OT: More Electrical Theory. :-D

It's good to hear that some long term issues have been resolved.

I'm curious about the digging. Did they poke-and-hope until they found the spot where the issue was or were they able to detect it from above ground?

Damn! Was the buried service cable(s) ran within any sort of conduit (PVC/metallic) or just heavily insulated (romex?)

Hope you didn't lose or permanently damage any home electronics or appliances.

Yeah - that is my first question also .. ? The conductor meant for direct-bury has a hefty sheath .. if not - it's in a conduit .. John T.

I had that happen about 7 years ago. My 240volt table saw did not start suddenly and half the lights in my house did not work.

I had to pay a fortune to replace the underground cable from the main box to my house. Hope you don't have to pay for the repair.

I had a similar issue with a poor neutral connection at the pole transformer. Saw 180V at some outlets and 40V or so at others, changing rapidly over time. Toasted many appliances like the fridge.

Power company came out, pulled the meter and measured 120-120 across both legs, said there end was fine and charged a $50 bogus service call fee. I tried to explain that his measurement was with no load on the circuits but since he swore he was an expert....

About an hour later he comes back (saying he had been thinking about it), pulled a new cable set from the meter to the pole and all was 100% (he even apologized!)

The electric co. refused to deal with the damaged appliances, but at least dropped the $50 fee.

-BR

Lucky the lone was above ground. Our provider in the SE Texas area does not replace underground cable from the box to your meter. The home owner pays for that.

Sounds like he was lucky and it was L1 or L2, not the neutral that failed.

Yeah, they used one of those radio wands and then some sort of probes to find out where the "current leak" was. pretty cool stuff, actually.

No conduit, which surprised me. Just separate aluminum cables wrapped in thick, black, insulation. Call before you dig!! :-)

Nothing yet. I was more worried about the 220 stuff like the oven.

Nope. Around here, everything to the meter is their responsibility. If I get a bill, I'll let you know. :-)

Correct.

Same mechanism used to detect broken cat5 cables; put a RF signal on the wire and measure the time it takes to reflect from the cut point. A bit of math, and one knows exactly where the break is.

PG&E used that to find the break in one of the legs under the sidewalk across the street.

I have HV DC and HV AC in the ground from the local pole.

I don't know how the house was done some 40+ years ago but my addition is in plastic pipe (gray) with a wire tape on it with a layer of Tar like paper over that, then sand and then dirt. Power company.

The HV DC is in plastic pipe and runs to the wall.

I am pleased with the install of both in the past few years.

Mart> >>

HV DC? Really. Tell us more!

Same around here, up to the meter is the Electric co. responsibility.

I have underground service from a "box" transformer about 100 yards away. One day our power went out with a big, loud bang. Some guy with a backhoe had severed the feeder to the transformer (14400V according to the electric co.).

We were talking about how much the poor sap would have to pay for the damage, probably in excess of $10k. When the electrician returned to check on my house, he said the guy had called the "call before you dig" people and they had missed the feeder in their survey. Good thing the guy was uninjured, but I'm sure that mistake will be taken out on the customers over time.

-BR

It will have been paid by G-Tel (or whichever locate company did the job)'s errors and omissions or general liability insurance - so EVERYBODY will end up chipping in a few cents to cover it.

HV DC is from my Solar Array. I generate two 'legs' of DC - for a 6kw inverter tha makes synchronized 60 cycle 240v. Higher voltage when there is plenty. This makes the meter to count backwards.

The AC goes to the Greenhouse 220 - 40amp (heater blower if we have to).

And from the panel a long line from the power pole to the addition (220/230) to the power pack that the Array back-feeds the addition Power Pack buss.

Mart> Mart>>

Yep, if it goes underground at the pole you own it all the way to the house.

Dave in SoTex

At least that's what Centerpoint told me several years ago living in Jersey Village when I inquired about my low-hanging three-phase.

Apparently this is not the rule. ;~( I have a rider on my insurance policy that covers this and external sewer lines for $75 per year with a $500 deductible.