AEP considers burying lines

[carltonplace]

It's been 4 years this week since the BIG ice storm.

AEP pulled a bait-and-switch when it promised burying lines was the main reason for a rate increase, only to renig after Corporation Commission approval in favor of more subsidies for their tree-trimming subcontractor.
Never mind the weight of the ice on the wires alone was enough to snap poles...

So, who bought a generator?  ...anything else Tulsan's did to prepare for the next one?

I'm installing a wood burning stove in my fireplace as an alternate heat source in case of blackout. If my place is warm I can stay there without electricity.

[custosnox]

I'm installing a wood burning stove in my fireplace as an alternate heat source in case of blackout. If my place is warm I can stay there without electricity.

During the ice storm we just kept a fire burning in the fireplace, and did a LOT of cooking since we had a gas stove.  We closed off all of the bedrooms to keep the warmth in the main areas of the house.  Personally, Lisa and I slept great, all wrapped up in blankets.  Everyone else slept in the living room.

[patric]

During the ice storm we just kept a fire burning in the fireplace, and did a LOT of cooking since we had a gas stove.  We closed off all of the bedrooms to keep the warmth in the main areas of the house.  Personally, Lisa and I slept great, all wrapped up in blankets.  Everyone else slept in the living room.

We noticed our fireplace makes the more distal rooms colder, because it's sucking cold fresh air for combustion thru all the cracks.

As far as a natural gas generator, it might cost less to run black iron or CSST gas line to the generator near the electic meter, than to run copper wire to a generator that's not near the meter.  Just make sure you bond/ground the CSST because otherwise lightning will puncture it.

[Townsend]

During the ice storm we just kept a fire burning in the fireplace, and did a LOT of cooking since we had a gas stove.  We closed off all of the bedrooms to keep the warmth in the main areas of the house.  Personally, Lisa and I slept great, all wrapped up in blankets.  Everyone else slept in the living room.

It was stepping out of the shower that got me.  George Costanza'd big time.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I can apply terminals up to 2AWG in stranded (T&B non-insulated).  I don't have any tooling for solid wire that large.

Edit:
Need to add that the run for the welder was approaching 100 ft.  Considering the inductive load of the transformers in the welder (which has PF capacitors) we really probably should have considered 2AWG.

I strongly recommend not using terminals ( I presume you are talking like what they use on battery cables - bolt to block end - ring lug style.)  Use a lug in the box.  And if using big stranded wire, you can wrap a 3" length of copper shim, 1/2" wide around the strands before inserting into the lug.  Then tighten down on the wrapped strands.  The shim will keep all the copper together and prevent strands from squirming out from under the screw.

If you insist on terminals, rent the tool to crimp them properly, then solder the lug to the wire (welding shop?).  Provide a strain relief distance out of the terminal before applying any tie downs or clamps.  (6" or more!)

Edit;
I learned the copper strip thing from an old electrician I worked with when I was in the Brotherhood (IBEW).  Also the one who taught me how to check a circuit to see if power is active - put your thumb on neutral (white wire) and brush the line (black wire) with your index finger to see if there is a "tingle".  Not the method I recommend today...

[Red Arrow]

I strongly recommend not using terminals ( I presume you are talking like what they use on battery cables - bolt to block end - ring lug style.)  Use a lug in the box.  And if using big stranded wire, you can wrap a 3" length of copper shim, 1/2" wide around the strands before inserting into the lug.  Then tighten down on the wrapped strands.  The shim will keep all the copper together and prevent strands from squirming out from under the screw.
If you insist on terminals, rent the tool to crimp them properly, then solder the lug to the wire (welding shop?).  Provide a strain relief distance out of the terminal before applying any tie downs or clamps.  (6" or more!)

Depends on how the box is set up. Most of them that I have seen do not need and cannot use a ring tongue terminal. If whatever one is connecting to is only a stud or equivalent, then a ring tongue terminal is in order.  I'm not actively doing anything about the electric service at the moment.  Thanks for the tip on wrapping stranded wire.  I have AMP tooling for PIDG up to 10ga wire, the ratchet type.  Red, Blue, Yellow.  Individual tools for each group. For 8, 6, 4, and 2ga I have a T&B Stakon crimper Cat No WT115.  Since I can't post a picture, I'll try to find a link.


