The Breakroom > The Water Cooler
A Bright Flash and Loud Bang in the Morning !
awemawson:
There was I, sitting up in bed at 07:15, coffee ready to drink , iPad on looking at various forums, when there was a VERY bright flash in my eyeline out of the window, accompanied by a loud THUD :bugeye:
Power must have been lost briefly and then returned, as my alarm clock was flashing "12:00"
I shot up, threw some clothes on and went to investigate. No obvious signs of damage to the 11kV -> 415 three phase transformer that we have in the vegetable plot - quick pop into the barn to check each phase - all are present.
Phone call to UK Power Networks, and their system had logged that the 'Bowlings Re-Closer' (a massive switch on a pole also on our land) had opened and closed about that time.
.... then I found the culprit . Lying below the pair of poles that the transformer is mounted on was a Magpie - burnt to a frazzle. It must have alighted on the lightening discharge points on the transformer, taken an 11kV shock, fallen off, and was the cause of the actual flash I'd seen, then the re-closer having detected a line fault had opened and then re-closed 5 seconds later.
The lightning points are only a few inches apart so I imagine the bird caused a phase to phase discharge arc :scratch:
edward:
'One for sorrow' was definitely true for the Magpie....
John Rudd:
Oh dear what a way to go.... :zap:
They do say...." One for sorrow....etc"
Hope it hasnt spoilt your day too much Andrew.....
awemawson:
I suppose it was more of a shock for the Magpie than me :lol:
.... twiddling my thumbs at the moment waiting for my Tractor Shed builder to turn up - looks like the morning is already lost :bang:
Pete.:
I hope there are no gas lines running through your plot Andrew it's the only utility you haven't blown up yet...
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