Inclement wheather = Overtime

[bigw00dy]

As I have mentioned before, I work for a Utility company and I am always out working during and after Inclement wheather. Here is my latest adventure. Brief story and a couple of pics:

On the evening of July 18, this past Tuesday, Eastern PA and Western NJ was blasted by a severe thunderstorm accompanied by tornado strength winds. We had and still have thousands of customers that lost power, among other things. I was dispatched to Montclair, NJ on wednesday @ 7am and worked until Thursday 11pm. These pictures were taken with a disposable camera. I really feel for these poor people. Montclair was a MESS.

[skysidhe]

I saw on the weather channel there was some stormy weather to the west of you too.

I don't think anyone was hurt just alot of damage ?

[glatt]

I love big trees, but they are also scary when they tower over your house. We have an enormous oak tree in our back yard that towers over the neighbor's house. She's a nice little old lady, and I worry a little about her every time we have a fierce storm. We've had the dead limbs cut out of it and it was assesed by the tree company as healthy, but still...

It's also always sad after a storm like this, and the neighborhood isn't as cool and shady any more, with the sun beating in. I like mature trees in old neighborhoods.

[skysidhe]

wow in the second to last picture the tree just took up the cement with it glatt.

[barefoot serpent]

looks like a lot of silver maples -- one of the most brittle of trees.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by bigw00dy

As I have mentioned before, I work for a Utility company and I am always out working during and after Inclement weather.

You are obviously in the office sometimes, or you wouldn't be posting. What do you do?

I'm a little curious about the utility work done after a storm. What do you typically do when you approach an area like this? It's such a mess, I'm not sure where I would start.

Do linemen go out in the rain and work with live wires during a storm? If so, how do they protect themselves from electrocution? I always though a wet jacket would probably conduct a charge. They must disconnect the power somehow.

Also, are there a lot of problems with home owners incorrectly hooking up generators and charging the lines with backfeed current? I've heard of that, but don't know if it's widespread it is or if it's just a fear that it may become widespread.

Sorry for the random questions.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by skysidhe

wow in the second to last picture the tree just took up the cement with it glatt.

Weight keeps the cement down, it's not attached. That tree is the biggest damn pry bar in town.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by glatt

snip~
Do linemen go out in the rain and work with live wires during a storm? ~snip

First thing to do is isolate the area and kill everything. There are switches scattered around to do that.

The wires coming into your meter are generally carrying 220 (230, 240) volts but they originate at a transformer on the pole, or one close by, your service.

The transformer is fed by another wire up there that's carrying 13,000 or more volts. They just can't work safely with that kind of power in downed wires...in any weather.

[bigw00dy]

Yeah Bruce hit the nail on the head!!. Well put.

I am an Engineer(1/2 the time doing field work & 1/2 the time in cubicle hell/The Cellar) and during storms like this one, I generally do what we call "look-up work". But in this case, It was "look-everywhere-but-up" work.


In this type of storm, I am walking around wearing full PPE(personal protective gear rated for 13,00volts)looking for fuse poles, down primary, down secondary and broken poles. We are trying to get full 'areas' back in service. Then once I found all the problems in one 'area', i call the info in to our dispatch and dispatch sends the appopriate line gangs out to repair the problems.

In this case, the biggest problem was down tree's and their branches. Our linemen couldn't even access the majority of the problems until the tree crews cleared up the area. Once the tree's are cleared up, linemen will pull new wire, re-fuse cut-outs and finally re-energize the 'area'.

...and I do not mind the random questions.

[xoxoxoBruce]

...and I do not mind the random questions.

OK then, how come when I call to report an outage I have to listen to crappy music, how I can buy some wind power for only $5.08 extra, why I should let PEco into my checking account and why I should call them three days before I dig?

Just kidding, Woody. Thanks for the great pictures.

[bigw00dy]

...Well I did ask for it didn't I.....

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

First thing to do is isolate the area and kill everything.

Everything? People? Pets? Plants? Everything? Why?

[bigw00dy]

Here are some more pictures from another workers view. These pictures are of a little better quality. Enjoy





..yes he is standing on the telco line...



...and yes again, he is standing on our secondary(600v or less:120/240v)


..that is lashed, single phase primary(13kv) with a huge, existing splice


..same cable type as above


...single phase xfrmr, most likely filled with juicy PCB's

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

Everything? People? Pets? Plants? Everything? Why?

Sure, the insurance companies pay a bonus to PEco if there's nobody left to collect on the homeowner's policy.

Woody, is that guy in the third picture standing on the cable?

[bigw00dy]

Yeah right on the telco line. The picture below that one, he is also standing on the secondary wire!