HV Maintenance.....

[Beavstro]

Me and the Gaffer went to do some hv maintenance today, general inspections of the huts, the switchgear and transformers.
Check functionality of all the equipment etc etc.
first hut all goes fine, onto the next hut and find this....

all still live, with the remote functions not operating. Back to site tomorrow to have the DNO isolate from there side so we can safely isolate the equipment. Future job on the cards me thinks..... Haha.

 

[Beavstro]

The photos side on! Doh.

 

[pennychew]

Good stuff! could you tell what caused it?

Post some more pics up when its isolated and you've got the cover off.

 

[Bobster]

What voltage is that? Doesn't look like it can be more than 3.3KV to me.

 

[Knobhead]

How come no one noticed, it must have had some knock on effect on the system?

 

[Beavstro]

Rob, the LV side is only 660v, not sure what the HV side is though, need to ask that question next week! I belive its 11Kv though.
The damage is on the 660v side though.

surprisingly this was still live at the time of the picture, we basicly opened the door dae it, took a picture from the door and contacted the customer (happens to be a major energy firm, so EVERYTHING is done by the book so to speak). Then we went back the next day and isolated it by deenergising the switchgear from the DNO side. Which we couldn't do remotely on this gear, so it was the safest way.

As as it happens Tony, this is the transformer at the bottom of a wind Turbine and the turbine was luckily already off due to lightening damage on the Blade. I suspect this damage occurred primarily from the lightening as well, and somehow arced over the phases.