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Mickael
      
Moderator
location:
Canada
Gender: Male
 |  | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 20 on 4/18/2006 6:24 AM >
|  | | | Posted by Factor VIII
I'm surprised no one has mentioned poisonous gas yet. In the underground ones carbon monoxide from the car exhaust can kill you quickly.
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Actually I'd be more worried about electricity than bad air..
Need forum-related help / Besoin d'aide reliée au forum ? Contact a moderator |
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SeeThirty
location:
Indialantic, Florida
Gender: Male
| |  |  |  | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 21 on 4/18/2006 12:39 PM >
| | | | If you're not paying close attention, it doesn't matter which is more actively lethal. Whether you trip in slime on a step, get impaled by rusty tools, zapped by wiring, or choke on contaminant air, you're still just as dead.
If you want to go into debating the various hazards and their likelihood of killing or injuring you, we could spend days and weeks on this thread more than needed. The important thing to note here, these tunnels are not designed for sightseeing in any way. They're a quick go down, fix or adjust something, and get out. If he really wanted to see the bottom that badly, it is possible to do so, but I suspect the result will be less than the awe-inspiring one he may expect.
12/17/2007 (somewhere in AvChat)
[10:29:47] <Lexi> Personally I don't really like her music
[10:29:50] <Lexi> But goddamn [10:29:59] <Lexi> I'd lick her dry. |
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rz350
 
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
location:
toronto
Gender: Male
The looniest, zaniest, spontaneous, sporadic Impulsive thinker, compulsive drinker, addict
| | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 22 on 4/18/2006 6:11 PM >
| | | | Posted by SeeThirty
If you're not paying close attention, it doesn't matter which is more actively lethal. Whether you trip in slime on a step, get impaled by rusty tools, zapped by wiring, or choke on contaminant air, you're still just as dead.
If you want to go into debating the various hazards and their likelihood of killing or injuring you, we could spend days and weeks on this thread more than needed. The important thing to note here, these tunnels are not designed for sightseeing in any way. They're a quick go down, fix or adjust something, and get out. If he really wanted to see the bottom that badly, it is possible to do so, but I suspect the result will be less than the awe-inspiring one he may expect.
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You bring up two good points. First, yes all UE is dangerous.
Maybe its not that intresting, or maybe it is. Maybe we dont share the same UE intrests. I like utilities, Steam tunnels, sewers, Drains, Telephone network vaults, ect. A transformer vault is still on my to do list. I bet it isnt really as cool as a drain or steam tunnel. But niether was the telephone vault, or countless stupid manholes I popped in search of drains, that lead to a 6 inch sewer pipe. But I'd still love to see one. Even if I dont do it again, I haev done it once.
ducky 999 |
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Twystr
location:
39.2N, 104.17W Elev. 6535ft
Gender: Male
Gimme Biggah Drayyyyynes!
| | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 23 on 4/18/2006 8:56 PM >
| | | | Pop manhole, move to side, look in, be all like :"Oh shit, This isnt a drain!" and close it up... Mission accomplished.
"The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either."
-Ben Franklin |
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rz350
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
location:
toronto
Gender: Male
The looniest, zaniest, spontaneous, sporadic Impulsive thinker, compulsive drinker, addict
| | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 24 on 4/18/2006 9:17 PM >
| | | | Posted by Twystr
Pop manhole, move to side, look in, be all like :"Oh shit, This isnt a drain!" and close it up... Mission accomplished.
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Yah, but the hard part is getting it up. You know, 20 minutes with a crow bar cause its ashphalted in. And then you pop it, and its a big chamber of some sort, but it doesnt go anywhere?
ducky 999 |
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Twystr
location:
39.2N, 104.17W Elev. 6535ft
Gender: Male
Gimme Biggah Drayyyyynes!
| | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 25 on 4/19/2006 3:56 AM >
| | | | Posted by rz350
Yah, but the hard part is getting it up.
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TOO FUNNY!
"The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either."
-Ben Franklin |
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Twystr
location:
39.2N, 104.17W Elev. 6535ft
Gender: Male
Gimme Biggah Drayyyyynes!
| | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 26 on 4/19/2006 3:58 AM >
| | | | Posted by rz350
Yah, but the hard part is getting it up. You know, 20 minutes with a crow bar cause its ashphalted in. And then you pop it, and its a big chamber of some sort, but it doesnt go anywhere?
