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[Art Welter]

Was looking up today and noticed a device I don't recall seeing previously on the line transformer.
It is located in Madrid, a small town south of Santa Fe, New Mexico.Lightning is very frequent in NM.
The device appears to be more recent vintage than the transformer, anyone familiar with what it is, and why it was added?

It's logo looks like a stylized "S" followed by TE.

Art

[Jim Rutherford]

I couldn't find the specific product, but it look like a transformer monitor.  Probably monitoring internal temperature and pressure.

[David Buckley]

My guess is that it is an insulating shroud.  The thing to the right of it appears to have an insulating thing on it too, all of which is a bit unusual for MV distribution.

Having said that, the zone substation by my house has everything in the switchyard covered in some brownish stuff that insulates it, which I seem to recall was added to stop snow causing problems.  Though I cant see that being much of a problem in Sante Fe

[Jonathan Johnson]

Found the product page:

http://www.te.com/usa-en/product-337774-000.html

And here's a similar product in use in a utility substation:

http://www.cleveland.com/brunswick/index.ssf/2015/03/firstenergy_builds_brunswick_s.html

It's an insulating shroud to prevent outages and damage caused by squirrels and other wildlife.

[Steve M Smith]

The strangest thing I have seen on power distribution is metal spheres on the HV cable in France.  I assumed they were some sort of lightning protection but don't know for sure.

This is the only picture I can find but those I saw were shiny and metallic.  http://previews.123rf.com/images/neko92vl/neko92vl1206/neko92vl120600064/14190405-pylons-and-high-voltage-lines-France-Europe--Stock-Photo.jpg


Steve.

[John Roberts {JR}]

May be to keep the squirrels away from the fuse that usually ends badly for the squirrel and disrupts service.

JR

[Jonathan Johnson]

The strangest thing I have seen on power distribution is metal spheres on the HV cable in France.  I assumed they were some sort of lightning protection but don't know for sure.

This is the only picture I can find but those I saw were shiny and metallic.  http://previews.123rf.com/images/neko92vl/neko92vl1206/neko92vl120600064/14190405-pylons-and-high-voltage-lines-France-Europe--Stock-Photo.jpg


Steve.

Those are aerial marker balls so airplane pilots can see where the wires are and not fly into them.

Around here, I see them on high-tension lines near airports, over rivers, and other places where there are long, high spans between towers (such as over canyons).

Video of installation

[Mike Sokol]

My kids took one look and said it was for stopping squirrels and birds from getting fried. My dad had the power interrupted to his house when a squirrel jumped onto the transformer. That was one toasted squirrel.

[John Roberts {JR}]

My kids took one look and said it was for stopping squirrels and birds from getting fried. My dad had the power interrupted to his house when a squirrel jumped onto the transformer. That was one toasted squirrel.

Squirrels are responsible for many power outages. If those work they sure to show up everywhere.

Right now my transformers just have bare fuses hanging out there....

JR

[Art Welter]

Found the product page:

http://www.te.com/usa-en/product-337774-000.html

It's an insulating shroud to prevent outages and damage caused by squirrels and other wildlife.

Jonathan,

Thanks, that's the unit. It was added sometime in the last three years, (I wonder when) here is a picture from before:

 

[Jim Rutherford]

Let me guess again
Is that a crashed UFO in the background?

[Jonathan Johnson]

Jonathan,

Thanks, that's the unit. It was added sometime in the last three years, (I wonder when) here is a picture from before:

That is one sad looking pole and transformer. The utility around here would have replaced at least the pole a long time ago.

Then again, it appears you live in a mighty dry climate, so an old, weathered pole is likely to still have plenty of life. Around here in the Pacific Northwest, once the volatiles disappear from the creosote and the pole starts cracking and checking, it will lose structural integrity rather quickly. The local utility regularly inspects EVERY one of the 59,352 poles in its inventory. (I think it's every three or five years, but I don't remember for sure.) I've seen better-looking poles than that snap off (thankfully they weren't being used for power lines).

[Tom Burgess]

Let me guess again
Is that a crashed UFO in the background?

Looks like a UFO that is monitoring mine tailings.

[Art Welter]

Looks like a UFO that is monitoring mine tailings.

It is actually the remains of a retired electric trike, but that was the desired intent  .

http://www.maxmatic.com/threes/rtw_index.htm

[Art Welter]

That is one sad looking pole and transformer. The utility around here would have replaced at least the pole a long time ago.

Then again, it appears you live in a mighty dry climate, so an old, weathered pole is likely to still have plenty of life. Around here in the Pacific Northwest, once the volatiles disappear from the creosote and the pole starts cracking and checking, it will lose structural integrity rather quickly. The local utility regularly inspects EVERY one of the 59,352 poles in its inventory. (I think it's every three or five years, but I don't remember for sure.) I've seen better-looking poles than that snap off (thankfully they weren't being used for power lines).

They snap off around here too, but you will love what PNM does to prevent that- pound in some galvanized steel and strap it to the pole!

[Jonathan Johnson]

They snap off around here too, but you will love what PNM does to prevent that- pound in some galvanized steel and strap it to the pole!

Our poco has a bigger budget, but this isn't the place to discuss politics 

[ProSoundWeb Community]