Our power is off today as they busy doing maintenance on a sub station. It is only when you don't have it that you can understand how much we count on it. 
No Power For Us Today
- Thread starter DaveM
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It's the same way for all of us. We often don't realize how much of our life depends on electrical power.
Well the power just came back on and it sure has been a long day.
I can tough it out during the daylight hours without power, but sitting in the dark with a candle or battery operated light is tedious.
I have a battery operated radio to keep me company so it's not all bad I suppose
I had a rechargeable camp lantern that I used for blackouts, but when I went to use it a while ago, it was dead and wouldn't hold a charge.
When the summer stuff comes out on the shelves I'll get another. The old one served me well for a very long time so no complaints.
I have a battery operated radio to keep me company so it's not all bad I suppose
I had a rechargeable camp lantern that I used for blackouts, but when I went to use it a while ago, it was dead and wouldn't hold a charge.
When the summer stuff comes out on the shelves I'll get another. The old one served me well for a very long time so no complaints.
Dang electric companies.
Yeah, what he said
Hemi, you playing with some switches down there?
South Africa wants their power back.
South Africa wants their power back.
When we were having those rolling power cuts I purchased a set of these lamps and they worked well. It would see after all this time the charging ability has now dropped and fully charged they don't last very long. As power cuts are not as frequent as what they were back then I don't think I will be replacing them very soon either.
About the only times we get a power failure is due to a storm so it doesn't happen very often and hardly ever due to systems failure as we enjoy a first-class power supply.
Even so, I like having an alternate light source around. I already have a smaller LED flashlight - or to use the British term, torch.
The old lantern had fluorescent light tubes and was very nice, but the modern ones are all LED and very bright.
Even so, I like having an alternate light source around. I already have a smaller LED flashlight - or to use the British term, torch.
The old lantern had fluorescent light tubes and was very nice, but the modern ones are all LED and very bright.
Generally substations are designed to allow for multiple feeds. In most cases where that isn't possible we use a mobile substation to keep the feeders in service. If done correctly, people will not know their power isn't from it's normal feed. Even with the mobile substation there are times when there is no other option than for outages. We are coming up on the time of year when the risk is higher for outages due to failures in substations. A lot of folks look to the hurricane season as the highest risk but the highest risk is due to wildlife, snakes.
Snakes would cause a large percentage of outages? Interesting.
At least we don't have THAT problem here.
At least we don't have THAT problem here.
Snakes would cause a large percentage of outages? Interesting.
At least we don't have THAT problem here.
I don't think he meant that 
Probably running into wildlife and getting bitten by snakes all year around in the warmer climates.
The last time I had an encounter with a python up here, it had Colt written on it
The no power season is here for me too, tornado and hurricane time. Today will be a good time to change the oil in my generator.
Hemibee, how are snakes a risk for power outages? Around my area, I have experienced two localized outages due to squirrels; they either chewed the line, or they stepped across two phases.
Squirrels are a source of small outages when they ground a transformer or cut out switch.
Snakes do the same but also take out substations. Due to the voltage in a substation the insulators are long enough to keep most squirrel related issues at a very minimum. Snakes on the other hand are a bit longer than the squirrels and can go phase to phase or phase to ground real easy. When the snake does the damage in a substation it can be major damage. We had a snake go phase to ground, the ground being the transformer case that caused a real spectacular fire. The transformer failed at or about 0130. We were on top of the transformer at 0900 getting it disconnected and could only stay a few minutes due to the heat melting the rubber soles of our boots. At 1400 or 1500 when the heavy haul rig showed up to remove the old transformer it was still too hot to touch the transformer case for very long. The only way we were sure it was a snake was the small segments of partially fried snake we found on site and the outline of where the snake went to ground on the case was clearly visible.
Snakes do the same but also take out substations. Due to the voltage in a substation the insulators are long enough to keep most squirrel related issues at a very minimum. Snakes on the other hand are a bit longer than the squirrels and can go phase to phase or phase to ground real easy. When the snake does the damage in a substation it can be major damage. We had a snake go phase to ground, the ground being the transformer case that caused a real spectacular fire. The transformer failed at or about 0130. We were on top of the transformer at 0900 getting it disconnected and could only stay a few minutes due to the heat melting the rubber soles of our boots. At 1400 or 1500 when the heavy haul rig showed up to remove the old transformer it was still too hot to touch the transformer case for very long. The only way we were sure it was a snake was the small segments of partially fried snake we found on site and the outline of where the snake went to ground on the case was clearly visible.
Well, I hope it was a copperhead. One less of those is good thing.
Chicken snake.
Never heard of a "chicken snake." Had to google it...a colloquial name for a few varieties that cause trouble for farms and barns (and power stations).
Well, that was surprise to me. I didn't think you were serious about the snakes.
It's always a good day when I learn something new.
It's always a good day when I learn something new.
