At a transformer inside an electrical substation in Boulder, Colorado at 75th and Lookout Road

[rojblake82]

This humming from the electric transformer, sounds onimous and the humming is like the electronic voices of the Cybermen in the 60s stories very electronic and harsh in sound.

[ConePuncher420]

why do they wanna step down the power to 13k?

[zeekzilch]

@ConePuncher420

My guess is that they need to step the voltage down to something more reasonable that can be safely delivered to each neighborhood. 230,000 volts is probably much too high to run through residential or even business areas but 13,000 volts is more manageable. Of course once it's in your backyard they drop it down to 220 volts and then cut that in half for regular household use. Maybe somebody more knowledgeable out there can give us a better answer?

[ConePuncher420]

@zeekzilch i understand, thanks very much, i knew it was something like that, im still learning the ways of the trade :)

[nabeelhayat]

I can hear the humming sound.... U must have felt that :)

[zeekzilch]

@nabeelhayat

You're right - I did!

[volatileacid]

kool upload. Don't understand why some nupties didn't like the vid.

[zeekzilch]

@volatileacid

Thanks for the support!

[letseeitplease]

that would curl your hair :)

[zeekzilch]

@letseeitplease

You've got that right!

[the67go]

what a mouthful title

[zeekzilch]

@the67go

I guess the title says it all!

[the67go]

@zeekzilch yep it sure does !

[Kartracer087]

The output side (low voltage) is likely 3 phase, 4 wire. The 4th wire is a grounded neutral conductor, as you see 5 small bushings on top of the transformer, one bushing connects to a ground bar. The substation has a metal ground grid built below connected to the bar. In the shed, underground cables with their neutrals bonded to the ground grid then go out to the wood poles. Residential customers are fed with small transformers connected between phase and neutral.

[zeekzilch]

@Kartracer087

Thank you for the interesting info - it's all new to me!

[zeekzilch]

@Kartracer087

Your explanation makes sense - thanks!

[tonk184]

throw a chain over the bus bar

[zeekzilch]

@tonk184

Would it melt the chain?

[quantumbits]

I am guessing they are standing on the "low" voltage 13KV Side of that transformer And that walking down to the other 230KV side could cause a flash over?

I would be so afraid of not know where to walk , I would just curl up in a ball in the corner!

[zeekzilch]

@quantumbits

Unfortunately I don't know too much about it but believe the guy I was with knew

what he was doing. At least I hope so!

[hollywoodtpong]

cap banks haha sorry also know as capacitor banks.

[zeekzilch]

@hollywoodtpong

Makes sense - thanks!

[hollywoodtpong]

Stay away from the catbanks lol, everytime im in a substation i stay away from those.

[zeekzilch]

@hollywoodtpong

What is a catbank?

[4511394]

@zeekzilch capacitor bank improve the power factor and the normal power factor is .8 . if power factor decreses than enery losses happens

[zeekzilch]

@4511394

Thanks for the explanation! It's still a bit technical, for me, but I "googled" it and think I have a better understanding...

[spfann1]

thats the play structure i was playing on yesterday

[zeekzilch]

@spfann1

Looks like a dangerous place to play, to me!

[solocitizen]

@spfann1 I used to go there all the time with my friends and play hide and seek

[spfann1]

do you ever find them

[solocitizen]

@spfann1 nope, I never could figure out why...

[pacificcresttrans]

Interesting video... Millions of people depend on power for commercial purposes and we cannot afford to face electricity problems. Hence energy-efficient transformers need to be installed and maintained. Pacific Crest Transformers have more such information.

[mikeandtiff]

Very interesting! thanks for sharing!

[zeekzilch]

Thanks! I find it very interesting, as well, but don't know much about how it all works...

[picobyte]

Naice sub station, and two huge ass transformers feeding that single 13kv line??

That's robust ánd redundant :)

[postchevelle]

Nice footage. The buzzing noise is all the same for North American transformers. It's referred to as the standard 60 hz hum. Europe uses 50 hz, but I doubt the sound is significantly different. However, aerospace applications typically use 400 hz transformers - so imagine the pitch you're hearing 8 times higher. I think that would be a bit creapy.

[zeekzilch]

Very interesting - thank you for the info! I've been to Europe, a few times, but didn't pay much attention. I'd be curious as to why aerospace would desire 400 Hz?

- Roger J. Wendell

Golden, Colorado

[beaman220]

It could be because their APU's (aux pwr unt) are jet engine driven. More RPM's higher HZ?

[67tr876]

@zeekzilch no 50hz sounds much lower and more mean.

[zeekzilch]

@67tr876

I've been in a lot of countries where they use 50 Hz but I haven't taken time to listen to it yet but I will next time!

[Snooperist]

@zeekzilch

The buzzing you hear is from the core contracting and expanding again.The core is most deformed when the potential is at either plus or minus the amplitude and this results in a buzzing sound at twice the frequency of the applied alternating current.

So a 50Hz alternating current would give rise to a 100 Hz buzzing sound.

[Nivicoman]

@zeekzilch 400 Hz requires less steel in transformer cores, relay cores, motor cores etc. Less steel means less weight. Very high frequencies such as radio/tv have some transformers and inductors with no steel-air core.

[zeekzilch]

@Nivicoman

Thank you for an excellent explanation!

[AriBenDavid]

@zeekzilch 400Hz would require lighter transformers. The sound would be a singing since this is in the vocal audio range. It would not go the distance like 60Hz. 60 is a compromise number set by Nicola Tesla. Large motors would like lower numbers like 20; transformers higher. 60 is just above the flicker fusion rate for the human eye -- so it keeps lights from flickering all the time.

[zeekzilch]

@AriBenDavid

Excellent information! I'm learning a lot from the comments

people like you are leaving. Thank you!

[lexichronicle2]

@zeekzilch "I'd be curious as to why aerospace would desire 400 Hz?"

Off the grid, there are actually countless power supplies working at thousands or millions of Hz. As a few others have pointed out, using higher frequencies reduces the size of the magnetics (transformers / inductors).

Really high frequencies are used in switch mode power supplies, in mobile phones for example, so the magnetics can be minute but carry lots of power more efficiently. Your PC has a SMPS power supply.

[zeekzilch]

@lexichronicle2

Thank you for the information/explanation!

[technograd]

This sinister buzzing makes this video scary as hell. At that voltage level, you wouldn't get "shocked", but simply vapourize...

[zeekzilch]

You're right - there's so much electricity there you'd get much more than shock!

- Roger J. Wendell

Golden, Colorado

[tall32guy]

I know, and it's still beyond me how someone can actually be in there, and not have the electricty arc out at them, especially since everything appears to be uninsulated, like those bus bars. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around. LOL

[XXdriver2000XX]

Interesting :-)

[zeekzilch]

Yep, seems very interesting to me, too, except I don't know much about power generation and transfer.

- Roger J. Wendell

Golden, Colorado