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Now seriously... A vault is pretty mundane to be honest... You have very thick cables going into it from one wall, switches, fuses, transformers, more very thick and thick-ish cables, and then that Ozone smell in the air down there... I would have to say that they aren't worth it.
"The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either."
-Ben Franklin |
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IvyHaven
location:
NJ/PA
Gender: Male
| | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 27 on 4/19/2006 5:46 AM >
| | | | Entering transformer vaults scares the bejeezus out of electricians. Vacant buildings that still have live power may not have vaults marked or secured...
http://electrical-...5/HTML/001180.html
"...Friday I went about 60 miles North of here to look at pricing a remodel. The building was vacant but the GC told me the entry code over the phone. He said " There's a 1200 amp service existing" When I got there I couldn't see a service drop. When I got inside this smelly old place the power was on.
I went to the basement in search of panels. Sure enough I found the 1200 amp switch, nothing out the top nothing out the bottom, must feed from behind. Immediatly to the left was an unlocked door. I opened said door and saw nothing but dark, but I heard a familiar 60hz hum. Something told me not to stick my hand in fumbling for a light switch. I went to the truck for a
flashlight...."
Electrical arc videos including the must-see "MPEG of an Arcing Substation and Exploding Transformer!"
http://205.243.100...frames/longarc.htm
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ArmchairExplorer
location:
Vancouver
| | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 28 on 4/19/2006 6:16 AM >
| | | | Posted by rz350
I refuse to enter one until I know exactly how it is laid out and what precautions are to be taken.
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It varies. Some electrical vaults are designed to work when completely flooded and are insulated accordingly. Some vaults use enclosed equipment that won't survive flooding but are otherwise protected. Some vaults have exposed distribution voltage conductors--13.6Kv or higher. There's no way to know in advance which vaults fall into which categories so the only universal safety advice is stay out.
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grit1
location:
University Campus - Minneapolis, MN
Gender: Male
Got Shear Line?
| | | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 29 on 4/19/2006 6:21 AM >
| | | |
That is a very, very cool website! Check it out if you haven't already. Thanks for the link.
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junkyard
location:
LaCrosse, WI
Gender: Male
Strategic Beer Command where the metal hits the meat.
| |  | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 30 on 4/19/2006 2:00 PM >
| | | | I love to explore vaults, there are so many interesting things in them and every one is different than the last. They are so huge, way bigger than a building or tunnel network. Vaults rule!
I drink gasoline for breakfeast and beer for dinner!
Any problem can be licked with a case of beer and a few sticks of dynamite.
Strategic Beer Command ruling the desert since 1995 http://www.strategic-beer-command.com |
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blackhawk
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
location:
Mission Control
UER newbie
| | | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 31 on 4/19/2006 4:17 PM >
| | | | Posted by
That is a very, very cool website! Check it out if you haven't already. Thanks for the link.
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That site's pics say it better than any words possible can. Those arcs know no mercy. The substations can and do get hit by lightning, and sometimes even with no storm's are present equipment there can explode.
We used to blow up small .1 MFD 400V caps by charging 3 large 1 MFD 15KV caps up to 12KV and allowing them to discharge through the smaller cap. They would exploded like M80's.
A very cool website Grit1, Thanks!
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
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junkyard
location:
LaCrosse, WI
Gender: Male
Strategic Beer Command where the metal hits the meat.
| | | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 32 on 4/19/2006 5:32 PM >
| | | | Remember charging them up and tossing them to your buddy, who like a dumbass caught it and got shocked?
I drink gasoline for breakfeast and beer for dinner!
Any problem can be licked with a case of beer and a few sticks of dynamite.
Strategic Beer Command ruling the desert since 1995 http://www.strategic-beer-command.com |
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blackhawk
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
location:
Mission Control
UER newbie
| | | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 33 on 4/19/2006 5:51 PM >
| | | | Posted by junkyard
Remember charging them up and tossing them to your buddy, who like a dumbass caught it and got shocked?
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Ba-ha-ha-ha. Use to take them to school.
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
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atomx
location:
Brighton, ON
Gender: Male
| | | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 34 on 4/19/2006 8:46 PM >
| | | | Posted by blackhawk
Ba-ha-ha-ha. Use to take them to school.
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Nah, just charge 'em and put them back in their kit upside down
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Richard Cook |
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rainman8889
location:
H.T.S.F.C. Time to gain and a time to lose.
