 34.5 kv for distrubution .Where I work it's 138 KV transformed to 13.8kv for in plant broken down to 480 for usage .About the highest I've seen on a pole is 69 KV and it's up real high .It could have a lower voltage on lower cross arms on the same pole .

The highest I've ever "gloved " was 4160,one phase of 7200 to ground .It took me ten minutes to get enough nerve to do it .I was a lot younger then and in full rubber---boots,sleeves and 10 KV gloves in an insulated 60 foot Hi Ranger .Never off the pole,I'm a lousey climber .My hooks are in the shed and it's highly unlikely I'll ever use them again .

 

[Climbhigh]

http://www.annsgarden.com/poles/poles.htm

Yep that about covers it, great resource.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

 

[Limbrat]

Here's one for you. What's this thing?

View attachment 68885


love
nick

Nick, the black or dark brown objects installed mid-span a couple of feet from the pole are secondary, or low voltage insulators. They're called "Johnny Balls". As Rich said, there is a jumper wire that goes around those closest to us in the picture and that jumper wire could be cut to de-energize that particular section of wire. "Secondary voltage" is that which is feeding the customer, be it 120/240 for residential or higher for some commercial customers. It's what comes out of the transformer. Primary goes in, secondary comes out. Those same Johnny Balls on the far side of the pole have no jumper around them and that section of wire is either de-energized, or most likely, feeding from another transformer down the line. There is an old "Western Union" splice in that same wire about ten feet out on our side of the pole. I hope I haven't muddied the waters for you, it's really pretty simple stuff.

 

[Cobleskill]

I have seen those kind of splices around here recently I believe. Look like a treepeedo?

 

[treebilly]

That's why you don't throw it towards the power lines

 

[Grendel]

Great info guys, and a very relevant thread!

 

[Limbrat]

I have seen those kind of splices around here recently I believe. Look like a treepeedo?

Actually, the splices you are talking about are automatic sleeves, just cut the wire clean and stick it in. Chinese finger type device. We called 'em pickles.

 

[Cobleskill]

Yup. They put them on the line when the neighbor forgot about the power lines and drove under them with his 10 wheeler dump up in the air. Wonder how much that cost him.

 

[Cobleskill]

So what is the old Western Union splice? I remember on our old line the wires were just wrapped around each other.

 

[rskybiz]

Saw this one today a touch late on the row maintenance :rolleyes:

Great thread and very nice link

 

[Limbrat]

The Western Union splice is wire wrapped around wire but many also had a piece of copper tubing that was formed, not crimped, over the wrap with a special tool. That's what's in Nick's pic.

 

[Limbrat]

Saw this one today a touch late on the row maintenance :rolleyes:

Great thread and very nice link

That's a mess Joel. The troubleman there has probably made a lot of money off that pole. Doesn't look like Duke Energy construction.

 

[rskybiz]

I'm sure! No that is a clay elect co-op pole. Seems not a good thing to have at the back fence of a daycare but what do I know!
How conductive can a situation like this be? In my mind I see great potential in power running through it but to what extent as I would think it would cook out any moisture and be less conductive?
Any clue or info on such?

 

[Limbrat]

It's always a possibility Joel, but the vines on the transformer would most likely track to the neutral and blow the transformer fuse first. The vines up on top of the pole are another matter and it would take considerably more amperage to blow a line fuse or open a recloser. It would be a good idea for the day care folks to call it in, if nothing else, it will save them an inevitable outage. They should probably say that they are concerned about the safety of the children, that usually gets action.