Author -
Submitted By -Lookin out for the ape
AFTER A LIGHTENING STORM ONE SPRING, HAVING 13 YEARS OF LINE EXPERIENCE MYSELF AND TWO YOUNG APPRENTICE LINEMAN WERE RUNNING TROUBLE CALLS WITH ME. WE GOT A CALL OF A POWER OUTAGE IN A SUBDIVISION WITH BACK LOT DISTRIBUTION OF 7620KVA. AFTER REFUSING THE CUTOUT ON A 50 KVA TRANSFORMER WE CLOSED THE CUTOUT, WHICH DID NOT HOLD KNOWING AFTER A LIGHTENING STORM THE LIGHTENING ARRESTER WAS PROBABLY BAD. ONE OF MY APPRENTICE LINEMAN CLIMBED THE POLE TO DISCONNECT THE ARRESTER AFTER COMING BACK DOWN BELOW THE CABLE TV HE LOOKED DOWN AND COMMENTED GO AHEAD AND TRY IT!. MY REMARK WAS NO COME ON DOWN BECAUSE IF THE TRANSFORMER IS BAD WE WILL HAVE TO GET A BLOCK AND LINE TO CHANGE IT OUT, HIS COMMENT WAS GO AHEAD AND TRY IT, IF ITS BAD ILL START STRIPPING THE TRANSFORMER . I ONCE AGAIN ASK HIM TO COME DOWN. WHEN HE GOT ON THE GROUND I REFUSED THE CUTOUT CLOSING THE DOOR, THE TRANSFORMER EXPLODED SENDING A CROSS PHASE UP INTO THE THREE PHASE LINE. IT CAME DOWN ON TOP OF US LIKE AN UMBRELLA OF FIRE, KNOWING IF HE WOULD NOT HAVE COME DOWN I WOULD HAVE LOST A 22 YEAR OLD APPRENTICE AS WELL AND A GREAT FRIEND. BROTHERS BE CAREFUL AND THINK TWICE ABOUT THE UNEXPECTED. DONNY