good transformer,bad transformer

[reppy007]

this actually happened to me a few years back,went to a gas station and a worker and a policeman told me to kill the power,so that they could open the doors.the worker locked the keys inside the store,i said ok,wow this is an easy one,no electric problems,other that a lighting storm a hour or so earlier,i opened the bank,which was an open -delta,after the power was off and the employee got inside,i was told that i could turn the store back on,wow easy one,well the cop was standing behind me,and this guy was a good 6 foot 6 i guess,no little man,ok well i proceed to close the power pot first,and thats when it happened,the bitch blew back.the cop took off running and im just wondering if its time to scratch my ass.after looking ,going up the pole to check the arresters,and anything that caused it,i decided that it was bad,this doesnt happen often,but im wondering if this has happened to any of you,or some unexplained things that you guys have seen.

[CHICAGO HAND.]

I come across quite a few cables that we switch out to change a transformer or switch gear and when we are done the recently energized cable hi pots bad. Then we have the fault located and we fix it.

[Lineman North Florida]

I was taught to close the lighting pot first when going back with a 2 pot bank, not that that caused your problem just funny how people get taught different from one place to another.

[MI-Lineman]

Same here, I was told you close the lighter first? Somethin about a possible over voltage to the customer?

[kooman]

yup open lighting pot last, and close it in first, especially these days with all the fancy electronic gizmos.

[reppy007]

who knows,amazing that we all get taught differently,i was taught that if you closed the lighter first,that it would try to carry the power pot,but as time goes by with these new gadgets,it could change,im 50 yrs old,and can use a romote control for my tv ,but why theres 600 buttons on that remote,ill never know,its not like im about to fly a space shuttle.

[MI-Lineman]

who knows,amazing that we all get taught differently,i was taught that if you closed the lighter first,that it would try to carry the power pot,but as time goes by with these new gadgets,it could change,im 50 yrs old,and can use a romote control for my tv ,but why theres 600 buttons on that remote,ill never know,its not like im about to fly a space shuttle.

Actually where I work now I believe their practice WAS to close the power pot first? Not anymore though.

[MI-Lineman]

ALWAYS closed in the Lighitng Pot in First. then the wild leg...or...Power Leg.

In Reverse,
ALWAYS took out the Power leg First, and then the Lighting Pot.

It's not rocket science....:rolleyes:

What's not rocket science? Do you know what would happen if ya didn't open the lighter last or close it first?

[climbsomemore]

Lighter is first and last (first closed, last opened).

Probably not the best reason for this practice but... the transformer with the neutral or grounded leg (corner grounded 3 wire power services) is more likely to blow a fuse if the bank has problems...

Plus... the "lighting load" (including any digital equipment that passes for "lighting load" in the 21st Century) needs to have a solidly grounded neutal back to the source ASAP.