[H8R]

So, the building where I work, actually the whole area around there always seems to have electrical issues. Brown-outs, black-outs, surges, transformers going down, etc.

So this afternoon around 4pm the power went out completely, this time I couldn't save any work - the UPS at my desk shut down immediately, it usually does this when there is a really big surge.

"Another transformer must have blown..." someone says down the hall.

We have an open office area with big picture windows on the second floor that look out onto part of SF bay and the nearby freeway and railroad.

About 5 seconds after the power went down my coworker points to the freeway and yells, "LOOK!!! YOU CAN SEE THE SPARK!!!"


We all looked. Along the power lines above the freeway, about a 1/2 mile from us, traveling south at around 30mph, is a giant white fireball of arcing electricity about 20 feet wide.

:hot:

It traveled at least a 1/4-1/2 a mile along the lines before it stopped. You could hear it from where we were. It was so bright, even from that distance that people were needing sunglasses to check it out.

Power to the whole area was shut down.


Now I'm checking the news to see if anyone was toasted. :wonky2:

 

[hooples3]

what No pics?

hopefully everyone is ok

 

[Skookum]

shocking!

 

[H8R]

what No pics?

hopefully everyone is ok

No one had a camera handy. I don't think anyone expected it to go that far either.

Crazy.

 

[dogwonder]

Claim mental trauma, call in sick for the rest of the week, ride your ass off!

 

[splat]

Dam I miss playing with High power!

 

[Changleen]

That sounds COOL!

 

[sanjuro]

I wonder if this will make the 11pm news. BTW, what part of town was it?

 

[H8R]

Dam I miss playing with High power!

Splat, this link is for you:

http://205.243.100.155/frames/mpg/XfrmBlast1.mpg

A ground fault on the Low Voltage side of this substation creates an arcing fault that behaves like an uncontrollable welding torch from Hell, chewing up everything in its path.



Unfortunately, protection hardware fails to open the High Voltage side or is unable to sense the presence of the fault. Excessive current eventually causes the windings on the substation's power transformer to overheat, severely cooking its innards and causing the mineral oil inside to begin boiling. In a vain attempt to prevent the transformer's tank from exploding, pressure release valves or a failing tank gasket vents clouds of superheated oil vapor which then ignite and explode in a ball of flame. Finally, a phase to phase short circuit occurs, perhaps caused by a flashover within the flames or a heat induced fault within the transformer. This causes a high side expulsion fuse to blow with a flash and a resounding BANG, finally killing power to the substation.

However, by this time, the weakened transformer's tank fails, and it dumps hundreds of gallons of flaming mineral oil onto the already devastated substation. Local firefighters can only watch from a distance since, with the substation energized, there's no way to safely fight the fire, and the substation is a total loss. As linemen often say, "Firemen don't mess with their wires, and linemen don't mess with their fires". A very sobering look at the explosive power lurking within that quietly humming substation in your neighborhood...

NOTE: Based on input from a number of linemen, this is believed to be the Ives Dairy Substation located near San Simeon Way and Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, Florida. This incident may have occurred in 2000 or 2001, and the footage may have been taken by local emergency responders. There were apparently a sequence of faults that led to this spectacular failure. Initially, the substation's protective relays became disabled when a small fuse feeding the protective control circuits blew. This would normally trigger an alarm to the dispatcher. However, a defective fuse holder prevented an alarm from being sent, so the power company was unaware that the substation was unprotected. Later on, a low voltage side capacitor bank failed, creating an arcing fault that could no longer be cleared due since protection hardware was inoperable. The ongoing, undetected arcing fault ultimately leads to the total destruction of the substation. At least one report indicates that the spray of white mist may actually be water from a fire suppression system, but this is presently unconfirmed.

http://205.243.100.155/frames/longarc.htm

 

[narlus]

alien strike?

 

[H8R]

I wonder if this will make the 11pm news. BTW, what part of town was it?

Richmond/El Cerrito border.

Apparently we weren't the only ones affected:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/baycitynews/archive/2006/05/23/power23.DTL

Power outage affects 21K in East Bay

Bay City News

Tuesday, May 23, 2006


Pacific Gas and Electric Co. spokesman Brian Swanson says a power outage is affecting 21,000 customers in Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Albany and Kensington.

Swanson said the cause of the outage is under investigation and PG&E is deploying all available resources to try to fix the problem.

Swanson said, "As soon as we find the problem, we'll isolate the outage and begin restoring customers as soon as possible."

BART spokesman Linton Johnson said the outage hasn't affected BART service.

He said the lights went out at one station, El Cerrito Plaza, but trains continue to stop as normal.

Johnson said there will not be a problem at that station until the sun goes down.

He said BART expects to have a backup generator by then.

 

[H8R]

alien strike?

It was the most alien thing I've ever seen. Electricity going for a jog.

 

[splat]

Transforms burning aren't as Much fun as Big Arcs !!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2821151328776002620&q=electrical+arc

 

[Westy]

Not nearly as impressive but this morning I put power to a prototype machine at work. The surge suppressor in the cabinet was only rated for 260 volts and I put 500 to it. There was a loud bang and bright flash followed by the molten remains of an MOV dancing around the floor. I would have messed my shorts if I wasn't somewhat expecting to let some smoke out.

 

[sanjuro]

btw, there was mention of a power outage, but the local news failed to comment about the power arc...

 

[Tenchiro]

I have seen some transformers blow, when it is snowing and that is always fun. But a huge arc like that would be awesome to get on film.