Surge protector is a lie?...

[Commander Kinsey]

On Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:22:46 +0100, John Larkin <jlarkin@highlandsnipmetechnology.com> wrote:

On Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:46:45 +0300, upsidedown@downunder.com wrote:

On Mon, 27 Mar 2023 16:09:18 +0100, Vir Campestris
vir.campestris@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 25/03/2023 19:47, Andrew wrote:
On 22/03/2023 12:55, upsidedown@downunder.com wrote:
Aluminum has only slightly worse conductivity, is much lighter and
cheaper as copper.

And being lighter it means that 40+ old creosoted poles
could have a longer life.

When ever copper prices are high there is a spate of
replacing bare copper 240V stuff on poles with bundles
of twisted insulated aluminium conductors. I guess it
is also possible to have bigger section conductors for
the same weight. Important with more people buying EV\'s,
heat pumps and heated tubs /pools.

Hmm.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Tables/rstiv.html

says copper is about 2/3 the resistance of aluminium, and elsewhere I
find about 3 times the weight. so you\'d halve the weight on the poles,
but have fatter cables.

But...

Whenever I\'ve seen a pole down it\'s after a gale. Strong winds, not
cable weight, finish them off. So the fatter cable you\'ll need for ally
will be more of an issue than the reduced weight.

Andy


If a tree falls during a storm on open wire copper lines, the flimsy
wires will snap and the poles are saved. This of course cuts the
electric distribution.

If a tree falls on a bundled cable (especially with a steel wire
neutral), it is possible that the pole falls down, but the electric
distribution may still continue, despite part of the cable has fallen
to the ground.

A tree fell, down the block from our cabin. It sent a shock wave down
the lines which tugged on our long feeder and ripped the wires off the
front of the cabin, with the power and cable and old POTS wires on the
ground. We didn\'t lose power or internet.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lt38qw0yxrulr6v/AABtcYQNALQjZFqOfHV291dea?dl=0

You\'re lucky that didn\'t cause a short with the stupidly unfused incoming setting fire to the wood.

 

[whit3rd]

On Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 4:01:00 PM UTC-7, Commander Kinsey wrote:

> Apparently I have to inform the power company when I install an EV charger. Like I\'m gonna bother doing that.

Oh, if you don\'t inform the power company before changing your power usage appreciably, they
cannot ensure your (shared with neighbors) local wiring doesn\'t melt. Liability for damage, or replacing
melted wiring (or boiled transformer oil fire damage, or...) would be determined by
legal negotiations after such an event.

Even if the wiring AFTER the meter (clearly your part of the responsibility) doesn\'t fail, the
part BEFORE the meter... just might.

 

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <d00a5ee9-2a9e-4cac-8d60-f4639cbf99ean@googlegroups.com>,
whit3rd@gmail.com says...

On Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 4:01:00 PM UTC-7, Commander Kinsey wrote:

Apparently I have to inform the power company when I install an EV charger. Like I\'m gonna bother doing that.

Oh, if you don\'t inform the power company before changing your power usage appreciably, they
cannot ensure your (shared with neighbors) local wiring doesn\'t melt. Liability for damage, or replacing
melted wiring (or boiled transformer oil fire damage, or...) would be determined by
legal negotiations after such an event.

Even if the wiring AFTER the meter (clearly your part of the responsibility) doesn\'t fail, the
part BEFORE the meter... just might.

In the US a house will have a service drop to your house rated fo so
much current. It used to be common for 100 or 200 amp service drops.
Over the years the power usage of homes have gone up with electric
dryers and heat pumps an on demand water heaters.

It would not mater what you use to pull that amount from the power
company. If you wanted more the power company would have to install
larger wire and maybe a transformer going to your house.