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1 2   UER Forum > Archived UE Tutorials, Lessons, and Useful Info > transformer vaults (Viewed 1187 times) 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  |  transformer vaults < on 4/16/2006 11:31 PM >   any one been down one? I lifted the hinged door for one and started half way down, but freaked out from Ogrish images of people who fuckt with hi voltage equipment. However, I would also figure they would be halfway safe/insulated. But I'm asking cause if anyone has been down one/works in them, and has seen open conductors and shit exposed, I dont even want to look at them again. But if someone has been down and they are all nice and insulated, Id love to take a look. ducky 999 Raticus  Moderator Location: Tyler Gender: Male Ratus exploricus abandonae  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 1 on 4/16/2006 11:40 PM >   Posted by rz350 any one been down one? I lifted the hinged door for one and started half way down, but freaked out from Ogrish images of people who fuckt with hi voltage equipment. However, I would also figure they would be halfway safe/insulated. But I'm asking cause if anyone has been down one/works in them, and has seen open conductors and shit exposed, I dont even want to look at them again. But if someone has been down and they are all nice and insulated, Id love to take a look. STAY OUT - STAY OUT - STAY TOTALLY OUT. I don't know if I can yell it louder. There are a lot of things in and around high voltage equipment like that that are not insulated. MOst of those vaults contain area's that you could easily get yourself fried, and voltage at that level will arc, quiet a ways. You wouldn't even have to touch it. A friend of mine works for TU electric. I'm just going by what he said. Please don't get around those things. That's one exploration that's not worth the likely trip to the morgue. Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools speak because they have to say something. Twystr  Location: 39.2N, 104.17W Elev. 6535ft Gender: Male Gimme Biggah Drayyyyynes!  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 2 on 4/16/2006 11:50 PM >   Oh and at 7200 or 14,400 volts at a thousand amps (typ distribution voltage/current in the downtown core of a city) is likely to pull a short circuit current of several thousand amps (to ground through you) before the reclosers or fuses trip out/blow. Consider yourself fucked if all three phases arc and the arc joins into one massive spark. "The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either." -Ben Franklin blackhawk  This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information. Location: Mission Control UER newbie  |  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 3 on 4/17/2006 12:51 AM >   Damn, not much of anything smells worse than a burned corpse. Except a decaying burned corpse maybe. Can you say open high voltage circuits? Fun stuff; it can reach out and touch you. Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in. grit1  Location: University Campus - Minneapolis, MN Gender: Male Got Shear Line?  |  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 4 on 4/17/2006 1:29 AM >   Beyond high voltage potential in transformer vaults, they're often packed with PCB's from the coolant that runs in transformers. I've been in some abandoned transformer vaults and there's not really much there other than PCB's and burned out components. 13.8 KV is a force to be reconned with, do not mess around. I've been around quite a bit of distribution wiring and been lucky enough to not get fried but emense carefulness is required. Most transformer vaults will have an outer room with switch gear and an inner room with the actual transformer - stay out of the inner room! It has a fire door on it for a reason! ~G Myelin  Location: The End of Canada Gender: Male  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 5 on 4/17/2006 1:42 AM >   I have, in the course of my work, but only in a properly maintained substation. And I knew how to conduct myself (no pun intended). I would not dream of entering an abandoned or even an active one without knowing what I needed to about the building and the hazards presented therein. [last edit 4/17/2006 1:42 AM by Myelin - edited 1 times] eidolon  Location: Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 6 on 4/17/2006 2:41 AM >   Don't. Go. In. There. You may die. It would be unpleasant, especially for the poor bastard who had to collect your remains. 