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#167898 08/22/07 11:57 AM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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pauluk Offline OP
Member
This is on the pole right in front of my house. The rusty brackets holding the cable head to the pole have finally rotted right through, leaving just the underground feeder from below and the tails to the overheads holding the head up.

I reckon it must have happened over the weekend. One night about 10 p.m. I noticed the lights dim right down a couple of times as if there was a severe fault, and I thought I heard the sound of an arc flash from outside. By the time I looked around outside I could see nothing though, and dismissed it.

I just happened to look up at this pole yesterday and saw this. Putting two and two together, I reckon this must have been the cause -- Probably just shorted momentarily as it gave way.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 368
M
Member
The underground feeder line also looks in rough shape, I can see the outer covering unraveling. We have a lot of fabric (jute?) covered feeder lines installed in the 1960's that looks to be in the same condition now.

Who owns the feeder, the utility or is it a private line?

If it was here the utility usually replaces the line all the way back to the closest manhole or transformer, and not just replace the service head. A lot of times they also put in a new pole as they feel the pole is probably shot as well.

Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 97
J
Member
I have seen these flapping about before but thought nothing of it. I assume that the head on the cable is there as it is a PILC cable? There are some 33kv cables near me that go underground and the cable just splits into 3 with no head on it.

I never liked the idea that the 240V supplies are on the same pole, looks close to disaster to me!

Is that barbed wire wrapped around the ug feeder? all of the ones I can remember from my countryside days were wrapped in it to prevent cows and the like from nibbling on it.


I took my time, I hurried up, The choice was mine, I didn't think enough
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
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Member
To me it looks like 230/400V only since there are 4 wires. Not nice, definitely.

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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pauluk Offline OP
Member
Quote
Is that barbed wire wrapped around the ug feeder?


No, it's just the outer covering of the cable disintegrating:

[Linked Image]

The steel cover on the lower part of the pole is also pulling away, revealing more deterioration there as well:

[Linked Image]

Quote
Who owns the feeder, the utility or is it a private line?


The utility. The PoCo here owns everything right up to the meter. The underground cable on this pole is the main feeder (240/415V wye) to most of my road from this transformer, which is just a few yards away on the next block.

The three cables you can see coming off the top of the first picture bring two phases plus neutral back about 100 ft. to another pole which feeds four houses, one of which is mine.

I found part of the cause of the failure lying in the grass outside:

[Linked Image]

EDF was pretty quick at getting somebody out here. I called in the problem around 2 p.m., the "first response" guy showed up around 5 p.m. to assess, and the guys with the bucket truck arrived a couple of hours later to do a temporary "lash up" until it can be repaired properly. They've just tied the head back to the pole and added some extra support straps to the cable for now:

[Linked Image]

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 869
Likes: 4
R
Member
Interesting photo's Pauluk.

That 240/415 Volt cable is armoured ? Usually it is for 11 kV cables or is this a UK standard.
I'm supprised in this set up which does not allowe for drip loops.
We have similar cables, 11 kV in as bad a state with outer covering flaking off.

I like the temporay ( permanent ) fix with the almighty cable ties.


The product of rotation, excitation and flux produces electricty.
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6
M
Junior Member
Hi all.

I think the lower set of cables in the first pictures are confusing some people into thinking that the upper ones might be high voltage.
The lower ones seem to be telephone cables which I think is quite rare to find both on the same utility pole in the UK, Certainly in my area it is unheard of.
It will be nice to see the permanent repair and how long it takes to happen.

Martin.

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
Paul,
What an interesting looking cable head, seems strange to see a thing like that after years of seeing heads made for horizontal configuration.

Were there saddles on that cable at one time, where it runs up the pole above the protection strip?

That type of cable was used quite often here in Southern NZ, it's nearing the end of it's usable life and is being ripped out instead of being repaired, if it faults.

Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 97
J
Member
My head goes faster than my fingers sometimes smile I meant I dont like the idea of 240V/400V on the same pole as telephone. It is unusual but you tend to see it in rural areas, usually where there is a long run for both services.

That cable does look a bit ratty!

I have only seen old looking heads, I wonder what the new ones look like? I might take a trip to the countryside this weekend smile


I took my time, I hurried up, The choice was mine, I didn't think enough
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
In the outskirts of Vienna I see power + phone on one pole quite often. In more rural areas the post office/ now Telekom installed their own poles.

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