Hello all;
Saw this pole at the current project I am working on - which is not a Bank!
(well, there's a Bank in this Building, but that's not what I am working on
...)
These Images were taken from the Roof of an existing 4 Floor Commercial Office Building - built in 1966.
Image 1: Utility Pole.
Check out how dirty the Insulators are! (the ones with the Yellow Arrows pointing towards are worse than others!)
Looks like there has also been a flash-over situation going on at times. Rains had come through prior to our arrival, which likely washed them off a bit.
It's not clearly seen in the Image, but there's some "Tell-Tale" signs of repeated flash-over on several Insulators.
Along with this, check out what Conductor Material was used for the Primary Feeders + the Underground drop to the Pad Mounted Transformer!
(notice the color?)
One reason for the bright color on everything is shown in this Image below:
Image 2: View Of Local Area.
See the Pacific Ocean in the background? It's no more than ½ Mile to the Beach.
Very beautiful area to work in!
One of the things that was odd to me, was the type of Transformer feeding this Building.
It's a normal Pad Mount Utility owned Animal - as shown in the next Image:
Image 3: Pad Mount Transformer.
The Transformer is owned by SDG&E, and has the "Mad Electricity Shocking Someone" warning labels on it too! (love those labels!).
The Transformer's setup is a 480 VAC 3Ø 3 Wire Grounded Delta.
What's odd (to me) is the way it's Grounded. It appears to be Center Tap Grounded, not Corner Grounded. (I really expected it to be Ungrounded!)
Found 240 VAC to Ground on two Lines, and "More than 240 VAC" on one Line to Ground, as measured with my Wiggy. I expected to find the "usual" Wiggy's response to an Ungrounded system - nothing to Ground, something Line-to-Line.
When the Wiggy responded with a "Solid" buzz, figured I had a Corner Grounded Delta. Found all three Lines had solid measurements to Ground, and no Active System Grounded Conductor is located in the MSB.
Not that this was a problem, just never expected it!
BTW, we are installing new Gas-Turbine Generating equipment (plus panels and a Transformer), for a Co-Generation System at this Building.
Really interresting stuff! I'll add pictures as things progress.
Scott35