Would love to know what this is?

[Knobhead]

This photo’s got me fascinated would love to know what it is.

It’s in a government research station so no names, no pack drill. It looks like something Noah forgot to pack on to the ark (or arc).

All I can come up with is a 3 phase something or other

 

[ian.settle1]

As the picture is not very clear I would hazard a guess that it looks like a 3 phase switch of some kind.

Must ask if it is a government research facility how did you get the photo as normally cameras are restricted using one can lead you to be prosecuted under the Offical secerts Act

 

[Paul.M]

Three phase super conductor start up switch for the robotic spider in Will smiths film wild wild west??? Don't know but if you've been contracted to rip it out ill give you a hand to weigh it in. Couple of quid there!!!

 

[johnboy6083]

could it be a 3 phase rectifier? the cylindrical things above the incoming bars could be diodes? just a stab in the dark

 

[Steve1412]

Its the main breaker that feeds our house....judging at the size of our bills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Guest123]

Starting handle to a pansy tank!

 

[KINKY]

Loving the replies

Looks like some form of switch or change over switch.

Could the shiny brown things be ceramic insulators, some serious HV going on there.

 

[wattsup]

maybe hv air break switch

 

[pmac10]

3 beer taps at the electricians arms?

 

[benji]

looks like a oil immersed 3 pole switch

yours benji

 

[nickblake]

Thats the switch for my kettle .... coffee any one

 

[Knobhead]

Did work it out eventually by taking the photo in to Photoshop. The bit I can’t work out is why a place that was built in the 50/60’s had switchgear from the 20’s
It’s a load break knife switch probably 3.3KV 1200A with auto earthing for the load.

I know one thing for certain I wouldn’t hang around knowing it was about to operate. I’ve seen the aftermath of a 11KV switch failing

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Its the main breaker that feeds our house....judging at the size of our bills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Its off the wifes favourite chair, she dont know ive wired it up yet...........wait till she gets home

 

[Knobhead]

Its off the wifes favourite chair, she dont know ive wired it up yet...........wait till she gets home

You may like this then THE HISTORY OF THE ELECTRIC CHAIR

 

[bomjac]

Looks to me like an 11kV Ring Main Unit (one half of) with the sides cut away or a MV switch with integral earthing. Oil filled given the look of the internals and it could be anywhere from 40 years + to more recent. If its a switch then the description below applies, if its a RMU picture two switches with a common point in the middle.

The center part is where an incoming / outgoing feed would be attached, the left hand part the outgoing user. Typically fused or oil filled circuit breaker to a transformer in the MV distribution. Operation is generally manual in this type of switchgear (ie by someone operating a handle external to it).

Picture the centre part swinging clockwise, that would make the circuit. The extended slim piece of copper is used to allow the main conducting faces to break before (or make after) the roller part will so preventing them from suffering any arc damage from breaking the circuit. It also increases the arc path on opening making it easier for the oil to quench it.

If the operation was anti-clockwise from that shown, then that puts the feed attached to an earth position. The position shown is the isolated position.

Still in common use all over the country due to their rugged design, low maintenance requirements and their cost factor - very low compared to SF6 or vacuum equivalents. Also the fact that they are manual operated and do not require any power supplies etc.

The bottom 3 transformers are each fed by a RMU with a circuit breaker providing isolation and protection for them. Whats not shown below is the earthing position of the breaker, but you can see that each RMU has an incoming switch, an outgoing switch and an outgoing feed to the transformer.

Incidentally, it is the type of switchgear referenced in this post

ps. I couldnt find a decent schematic or cutaway of one of them to attach.

 

[Knobhead]

Thanks bomjac, I never thought 1/3rd of a RMU. I’ve only ever come across 5 of them as against 100’s of OCB / VCB’s. 3 of them were that old they were DMO and could only be operated “dead”.

 

[thepurple1]

I saw something like this, that was ripped out when they fitted new lifts into building