Off Topic - High Voltage Power Line 500 kV Circuit Switcher Testing

Here's some interesting pic's and video clip of a High Voltage Power Line 500 kV Circuit Switcher being tested


http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarc...-500-kV-Circuit-Switcher-Testing~20031222.htm

Very cool video!!!! Can I have one of those for my Halloween party next year? I'd be the envey of the county!!!!( And I'll bet the folks watching TV in the surronding 5 counties, too!!!!)
BTW, what was the cause of the single phase arcing ?
David
beerchug

Not sure, in the video, there's a arc across the first insulator, just before the "Switch" opened.

Maybe it was enough to start the arc to cascade across the "Switch contacts"

From the video sound, it must of been REALLY loud for the people at the site.

Also, I might think that they could feel the heat coming off of it, even at a distance.

I found somemore info about the HUGE ARC at this website:www.teslamania.com The explanation says that the utility was conducting a test to isolate the problem. A SF6 gas puffer interupter flashes over one of the phases allowing the air break switch to open hot. The switch wasn't under load and ONLY carrying ~ 20 to 25 amps of line charging current at 500kV!!! The arc shuts off when an oil circuit breaker upstream is commanded to open. Take a look at the other video on the site of a substation failing under load. He also does some pretty cool things with a very large EMP to coins.

Thanks Doc, cool site