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Why/How did a blown transformer damage my copper water pipes?

Why/How did a blown transformer damage my copper water pipes?


  #1  
Old 07-05-00, 09:30 AM
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To all plumbers, electricians, and anyone else knowledgeable in this area, please shed some light on our crisis situation. Last week we watched a tree fall, which took down the power lines across the street from our 2-mth old home and caused the transformer to blow up 3 times (smoke, sparks, the works). We thought the worst of it was that we'd be out of electricity for a while. As it turns out, according to our plumber, the transformer explosion caused an arc between the steel and the copper pipes in our concrete slab and burst holes in the water pipes. The pipes started leaking rapidly and voila, a brand new house is now flooded in 3 rooms, after only an hour! We have re-routing plumbers in there today trying to cap off the leaking pipes and reroute our pipes through the attic. No one we've spoken to, including an engineer at the electric company, can explain why this event occurred. They say it's common for lightning strikes to do this type of thing, but a transformer should not have. Has anyone ever heard of this, or know why it would have happened? I'm just afraid that this could happen again and cause much worse damage. We live in Louisiana, no basements, just concrete slabs. Thanks.
 
  #2  
Old 07-05-00, 07:30 PM
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quote:<HR>Originally posted by Marty:
To all plumbers, electricians, and anyone else knowledgeable in this area, please shed some light on our crisis situation. Last week we watched a tree fall, which took down the power lines across the street from our 2-mth old home and caused the transformer to blow up 3 times (smoke, sparks, the works). We thought the worst of it was that we'd be out of electricity for a while. As it turns out, according to our plumber, the transformer explosion caused an arc between the steel and the copper pipes in our concrete slab and burst holes in the water pipes. The pipes started leaking rapidly and voila, a brand new house is now flooded in 3 rooms, after only an hour! We have re-routing plumbers in there today trying to cap off the leaking pipes and reroute our pipes through the attic. No one we've spoken to, including an engineer at the electric company, can explain why this event occurred. They say it's common for lightning strikes to do this type of thing, but a transformer should not have. Has anyone ever heard of this, or know why it would have happened? I'm just afraid that this could happen again and cause much worse damage. We live in Louisiana, no basements, just concrete slabs. Thanks.<HR>



Hi,
One alternate way to pick up an electrical ground is to attach a clamp to a cold water pipe, and usually in the basement if you have one. In new construction they almost always sink a ground rod to obtain a ground. If in your house picked up the ground from the cold water pipe that may be how transformer had an affect. Just a wild guess.
 
  #3  
Old 07-07-00, 03:52 PM
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Hi.

Stop worrying as this doesn´t happen every day. By now you´ve solved your problem, and the probability of seeing that again in the same place is minimal.

Sleep well!!
 
 

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