Get ready for 10-hour blackouts

ToxicBunny said:
Even the 2 hour slots are blowing up substations...

Everton/Waterfall etc were without power for extended periods of time over the last week.
Click to expand...
there is a small transformer (size of a small car) in our street two house up on opposite side, do those things blow up or is it only the big ones i wonder.
 
JayM said:
VAT fraud = jail, that's why.
Click to expand...
I think you're failing to see the irony. Commit VAT fraud for a few thousand on your solar installation and you go to jail. Steal billions form state coffers and you walk free.

Oh we'll happily go over the speed limit. Maybe drive through a red robot every now and then. Who knows, maybe give the cop a "Coca Cola"? Yet it seems its only when we're are risk of being caught that we'll "do the right thing".
 
wingnut771 said:
there is a small transformer (size of a small car) in our street two house up on opposite side, do those things blow up or is it only the big ones i wonder.
Click to expand...

Transformers are mostly passive devices (large chunks of coils), and should not fail. Its likely the switches and overload protection circuits that trigger serious issues. Higher voltages are more spectacular, due to breakdown of insulation.

I'm sure other forum members can give more details.
 
So when can we expect them to ask for more money? This is their normal process! Put the lights off, cry poverty, ask for money to pay bonus.
 
Gordon_R said:
Transformers are mostly passive devices (large chunks of coils), and should not fail. Its likely the switches and overload protection circuits that trigger serious issues. Higher voltages are more spectacular, due to breakdown of insulation.

I'm sure other forum members can give more details.
Click to expand...
Contactors that switch the load were not made to be switched on and off all the time. They fail and than you have fire :(
 
for CPT - bugger, have recently read that Steenbras is under maintenance until MAY2020 - so no help from hydro until then :-(
 
Gordon_R said:
Transformers are mostly passive devices (large chunks of coils), and should not fail. Its likely the switches and overload protection circuits that trigger serious issues. Higher voltages are more spectacular, due to breakdown of insulation.

I'm sure other forum members can give more details.
Click to expand...
I think it's a combo of all the things... And the oil or whatever in the transformers also degrades faster with the on/off and then they go pop...
 
ToxicBunny said:
I think it's a combo of all the things... And the oil or whatever in the transformers also degrades faster with the on/off and then they go pop...
Click to expand...
The fire starts when the contactors arc over when switching the load. Gonna look for a video for to see what I mean
 
Gordon_R said:
Transformers are mostly passive devices (large chunks of coils), and should not fail. Its likely the switches and overload protection circuits that trigger serious issues. Higher voltages are more spectacular, due to breakdown of insulation.

I'm sure other forum members can give more details.
Click to expand...
i thought it was the oil, do the small ones have?
 
wingnut771 said:
i thought it was the oil, do the small ones have?
Click to expand...

All of them have oil, its a kind of insulator. The low voltage ones are sealed lifetime units. The high voltage ones are much more sensitive, and need regular replacement of oil, and checking for moisture ingress.

We have a transformer and 11kV switchgear in our garden, so get to see this up close. In the CoCT I can tell you all about the maintenance, but not the explosions, since they seldom happen here.
 
phaktza said:
Yes perhaps charging up batteries and reheating geysers.

During Stage 6 we had power off for 4.5 hours. Restoration issues for 12 hours. Power on for 2 hours. Power off for 4.5 hours. Restoration issues for 6 hours.

Good times.

Hopefully in 3.5 months this will all be over.
Click to expand...

Also leaving?
 
Yes, the smaller ones also catch fire and explode. Last year one of those in our area went pop. All were affected not just those dependent on that one because the area feed had to be cut to do the repairs.


edit:/

We all could see it was an event just waiting to happen, The cabinet was leaking but Tshwane took no apparent notice of those that reported it with the reports just being closed. The leaks looked like it got worse after every LS event, but that is a bit of a subjective assessment.
 
Last edited:
The wheels on the bus are falling off, falling off, falling off:

News Archives

Breaking news, politics, crime, business, social grants updates and so much more, wherever you are in the world.
www.thesouthafrican.com www.thesouthafrican.com
 
Geoff.D said:
Yes, the smaller ones also catch fire and explode. Last year one of those in our area went pop. All were affected not just those dependent on that one because the area feed had to be cut to do the repairs.
Click to expand...

A bit off-topic, but the overall topology is quite complex, with redundancy in some parts of the transmission chain, but not in all of them. There are single-points of failure at various levels, which can cause interruptions of varying durations.

Imposing rotational load shedding on top of this was never a good idea, its a surprise things don't go wrong more often. Maybe they do wherever you live...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X