[RFI] Fwd: Thanks and RFI behind 637 Clifft Street (UPDATE)

[Charles Plunk]

Good Afternoon Randy,

Yesterday a 450mhz yagi portable directional antenna came in that I 
ordered. 120hz arc RFI diminishes with frequency. Thus if you can hear 
it at a higher frequency it makes more precise triangulation possible 
once near the suspected source.

Prior to now I had primarily been doing my triangulation's at 145mhz and 
below.

Today, I still am triangulating on the pole behind 637 Clifft Street and 
at 450mhz this becomes very apparent. I get the strongest signal at the 
top of the pole, no surprise there since that is the 7.2kv area. Since I 
cannot hear it with ultrasonic, I am speculating that one of the 
connections (transformer and lightning arrester) underneath the critter 
guards is the cause, maybe loose. Or possible the insulator or lightning 
arrester has a crack in it.

At any rate, thought I would update you on my findings. I surveyed all 
the nearby poles and they are all quiet at 450mhz.

Its the pole behind the old wood shop building at 637 Clifft with jungle 
like growth.

Thanks,
Chuck






One more note; After doing 4 triangulation's on different days, I still 
center on the pole behind 637 Clifft Street. However, the next pole east 
I get about 2/3's the strength readings. Poles either side of those 2 
drops off drastically. So if nothing is found on the pole behind 637 
Clifft, then please check the next one east.

Just wanted to add that.

Appreciate very much,

Chuck



On 10/7/21 7:03 PM, Charles Plunk wrote:
>
> Good Evening Randy (or whomever is checking Randy's email while he is 
> away),
>
> Thanks for the repairs today and finding the bad (cracked) disconnect. 
> I am encouraged that will solve the RFI on that pole. The young man I 
> spoke to was very courteous and confident he found the issue as well. 
> I will monitor it over time.
>
>
> The RFI on the pole behind 637 Clifft Street remains though. Just 
> wanted to make sure you knew the disconnect did not fix this second 
> issue in case you need to do another request. I triangulated it 
> yesterday again for more than an hour, after I spoke to the crew, 
> using increasingly higher frequencies and still centered on this pole 
> behind 637 Clifft Street. Its just about got to be on the few pieces 
> of single phase hardware on the 7.2kv side of the transformer. A 
> instructor in RFI for Utilities advised this below;
>
>
>
>
> -------------
> Going by your notes, a single phase pole with nothing but a pole top 
> pin and a ground is probably one of two things.
> Most common and most likely would be the staple and they shouldn't be 
> hammered in they should be removed and replaced so the new staple is 
> in fresh wood and will be tight for a long time.
>
> The second source will be one of the bolts holding the pole top pin. 
> Commonly one is a through bolt that goes all the way through the pole 
> with a nut and washer on the backside and often the second one is a 
> lag which is no more than a very large wood screw that always comes 
> loose.
>
> At any rate I would suggest they tighten both pole top pins and 
> replace the Staples maybe the first three or four from the top. 
> Sometimes hammering The staples in will work and sometimes only 
> temporarily. Other times not at all. /
> /
>
> It's unlikely to be a tie wire or the insulator unless it's been 
> struck by lightning which is a possibility and frequently you can tell 
> with binoculars that the top of the insulator is now White where the 
> coating has been burned off of it by the lightning. If it's insulated 
> conductor then that would be the most likely source that isn't 
> detectable with ultrasound (/Note; I could not hear it with 
> Ultrasound)/, because the arcing is through the rubber and on top of 
> the insulator where it can't be seen.
>
> If it's a bare conductor and the tie wire is insulated then ask them 
> to remove about 4 inches of the insulation from the tie wire and twist 
> that end of the tie wire tightly on to the line and then that will 
> solve that problem. I'd love to see a picture of that pole standing 
> under the line looking straight up so you can see both sides of the pole.
>
> At any rate these items will definitely cover that pole and you're 
> fortunate, if that is the source pole, to have such an easy pull to 
> resolve an issue on.
>
> Best wishes and I look forward to hearing the result
>
> -----------
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chuck
>
> 655 Clifft Street
>
>
>