Hello,

'They' are installing a new power line near here using this type of
pole:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...30961795865650

What sort of voltage / current would this kind of pole supply?

There are also some of these nearby:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...30956512187202

Same question!

In a recent thread about power cables to houses in the sticks, someone
mentioned that the electricity companies aren't too keen on installing
(I think it was...) 3,000 volt wires on poles, instead preferring a
higher voltage. Why is this? Are the transformers-in-a-can that strap
to the utility poles of a similar price to the lower priced ones? I
only make that supposition as it would seem more sensible to supply at
a higher voltage as close as possible to the customer's premises to
reduce the losses. Is this in any way right?!

Thanks in advance,

David Paste.

In message
,
David Paste writes
Hello,

'They' are installing a new power line near here using this type of
pole:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...lbums/55613508
72537605089/5724230961795865650

What sort of voltage / current would this kind of pole supply?
They're about to install one near me. An existing pole has a planning
application notice on it with details, including the voltage, so it may
be worth looking nearby if no-one here is able to be precise.


There are also some of these nearby:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...lbums/55613508
72537605089/5724230956512187202

Same question!

In a recent thread about power cables to houses in the sticks, someone
mentioned that the electricity companies aren't too keen on installing
(I think it was...) 3,000 volt wires on poles, instead preferring a
higher voltage. Why is this? Are the transformers-in-a-can that strap
to the utility poles of a similar price to the lower priced ones? I
only make that supposition as it would seem more sensible to supply at
a higher voltage as close as possible to the customer's premises to
reduce the losses. Is this in any way right?!

Thanks in advance,

David Paste.

--
Nick (=----)

On 26/03/2012 16:55, David Paste wrote:
Hello,

'They' are installing a new power line near here using this type of
pole:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...30961795865650

What sort of voltage / current would this kind of pole supply?

There are also some of these nearby:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...30956512187202

Same question!


The second photo looks like an 11kV line feeding a pole mounted
transformer. I've not seen the first type, but the insulators are
obviously for a higher voltage, perhaps 33kV, which would be the next
step up in the distribution system.

Colin Bignell

Nightjar wrote:

On 26/03/2012 16:55, David Paste wrote:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...30961795865650

I've not seen the first type, but the insulators are
obviously for a higher voltage, perhaps 33kV, which would be the next
step up in the distribution system.

The 33kV ones I notice are mostly double-post ones, like this

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/449934

But the type in David's photo could well be a new 33kV variation

In article
..com, David Paste scribeth thus
Hello,

'They' are installing a new power line near here using this type of
pole:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...61350872537605
089/5724230961795865650

What sort of voltage / current would this kind of pole supply?

That looks quite different from any around up here in East Anglywold.
Judging from the size of the insulators I'd reckon that'd be a 132 kV
version.

I have seen something almost identical here for a while standing in
whilst a 132 line was being re built.

I don't think they run 66 kV and 33 aren't that much different to the
Three phase version of the one below which is a 11 kV single phase apart
from having more beefy insulators..


There are also some of these nearby:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...61350872537605
089/5724230956512187202

Same question!

In a recent thread about power cables to houses in the sticks, someone
mentioned that the electricity companies aren't too keen on installing
(I think it was...) 3,000 volt wires on poles, instead preferring a
higher voltage. Why is this?

Losses .. higher volts mean less Ohmic resistive losses..

Are the transformers-in-a-can that strap
to the utility poles of a similar price to the lower priced ones? I
only make that supposition as it would seem more sensible to supply at
a higher voltage as close as possible to the customer's premises to
reduce the losses. Is this in any way right?!

Yes..


Thanks in advance,

David Paste.

--
Tony Sayer

On 26/03/2012 18:00, tony sayer wrote:
In
.com, David scribeth thus
Hello,

'They' are installing a new power line near here using this type of
pole:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...61350872537605
089/5724230961795865650

What sort of voltage / current would this kind of pole supply?

That looks quite different from any around up here in East Anglywold.
Judging from the size of the insulators I'd reckon that'd be a 132 kV
version.

I have seen something almost identical here for a while standing in
whilst a 132 line was being re built.

I don't think they run 66 kV and 33 aren't that much different to the
Three phase version of the one below which is a 11 kV single phase apart
from having more beefy insulators..


There are also some of these nearby:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...61350872537605
089/5724230956512187202

Same question!

In a recent thread about power cables to houses in the sticks, someone
mentioned that the electricity companies aren't too keen on installing
(I think it was...) 3,000 volt wires on poles, instead preferring a
higher voltage. Why is this?

