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Phase Identification

WE HAD TWO "SETS" (THREE PHASES EACH) OF CABLE IN THE SPLICE PIT. OUR JOB WAS TO DE-ENERGIZE ONE SET AND CUT INTO IT REROUTE IT AND PUT IT RIGHT BACK TOGETHER. ONE SET WAS SPIRALED TOGETHER (ALL THREE PHASES) THE OTHER SET WAS NOT SPIRALED TOGETHER. BY LOOKING AT OUR SPLICE PIT WITH THESE CABLES IN IT WE STARTED TO "ASSUME" THAT THE ONE WE WANTED WAS EITHER THE SPIRALED SET OR THE OTHER SET. WE USE A WHAT WE CALL A CABLE AND PHASE IDENTIFIER. YOU DE-ENERGIZE AND ISOLATE THE CABLE AT BOTH ENDS GROUND ONE END AND HOOK UP THIS TOOL WHICH SENDS A SIGNAL THROUGH THE CABLE THEN GO TO WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO CUT THE CABLE PUT A PICKUP COIL ON THE CABLE AND YOU GET A SIGNAL ON THE ONE YOU WANT. IF YOUR AT A THREE PHASE URD TRANSFORMER IT SENDS ALL THREE PHASES AT THE SAME TIME, OR YOU CAN SEND JUST ONE AT A TIME. IT WORKS PRETTY GOOD. THE PROBLEM THAT WE FOUND BY FOLLOWING OUR PROPER PROCEDURES WAS THAT TWO PHASES WERE ON THE SPIRALED SET AND THE OTHER PHASE WAS ON THE UN-SPIRALED SET. SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE THINGS GOT CROSSED. WE TRIED SENDING ALL THREE PHASE AT THE SAME TIME WITH THIS TOOL AND WE WEREN'T HAPPY WITH THE READINGS WE GOT SO WE SENT ONE PHASE AT A TIME THIS WORKED BETTER AND WERE THANKFUL WE DIDN'T STOP AFTER WE FOUND TWO OUT OF THREE ON THE ONE SET AND ASSUMED THAT WE WERE ON THE RIGHT SET, AND THEN START CUTTING. THIS IS JUST A HEADS UP THIS PLACE AIN'T WORTH DYING AT.