Ways to move banks

[THE KID]

We have a pole that has a bank of 50 KVA transformers. All three tx. weigh the same. We are going to have a outage Tuesday. The bank needs to move up the pole about 3 or 4 feet. Is there a easy way to rig all 3 tx and the cluster and move the whole thing up the pole in one shot? We will be using a digger truck so the weight wont be a problem. I dont want to have to disassemble the whole thing lower it to the ground and then hang it back up.

The cluster doesn't have a loop on it to lift with. Can you hook to the center pot and move the whole thing or do you need three slings all connected to a clevis going to each pot?

Teach me to work smarter not harder!!!!

[Highplains Drifter]

Kid, why don’t you post a photo? It would be lot easier if we could see what style cluster and the positions of the transformers on that cluster.

[ratbastard101]

Why take such a risk? One misjudgement and you will be doing more than just rebuilding a bank. I believe I would just hang a new cluster on the pole above the old bank at whatever height you want it. Move one transformer at a time from the old cluster up to the new one. No need to send it all to the ground first this way.

You mentioned that the cluster doesnt have a lifting ring....that could be a good hint that you shouldn't be attempting to move 3 pots at the same time!..

[Pootnaigle]

I have done it but I bleve it would be safer to do it like RB said.Mount a new rack and move em up one at a time. If you do try and use the ears on the middle transformer to lift the hole shootin match they will lean forwards making it difficult to stab the top hanging bolt.It can be done but if sumpin happens and you are using that method the safety dept will have most of your ass for breakfast.Remember youre getting paid by the hour and paid to do it safely

[rcdallas]

I'll go with the last two; mount a new cluster - only because I can't see it, I'm not there. Though if your going up 3-4 foot mounting a new cluster may not even be an option either. We have some short fat 50's and we also have some tall skinny ones.

I don't see why you can't use some slings and do some simple rigging in conjunction with a small tie down onto the hook to keep the thing balanced when you go to lift even without some factory lifting point.

Either way no pictures, don't know what tools/equipment your working with and I'm not there so....do it the safest way possible with what you have.

[rob8210]

As much as I would be tempted to try moving it all in one shot the safest way is to mount a new cluster and move them up one at a time. You are going to have to redo the harness anyway, and probably the grounding, so in the end you really wouldn't save much work and you'd be taking a big risk just trying to figure out how to balance it all. I agree with everybody else.

[THE KID]

Reason we are moving bank is to make room for Fiber. A friend at a neighboring utility said that they build their banks of 50 KVA and below on the ground then hand the whole cluster. A couple guys at work said they tried to do it a few years ago but couldn't really get it rig right.
couldn't take a pic because I haven't see the job yet just heard thats where I'm going next.

[lewy]

Reason we are moving bank is to make room for Fiber. A friend at a neighboring utility said that they build their banks of 50 KVA and below on the ground then hand the whole cluster. A couple guys at work said they tried to do it a few years ago but couldn't really get it rig right.
couldn't take a pic because I haven't see the job yet just heard thats where I'm going next.

We hang all of our small banks (150 kva) on the cluster after we build them, but they are designed for this, you said your cluster does not have a lifting loop though.

[rcdallas]

When I was on a crew we'd build some small 15kva banks on the ground and just do what I mentioned earlier...slings and the most important a strap fixed to the cluster and the hook so when you lifted it the bank would stay balanced.

It was small banks because we we're using our jib on the bucket. 50's boom truck for sure.

[hotwiretamer]

I would request 3 new pots, build it on a cluster mount designed to lift as one unit.
dissassemble the old bank, and then hang your new bank all in one shot. We even buss the bank as much as we can on the ground also, that way you just have to terminate your service and ground your bank!