High Voltage Power Line Components

Andy Michel posted three photos with the comment: ""Checking out the big stuff!!!

Dennis DeBruler: What is the voltage and rated amperage?

Andy Michel: Dennis DeBruler 115KV/500KV

Not sure about any other information.

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Mike Kluth commented on Andy's post
The great Sacajawea transformer fire on Dec 17, 1995. Or a great lessons into why a 500Kv transformer should not be tapped to a 500Kv line with a Motor Operated Disconnect rather than a PCB.

Sean Brady posted
A worker holds a 600 volt circuit breaker next to three 132,000 volt circuit breakers. Photo by Schenectady Museum; Hall of Electrical History Foundation. 1924
[Some comments talk about oil quenched and air blast breakers. Given the spigots at the bottom of each tank, I assume these are oil quenched. I hope they don't just let the oil pour onto the ground. The comments also mention that the breakers have to trip in just a few milliseconds and that they make a loud noise when they do trip.]
Jim Beall: I can smell the oil! Worked on these for 40 years! (A little later generation, but not much later)
Dale Johnson: Jim Beall what happens when they open up?
Jim Beall: Dale Johnson Simple answer - it's a 3 phase switch. Long answer, it is rated to interrupt thousands of amps at 132,000 volts during fault conditions. Tremendous forces take place during the interrupting operation, so it is bolted down to tons of concrete. It is full of transformer oil for insulation, and arc extinguish. The physical contacts that open and close also include interrupters and arc suppressors. The closing energy comes from a large compressor and air tank (big box on the side). The opening energy comes from a monster spring. The whole operation is very loud.
Timothy Allen: These large transmission OCBs rarely explode, the smaller distribution breakers, yeah, they explode. They are not particularly loud when they operate, louder when they close because the close stroke also compresses the trip spring. I love the sound of a big compressed air operated OCB closing! SSSKAWHUMP!
[Some comments indicate that breakers for 132kv are now smaller than they were in 1924.]

Duffy Toler commented on Sean's post
Dead tank breaker, oil-quenched

0:09 video @ 0:05

 

Dan Genuario posted
High voltage testing lab - Crawford generating station

 

Screenshot
Testing transmission line relays
Rob Jordan: phase to phase [wire to wire] would have been better!

This video link was a comment on a posting.

Paulo Pavačić its a defect. there should be 2 switches. one for visual separation of conductors and other one for separation in conditions which will prevent electrical arc. They probably had to replace whole line wire because second switch failed.
Chris Howlett Arc arrestor failure
Mitch Hardwick I open our switches on 750 KVA transformers but I make sure there is no amps going through like that