Bye for now.
| | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 35 on 4/20/2006 2:30 AM >
| | | | My Electronics teacher (Grade 12) took a heavy duty cord, stripped about 3 inches of insulation off two ends, cranked up my desk's voltage to 120 V and after his safety speech, touched the two ends together. After the smoke cleared, he pointed out that the breaker tripped and then passed the cord around and showed us that the bare part of the conductors were blown away. Made a very good point about not screwing around in the lab. He was very strict on safety for very good reason.
I was talking with an electrician today. He was given access to our Vault and later, was telling me he built and maintained Vaults for over 20 years. He will go in long enough to do what he has to do and then gets out of there quickly. Even after all this time, they are still pretty scary to him and he does not take the danger lightly.
[last edit 4/20/2006 2:39 AM by rainman8889 - edited 1 times]
Gone for a while. Be back when I'm back. |
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Fox22
| | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 36 on 4/20/2006 9:05 AM >
| | | | I work for PowerStream INC who own and operate the electrical distribution system for Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, and Aurora.
STAY THE F*** OUT OF VAULTS, TRANSFORMER STATIONS, AND ANY KIND OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION INSTALLATION!!!
Vaults: Every one is built slightly differently. Some are more recent installations than others and as such have varying degrees of protection inside them. Most have some degree of insulation however it is a general rule that whenever work is performed inside a vault the power is disconnected remotely prior to entering the installation. PCBs have been banned for use in newer installations, but there are many older ones that contain seriously nasty stuff in them. Bottom line: STAY THE F*** OUT!!
Transformer stations: The reason there are fences around these installations is that inside the fence there is a buried grounding grid consisting of a "grid" of copper bars which serves as a ground for all the switchgear, towers, and equipment. Because of the electromagnetic radiation within these sites, these structures and equipment can behave like capacitors and build up unbelievable potentials. This energy is transferred into the earth through the grounding grid. Even taking large steps can be enough to induce a potential between your feet and can in some cases easily knock you out or seriously injure you. This is why if you watch maintenance personel within these sites, they frequently appear to shuffle around. Even walking normally, it is common to experience tingling or numbness in your legs, even despite CSA footwear. Bottom linr is: As cool as they may look, those signs and fences are there for a VERY GOOD REASON- so please stay out!!
If there is still a possiblity that you will want to venture into one of these installations, make sure you have led a rich life and that you have accomplished eveything you ever desired in life before hand because there is a good chance you won't be coming out alive.
PLEASE Don't mess with electrical systems!
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junkyard
location:
LaCrosse, WI
Gender: Male
Strategic Beer Command where the metal hits the meat.
| | | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 37 on 4/20/2006 10:16 PM >
| | | | I remember putting a resistor in the socket on the desk and when someone plugs something in in the next class and it doesn't work they turn the breaker back on. Bang! That was almost as much fun as the science bucket in chemistry. We used to dump everything in there to see what happened 
I drink gasoline for breakfeast and beer for dinner!
Any problem can be licked with a case of beer and a few sticks of dynamite.
Strategic Beer Command ruling the desert since 1995 http://www.strategic-beer-command.com |
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this_guy
location:
Chicago suburbs
Gender: Male
| | | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 38 on 4/21/2006 3:16 AM >
| | | | Nothing active:
http://www.uer.ca/...=24240&galid=17972
Different location, two active transformers:
http://www.uer.ca/...=23816&galid=16994
http://www.uer.ca/...=23816&galid=16996
My advice- Don't trust anything to insulate you from the high voltages. Note the length of the insulators on transormers and other equipment, and stay significantly farther away than that length. You'll know if the place is active because you'll hear a buzz, but even if you don't hear the buzz, don't touch anything.
"Every sound shall end in silence, but the silence never dies." - from Samuel Miller Hagemen, found written on the wall of an abandoned building |
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Deuterium
location:
PNW
Gender: Male
| | Re: transformer vaults
<Reply # 39 on 4/21/2006 9:34 AM >
| | | | Plain transformer vaults are rather boring. There are a few I know of that aren't locked up and I popped them open. The ones I opened has a ladder that goes down about 7-10' into the ground and you see some cables and a big transformer or two.
The ladder looks like a gateway to a tunnel system, but it usually isn't. Look to both sides and you'll see its just what the name implies, a vault.
College campus tunnels are way more fun, which has 4160v and sometimes 12470v distribution lines and transformers.
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