[TowerTalk] New power line phenomena problem

[Gene Smar]

TT:

     This isn't as far-fetched as it might sound.  Ignoring the
reporter's layman description of the physics involved (power dropping
off the line), there are practical applications for such
capacitively-coupled energy.  (Remember - the power line and long
barbed-wire fence wires are two parallel conductors, one of which is
energized at considerable voltage.  The fence can be energized to
considerable voltage, too.)

     While working for a power company, my colleagues and I were granted a
patent for a thermopile-and-propane-gas uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
for fiber-optic repeaters along power transmission lines:
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1=smar.INZZ.&OS=IN/smar&RS=IN/smar .
We used this capacitively-coupled energy in a power line's ground wire
(connecting the tops of consecutive towers) as the primary heat source for
the UPS's thermopile, and propane would kick in as the backup during power
outages on that line.

     We got our idea for using the ground wire as a primary source of energy
from researchers in Hydro Quebec.  They used the ground wire of a 735 kV
line to power beacon strobes and microwave repeaters.  We listed these guys
under Other References, found near the beginning of our patent application.

     The lesson to be learned here is it IS possible for long wire fences
running in proximity to and parallel with high-voltage power lines to have
electric energy coupled into them.  Caveat Amateur!

73 de
Gene Smar  AD3F


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <K7LXC at aol.com>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Cc: <k5zg at woh.rr.com>; <dbwalter at globaltaxhelp.com>; <N0AX at arrl.net>;
<K7ST at pacificarch.com>; <K7ROK at zipcon.com>; <midnight18 at cox.net>;
<wwdxc-l at eskimo.com>; <James_L_Campbell at dom.com>
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 2:53 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] New power line phenomena problem


> Greetings, TowerTalkians --
>
>    >     He also said that he was shocked once from his own fence. Because
of the
> high voltage, power can drop off the lines, charging metal nearby,
Bonneville
> Power officials acknowledge.  Seattle Times, January 21, 2004.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve     K7LXC