On Saturday, 09 March, 2002 9:01 AM, Jon Ogden wrote:
> Not only that, but RFI is caused by an arcing situation somewhere.
> An arcing situation involves a discharge of electricity.
> Electricity spent in discharging is less they have to deliver to
customers.
>
> So it is an efficiency and cost benefit to them to fix the RFI problems.
> Every little problem may not be very much in terms of power grid
efficiency.
> But if it is widespread, you add all those up and it most certainly does
> have an impact. These guys want to provide power with the least loss of
> that power from the substation to your home. Well, if they lose some of
> that power in arcs, they are wasting some power and hence losing some
money.
>
> So there is certainly a benefit for them to fix it!
Just getting a little caught up on e-mails here. Boy! You guys are fast!
As Pete pointed out, 95-99.9% of arcing is usually on miscellaneous "loose"
hardware on the pole which has a voltage induced into it by the nearby HV
xmission line. The arcing is rarely from the lines themselves. Those that
are, are not always a real big concern (unless it trips a circuit brkr) for
the system efficiency when compared to something like power factor loading
during hot summers when everyone is running their A/C on high and providing
a large inductive loading onto the system. That's what those capacitor
banks all over the place are for: to compensate for this inductive load and
return the power factor to normal. (Capacitive and inductice reactances
cancel each other out.)
A real big arc would of course trip a circuit, which does get their
attention because the phones start ringing off the hook! Then the trucks
start rolling.
Besides all of this, the power company does NOT loose a dime on
inefficiency. It's just like paying taxes--companies don't pay taxes,
their customers DO! Hopefully, someday deregulation will have the effect
of forcing companies to become more efficient, but that will not translate
into better RFI services for hams by any means. More likely it will mean
exactly what is happening right now. Especially if you're buying your
power from somewhere else, but the local distribution company's equipment
is making the noise. Lot's of luck getting them to return your phone calls
then! They just won't be making enough money from you to care about the
problem of one non-customer.
Good luck on your battle tomorrow Tom!
73,
de ed -K0iL
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Ed Edwards -- K0iL
PO Box 375
Elkhorn, NE 68022-0375
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