what happened?
#1
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what happened?
uld anyone provide an educated guess about what happened and what the power company may have done? As usual, they only answer with "Call an electrician if you have any concerns".
Yesterday when it was raining, a neighbor heard zaps and saw sparks coming down from the transformer on the pole. They called 911 so the fire department sat around for almost an hour watching nothing happen before the power company finally arrived. Asking around, I found out all of the neighbors on that transformer had also been having their lights dim briefly all day. The power company was up on the pole less than half an hour and we were without power for about ten minutes. So far, we have not seen the lights dimming since. If the power company has scheduled more work, they won't admit it, nor will they give any information about what happened or what they did.
Yesterday when it was raining, a neighbor heard zaps and saw sparks coming down from the transformer on the pole. They called 911 so the fire department sat around for almost an hour watching nothing happen before the power company finally arrived. Asking around, I found out all of the neighbors on that transformer had also been having their lights dim briefly all day. The power company was up on the pole less than half an hour and we were without power for about ten minutes. So far, we have not seen the lights dimming since. If the power company has scheduled more work, they won't admit it, nor will they give any information about what happened or what they did.
#3
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As joed stated, the likely explanation is that a loose connection was repaired.
As regards the fire department, and I know you didn't complain about what they did... The fire department does not handle transformer fires. There are perhaps some fire departments that will deal with a transformer fire, but by and large most fire departments will not deal with them.
Their job, and their only job in a case like this, is to protect the public. It's the power companies job to handle a transformer fire. The fire department will shut down the road and keep people away, as necessary/appropriate. The transformer could burn, and the fire department will watch it burn. It will eventually stop burning, and could smolder, and the fire department will do nothing. of course if it causes something else to burn the fore department will deal with that. but the transformer is off limits and won't be dealt with.
As regards the fire department, and I know you didn't complain about what they did... The fire department does not handle transformer fires. There are perhaps some fire departments that will deal with a transformer fire, but by and large most fire departments will not deal with them.
Their job, and their only job in a case like this, is to protect the public. It's the power companies job to handle a transformer fire. The fire department will shut down the road and keep people away, as necessary/appropriate. The transformer could burn, and the fire department will watch it burn. It will eventually stop burning, and could smolder, and the fire department will do nothing. of course if it causes something else to burn the fore department will deal with that. but the transformer is off limits and won't be dealt with.
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Probably but not sure without being the one doing the troubleshooting, it might've been a cross-phase somewhere in the line from the transformers to cause a fire, or it could be from overheating from an unbalanced load, there are many factors, as far as the lights dimming would be the result of backfeeding through the neutral resulting from a loss leg from the transformer. The power company has no obligation to disclose any of their practices or their procedures. Don't be alarmed or upset if they don't say anything. They may be investigating and documenting everything so that they can correct the problem and prevent any further outages.
#5
> it might've been a cross-phase somewhere in the line from the
> transformers to cause a fire,
Was a fire reported?
> or it could be from overheating from an unbalanced load,
Zaps and sparks?
> there are many factors,
Namely, loose/damaged connection.
> as far as the lights dimming would be the result of
> backfeeding through the neutral resulting from a loss leg from
> the transformer.
Actually, loss of primary from a loose connection.
Where can a person go to learn about "backfeeding through the neutral"?
> They may be investigating and documenting everything so that
> they can correct the problem and prevent any further outages.
I think the problem has been corrected.
> transformers to cause a fire,
Was a fire reported?
> or it could be from overheating from an unbalanced load,
Zaps and sparks?
> there are many factors,
Namely, loose/damaged connection.
> as far as the lights dimming would be the result of
> backfeeding through the neutral resulting from a loss leg from
> the transformer.
Actually, loss of primary from a loose connection.
Where can a person go to learn about "backfeeding through the neutral"?
> They may be investigating and documenting everything so that
> they can correct the problem and prevent any further outages.
I think the problem has been corrected.
#6
first thing I would have done would be to turn off my main.. protect my electronics until the power company had it all restored.. those brown outs and zaps tend to destroy stuff..