Video and audio of wire arcing on power pole

Audio: Sound of arcing from between (phase) wire and upper contact on a fuse/disconnect assembly.

The RF effects of this 'arcing' could be received over a _mile_ away on a Sears portable AM/FM/SW radio Model 2278 tuned to 2.6 MHz as demonstrated on this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUxkXSVCYxg


The arcing noise could also be heard on a car radio tuned to a quiet AM channel like 1610 or 1650 kHz over a mile way.

When driving by this pole on McDermott the 'arcing' would override 570/KLIF and 820/WBAP, and was noticable on 1080/KRLD.

This problem was fixed by Oncor 4-26-2008.

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Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• line noise
• arcing power pole
• arcing
• pole hardware
• radio direction finding

[form109]

it looks like the wire going to the transformer is disconnected from the fuse holder or c-frame.

[uploadJ]

That's exactly what apparently happened during a storm we had the evening/the day before, and that wire broke loose, and created this terrible racket on the 80M ham band (for starters).

[nmurray13]

@uploadJ The primary tap to the top of the switch was most likely not installed securely. Over a period of time that connection will arc which will progressively melt the copper wire more and more until that wire burns clean off. That buzzing noise you hear is current trying to pass through to a load.

[uploadJ]

@nmurray13

My early comments (1 yr ago) says that this 'opened up' as a result of a storm, probably b/c the hardware worked loose over time, or was loose to begin with.

The audible' arcing noise heard when the hot-air plasma forms when the applied voltage breaks down the air (air is an insulator below ionization voltage) into conduction creating a mini-lightning bolt if you will ..and this makes the actual buzz sound (120 times a sec in N. Amer for 60 Hz mains).

TNX for comment.

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[the67go]

There is a 'buzz arc' down a street in my town which still hasn't been fixed.

[sindhanaiselvan]

hhhhh

[sindhanaiselvan]

this is not nice

[the67go]

hmmmm

[Peedlebum]

@sparkie001 Cor! That's a long time ago.....! There is a link for a pdf in uplaodj's video explanation about direction finding of faults. Cheers!

[sparkie001]

@Peedlebum PDF?  What PDF?

[aurora990]

I also listen to shortwave as well as mediumwave radio stations and there is always static sound that comes from the 30 + kilovolt lines during the summer but there is no sign of arching but there was plenty of crackling and sizzling noise from the power lines.

[weeardguy]

@ uploadJ: I know, but I placed that information for threethirteen666 :)