[RFI] PG&E IR line fault detection advertisements

[Rick Karlquist]

PG&E is running a TV ad campaign touting some infra-red
power line fault detection system.  Does anyone have info
on this?  I am wondering if I should add it to my arsenal
of power line noise diagnostic equipment.  Is there a
correlation between faults that are detectable with IR
and faults that cause RFI.

The system might be just some simple minded thing that
measures power transformer temperature, in which case
we don't care.  A power company engineer once told me
that they just wait for transformers to boil over and
go up in flames before they replaced them.  There was
no preventive maintenance.

Rick N6RK