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Copper Theft
#213689
06/27/14 08:41 AM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,225
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Copper Theft
Another brave thief....
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Re: Copper Theft
[Re: HotLine1]
#213690
06/27/14 08:43 AM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,225
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Cut the fence, cut the secondaries, pots were still energized.
Sorry to say there were no dead bodies!!
John
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Re: Copper Theft
[Re: HotLine1]
#213693
06/27/14 10:35 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,437
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That whole setup looks funky to me with all the plant growth on the primary insulators. Is this place abandoned?
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Re: Copper Theft
[Re: HotLine1]
#213694
06/27/14 08:03 PM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,225
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Lostashell:
This type setup here is referred to as a 'mat job'. Yes, it is 'old' technology, and is slowly going away. Three or six pots was standard before pad mount units. 250, 333, 500 KVA were common, occasionally 750s.
Today, when there is a failure in an existing mat, the failed pot will be replaced, or the full set may be replaced.
AS to the building in the pic, yes it is vacant, as the avionics co that was there outgrew to 65k SF.
As to the vegatation, sorry to say it is 'common' with mat jobs. The transformers, primary pole and wiring are POCO owned and maintained. The fence is locked with a POCO lock. The POCO does provide forestry work, but most of the time it is done after a failure, blown cut-out, etc.
Guess this is not something you see on the west coast??
John
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Re: Copper Theft
[Re: HotLine1]
#213699
06/28/14 10:47 AM
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,555
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The transformer farms are fairly well maintained here, at least the fence and the weeds. They spray enough herbicides around to be sure nothing is growing. We have weeds here that could completely cover a transformer like that in a month.
Greg Fretwell
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Re: Copper Theft
[Re: HotLine1]
#213701
06/28/14 12:01 PM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,225
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The 'usual' POCO weed patrol is a troubleshooter with a manual lopper. "Herbicides"?? I think that item is not on their list. May be a DEP/EPA thing, or that a license is required.
The good part is that the mat jobs are slowly disapering.
John
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Re: Copper Theft
[Re: HotLine1]
#213706
06/29/14 12:19 AM
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,555
Member
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They sell full strength Garlon 4 at the rural king here (just pay) and it is trivial for the PoCo to buy at a distributor.
Greg Fretwell
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Re: Copper Theft
[Re: HotLine1]
#213707
06/29/14 02:43 AM
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 903
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Seen a soil sterilizer that was used, nothing but bare earth,without it there would have been Star Thistle & other noxious weeds. Suspect that it would have to be applied by a licensed applicator though.
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Re: Copper Theft
[Re: HotLine1]
#213710
06/29/14 05:42 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 17
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Cut the fence, cut the secondaries, pots were still energized.
Sorry to say there were no dead bodies!! Wow!
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Re: Copper Theft
[Re: HotLine1]
#213711
06/29/14 08:55 PM
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,273
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The generally abandoned nature of the site makes one think that the primaries were de-energized.
Out my way the AHJ have prohibited this type of service whenever and wherever possible.
Instead, primary distribution occurs underground with pad mounted transformers -- feeding bus-duct taps (see photo above) by proximate placement as necessary. (Bus-duct taps establish fire isolation, FYI)
This style also takes weather out of the equation and saves on real estate.
Hereabouts the cost of trenching is very high. The ice age glaciers scraped off all of the topsoil, leaving rock and some dusting on top. None-the-less, underground distribution is mandated.
The Pocos have discovered that underground distribution largely eliminates weather crisis. Crisis labor rates are out of this world. (plus bad politics)
Tesla
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