The crimper I own is probably older than most members of this forum, probably from the 50s, no newer than the 60s and does not have the A suffix but the picture is the same. 
http://tnblnx3.tnb.com/emAlbum/albums//Tool%20Service/sk_1_s_wt115a_0_ph.jpg
http://www.tnb.com/ps/fulltilt/index.cgi?part=WT115A

[heironymouspasparagus]

Depends on how the box is set up. Most of them that I have seen do not need and cannot use a ring tongue terminal. If whatever one is connecting to is only a stud or equivalent, then a ring tongue terminal is in order.  I'm not actively doing anything about the electric service at the moment.  Thanks for the tip on wrapping stranded wire.  I have AMP tooling for PIDG up to 10ga wire, the ratchet type.  Red, Blue, Yellow.  Individual tools for each group. For 8, 6, 4, and 2ga I have a T&B Stakon crimper Cat No WT115.  Since I can't post a picture, I'll try to find a link.


The crimper I own is probably older than most members of this forum, probably from the 50s, no newer than the 60s and does not have the A suffix but the picture is the same. 
http://tnblnx3.tnb.com/emAlbum/albums//Tool%20Service/sk_1_s_wt115a_0_ph.jpg
http://www.tnb.com/ps/fulltilt/index.cgi?part=WT115A

Never mind about renting - you got the tool!  I don't have anything that big - mostly I do electronic stuff, so anything bigger than about 6 awg means I get to buy new tools.  Or use the propane torch and solder.

[Red Arrow]

Never mind about renting - you got the tool!  I don't have anything that big - mostly I do electronic stuff, so anything bigger than about 6 awg means I get to buy new tools.  Or use the propane torch and solder.

While looking for the link to the T&B crimper, I think I saw it for sale for only about $120.

I would really like tooling to crimp insulated terminals larger than 10ga but not enough to actually buy them.  I know guy at the airport that has the crimpers for some of the larger insulated sizes.

[heironymouspasparagus]

While looking for the link to the T&B crimper, I think I saw it for sale for only about $120.

I would really like tooling to crimp insulated terminals larger than 10ga but not enough to actually buy them.  I know guy at the airport that has the crimpers for some of the larger insulated sizes.

I just slip some shrink tube over it before crimping/soldering, then heat it up over the bare parts.  Two layers if want to really be sure.

[Red Arrow]

I just slip some shrink tube over it before crimping/soldering, then heat it up over the bare parts.  Two layers if want to really be sure.

It works but it's the difference between professional appearance and homemade appearance.  We have insulating boots available in the airplane world that cover the entire terminal and the stud/bolt.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/termnips.php

[custosnox]

It was stepping out of the shower that got me.  George Costanza'd big time.

That is why I took showers hot enough to turn the bathroom into a steam room.  By the time I opened the bathroom door to let the cold in, I was dry and dressed.

[patric]

Power lines keep sparking wildfires. Why don't utility companies bury them?

https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article221707650.html

[heironymouspasparagus]

Power lines keep sparking wildfires. Why don't utility companies bury them?

https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article221707650.html

Costs money.  Pure and simple.

Same reason they lose 30% of the power they generate just in line losses before it even gets to your house on those big transmission lines.  Adding wires is easy fix physically, but cost money fix.

There is no "energy crisis" in this country when they can 'afford' to literally throw away 1/3 of the power they generate.  And still sell it to you for 9 cents per kwh.

[patric]

Costs money.  Pure and simple.

The death toll from just one line failure-spawned fire in California is expected to be more than a thousand, with over ten thousand structures burned.
I wonder what that will cost, by comparison.

[heironymouspasparagus]

The death toll from just one line failure-spawned fire in California is expected to be more than a thousand, with over ten thousand structures burned.
I wonder what that will cost, by comparison.

Back in the 1800's, one of the railroad presidents said it was cheaper to replace a broken worker than to fix a bad railroad car coupler design.   Maybe got the same thing going here?



And no, I don't really believe that - but it IS true that they don't fix the line loss problem due to cost of wire.  Buried wire will be a LOT more expensive!  They are not gonna love that very much...