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 # 7 on 4/17/2006 5:32 AM >   I know how electricity works, no lessons needed on the physics of it. I do know that the above ground transforers here, carrying the same high voltage and amperage, are quite safe. I was wondering if the same kind of thing, just in a cement room underground, or if it was less safe, since it was underground (less insulation and such) Because if its the just the green transformers like we have on the road level, its no bigge at all, if its not, Im not going to fuck with it unless I can get blueprints and safety info on that particular transformer vault ducky 999 Oherian  Noble Donor Location: West Virginia Gender: Male  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 8 on 4/17/2006 12:21 PM >   I've been in one, but only with the guy who was responsible for maintaining them. He told me precisely where to stand so I could take pictures, but cautioned me against moving too much. This vault had two sets of 20 KV transformers, but not a high enough amperage to arc. I'd never have entered on my own, however. Too risky... Keith-Albee Transformers "If the door's open, you might as well stick your head in." -- Lil-trouble blackhawk  This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information. Location: Mission Control UER newbie  |  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 9 on 4/17/2006 6:12 PM >   Posted by Oherian I've been in one, but only with the guy who was responsible for maintaining them. He told me precisely where to stand so I could take pictures, but cautioned me against moving too much. This vault had two sets of 20 KV transformers, but not a high enough amperage to arc. I'd never have entered on my own, however. Too risky... Keith-Albee Transformers You people best just forget it. Amps have nothing to do with arc length, and 16 milliamperes can stop your heart/put it into fibrillation. Safety dictates at least 1 inch per 10000 volts distance in dry air, I believe, and that's not written in stone. At 300 KV anything closer than three feet is risking instant death, for those who wish to climb HV transmission towers. At lower voltages you may simply be severely burned, and/or loose limbs. I "play" with my 12KV @ 30MA neon sign x-former, HV can travels through wood like it was metal, and follow a pencil mark on a piece of paper. Arcs starts at about half an inch, and can be drawn out to close to 2 inches. Touching one terminal can be lethal. Moisture from your sweat on the plastic grip of a screw driver will give you a "bite". There are a lot of dead lineman; electricity does not always behave the way you expect it to behave. HV has a whole new set of rules that apply to it, like corona for instance. Pointed objects are more likely to initiate a discharge than round ones. The wise rat is right; STAY OUT - STAY OUT - STAY TOTALLY OUT. [last edit 4/17/2006 6:16 PM by blackhawk - edited 1 times] Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in. Mr.Coffee  Location: Coming to a theatre near you! Gender: Male Everyone agrees, I'm Rad.  |  |  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 10 on 4/17/2006 8:34 PM >   one inch per 10kv isn't quite right, a lot depends on humidity, and the amperage behind that voltage. the minimum recommended safe working distance for 25kv (as read on the bucket of our cherry picker) is 12ft. the following is an example of what 50kv can do (the video is mislabeled as 500kv, but it's 50kv) http://video.googl...ch+opening&pl=true Coming To a Theatre Near You! Myelin  Location: The End of Canada Gender: Male  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 11 on 4/17/2006 8:52 PM >   rz350, if you don't listen to what people here are telling you, you'll be having tea with Nikola Tesla one of these days. Govern yourself accordingly! SeeThirty  Location: Indialantic, Florida Gender: Male  |  |  |  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 12 on 4/17/2006 11:55 PM >   rz350 - Notice "vault" in your post subject? If it's in a vault, that's because it's not safe. Chernobyl's reactor facility is in a vault. If it's not part of a bank, it's probably something dangerous, so best to steer clear. Above ground facilities are often fenced or tapped off as well, out of the reach of most people, but not always. You think it's safe, and maybe it is, but assume nothing. There's a smart bunch of people around TV news when there's a thunderstorm or hurricane that go on and tell you to preclude that any wire laying in the dirt, and every high voltage unit is live, and contact can kill you. Many stupid people think they will have different results. Don't be like them. Just because a tunnel leads somewhere, doesn't mean you were intended to go there. Common sense. 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. rainman8889  Location: H.T.S.F.C. Time to gain and a time to lose. Bye for now.  