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Re: [Amps] Electrical Distribution Methods

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [Amps] Electrical Distribution Methods
From: "Paul Christensen" <w9ac@arrl.net>
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:13:05 -0400
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## here in Canada and the usa, the 240 vac is BALANCED. In Canada + usa, the 12.5 kv / 14.4 kv single phase input to the is UNBALANCED. In the event of a primary to secondary short in the single phase xfmr, the sec needs to be grounded some where ....hence the grounded CT on the sec. In fact the CT on the sec is looped back to the
Grounded side of the xfmr pirmary..and done right at the xfmr.

Yes, you can. All up and down major roadways here. This is the root of my concern expressed a few days ago. And, IMHO, it's a failed system due to the potential for dangerous HV primary current to flow on an exposed grounding conductor on a utility pole.

Where as a kid who used to use such conductors for the grounding of crystal sets, I had not realized at the time the potential death trap set up by the MGN distribution. It's a miracle that more cases of harm are not reported as kids and animals make contact with the utility pole grounding conductor. Safety is wholly dependent on crew maintenance to ensure adequate distributed grounding of the MGN strand up and down an easement. However, the problem is real. See this link for a detailed examination of what I'm describing:

http://www.ecs.csun.edu/~bruno/MultiGroundedNeutralFinal_4-17-7.pdf

Note a few figures:

Fig. 2 - The MGN set up on the white/grounded conductor.
Fig. 3 - The exposed grounding conductor from the utility MGN.
Fig 10 - The original correct pole mounted wiring scheme from ca. 1926.
Fig. 13 -  The "deadly" bond that VE7RF describes.
Fig. 17 - The classic MGN structure of a split-phase residential transformer.
Fig. 18 - Primary HV fault can enter the home in a MGN system.
Fig 20 A proper method of bringing the primary back to ground while achieving safety isolation and primary-to-secondary fault protection.

Paul, W9AC
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