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 13 on 4/18/2006 1:29 AM >   Posted by Raticus STAY OUT - STAY OUT - STAY TOTALLY OUT. I don't know if I can yell it louder. There are a lot of things in and around high voltage equipment like that that are not insulated. MOst of those vaults contain area's that you could easily get yourself fried, and voltage at that level will arc, quiet a ways. You wouldn't even have to touch it. A friend of mine works for TU electric. I'm just going by what he said. Please don't get around those things. That's one exploration that's not worth the likely trip to the morgue. Very well put Raticus! The vault where I work is double locked and Security is under very strict orders that NO ONE is to be allowed into that room unless there is written (or phoned permission) directly from the Ops manager or from the Building Operator on duty. If there is emergency access required, we are to call the Ops Manager on his cell phone before giving access. I minimize my time in that room and go there only when necessary. And the Ops manager made it very clear that if Security does give access without obtaining permission, that is considered grounds for immediate removal from the site. In short: No f***ing around with Hydro Vaults! Gone for a while. Be back when I'm back. kowalski   |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 14 on 4/18/2006 1:35 AM >   In one of the top tier draining regions of the world, you're fucking about with a transformer vault? Explorer H  Obla-di-obla-doberator Location: Around the corner from the Turkey Hill Gender: Male I just want some slack.  |  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 15 on 4/18/2006 1:40 AM >   Yea, really dude - stay out. This is an electrical burn, but it sounds like a Hydro Vault could be far worse. http://doublehmedia.com http://hartmancommercialphoto.com blackhawk  This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information. Location: Mission Control UER newbie  |  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 16 on 4/18/2006 2:33 AM >   Posted by Explorer_H Yea, really dude - stay out. This is an electrical burn, but it sounds like a Hydro Vault could be far worse. Looks well done. Yummy. Nice visual aid. That's the result of hundreds of amps of electricity running through that arm for a fraction of a second. With lower voltages .6-30 KV your not always lucky enough to die instantly. The burns are just some of the damage, you'll be lucky to not lose the limb(s) if your tagged by a 5 KV/high amp or larger source. Anything inside a cage, fenced area, or vault is an "enter at your own risk area". Open, live HV circuits are to be expected. Heavy rubber elbow length gloves, and switching poles are commonly used when working with some of these control circuits. If you ever play with a ignition or neon sign transformer you'll get a vague idea how truly dangerous HV can be. You can be electrocute simply standing on ground yards away from a down HV line. High voltage appears to sometimes defy the laws of physics. Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in. 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 # 17 on 4/18/2006 2:39 AM >   I know what electral burns look like, and I know what HV can do, and yes, I have played around neon light transformers. I do have a rather large intrest in electricity. I mostly asking on here, for someone who *works* for or has been *inside* of a TORONTO hydro vault to tell me what it is like in there, and what kind of precautions and insulation is in place. I refuse to enter one until I know exactly how it is laid out and what precautions are to be taken. So dont even think I am going into one unless I know 100% I was hoping someone with the experience in it could tell me. I guess not. I'l attemp to research it some more (perhaps Soc Eng attemps) and will not enter until I can get a definitive answer on exactly what to expect inside one. That being said, does anyone know? If you dont know, dont reply. [last edit 4/18/2006 2:44 AM by rz350 - edited 1 times] ducky 999 zx270  Location: Here Gender: Male  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 18 on 4/18/2006 4:56 AM >   None of the transformers are likely to be shielded. They emit alot of electromagnetic radiation which can be harmful. Factor VIII  Location: tu5t1n Gender: Male The Legacy  |  |  Re: transformer vaults <Reply # 19 on 4/18/2006 5:19 AM >   I'm surprised no one has mentioned poisonous gas yet. In the underground ones carbon monoxide from the car exhaust can kill you quickly. use the boost to get through UER Forum > Archived UE Tutorials, Lessons, and Useful Info > transformer vaults (Viewed 1187 times) 1 2   All content and images copyright © 2002-2024 UER.CA and respective creators. Graphical Design by Crossfire. To contact webmaster, or click to email with problems or other questions about this site: UER CONTACT View Terms of Service | View Privacy Policy | Server colocation provided by Beanfield This page was generated for you in 171 milliseconds. Since June 23, 2002, a total of 741603697 pages have been generated.