Losses .. higher volts mean less Ohmic resistive losses..

Are the transformers-in-a-can that strap
to the utility poles of a similar price to the lower priced ones? I
only make that supposition as it would seem more sensible to supply at
a higher voltage as close as possible to the customer's premises to
reduce the losses. Is this in any way right?!

Yes..


Thanks in advance,

David Paste.


For what its worth, I was on work experience with overhead linesmen when
I was 16. I had the voltages drummed into me as follows:

Supergrid voltages are 400kV or 275kV

National grid then goes 132kV, 66kV, 33kV, 11kV 415kV and then down to
230/240V to consumers.

On 26/03/2012 20:16, Stephen H wrote:
On 26/03/2012 18:00, tony sayer wrote:
In
.com, David scribeth thus
Hello,

'They' are installing a new power line near here using this type of
pole:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...61350872537605

089/5724230961795865650

What sort of voltage / current would this kind of pole supply?

That looks quite different from any around up here in East Anglywold.
Judging from the size of the insulators I'd reckon that'd be a 132 kV
version.

I have seen something almost identical here for a while standing in
whilst a 132 line was being re built.

I don't think they run 66 kV and 33 aren't that much different to the
Three phase version of the one below which is a 11 kV single phase apart
from having more beefy insulators..


There are also some of these nearby:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...61350872537605

089/5724230956512187202

Same question!

In a recent thread about power cables to houses in the sticks, someone
mentioned that the electricity companies aren't too keen on installing
(I think it was...) 3,000 volt wires on poles, instead preferring a
higher voltage. Why is this?

Losses .. higher volts mean less Ohmic resistive losses..

Are the transformers-in-a-can that strap
to the utility poles of a similar price to the lower priced ones? I
only make that supposition as it would seem more sensible to supply at
a higher voltage as close as possible to the customer's premises to
reduce the losses. Is this in any way right?!

Yes..


Thanks in advance,

David Paste.


For what its worth, I was on work experience with overhead linesmen when
I was 16. I had the voltages drummed into me as follows:

Supergrid voltages are 400kV or 275kV

National grid then goes 132kV, 66kV, 33kV, 11kV 415V and then down to
230/240V to consumers.



Oops, just removed a k from 415kV to become 415V...

On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:17:39 +0100, Stephen H wrote:

For what its worth, I was on work experience with overhead
linesmen
when I was 16.

I take that was a while ago and the memory has become a bit fuzzy or
you didn't really understand what you where told.

Supergrid voltages are 400kV or 275kV

National grid then goes 132kV, 66kV, 33kV, 11kV 415V and then down
to
230/240V to consumers.

National Grid stops at 133 or 125kV or there abouts. The REC's take
over the lower voltage distribution

Oops, just removed a k from 415kV to become 415V...

415v is the voltage between the phases of a 3 phase supply. The same
supply gives 240v phase to neutral.

And I can't see the pictures on that silly google+ load of ****e just
get a blank page.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Mar 27, 12:47*am, "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

National Grid stops at 133 or 125kV or there abouts.

What sort of maximum voltages are stuck through the big metal pylon,
do you know? Also, what sort of current do they carry?

Cheers.

On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:16:32 +0100, Stephen H
wrote:

On 26/03/2012 18:00, tony sayer wrote:
In
.com, David scribeth thus
Hello,

'They' are installing a new power line near here using this type of
pole:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...61350872537605
089/5724230961795865650

What sort of voltage / current would this kind of pole supply?

That looks quite different from any around up here in East Anglywold.
Judging from the size of the insulators I'd reckon that'd be a 132 kV
version.

I have seen something almost identical here for a while standing in
whilst a 132 line was being re built.

I don't think they run 66 kV and 33 aren't that much different to the
Three phase version of the one below which is a 11 kV single phase apart
from having more beefy insulators..


There are also some of these nearby:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...61350872537605
089/5724230956512187202

Same question!

In a recent thread about power cables to houses in the sticks, someone
mentioned that the electricity companies aren't too keen on installing
(I think it was...) 3,000 volt wires on poles, instead preferring a
higher voltage. Why is this?

Losses .. higher volts mean less Ohmic resistive losses..

Are the transformers-in-a-can that strap
to the utility poles of a similar price to the lower priced ones? I
only make that supposition as it would seem more sensible to supply at
a higher voltage as close as possible to the customer's premises to
reduce the losses. Is this in any way right?!

Yes..


Thanks in advance,

David Paste.


For what its worth, I was on work experience with overhead linesmen when
I was 16. I had the voltages drummed into me as follows:

Supergrid voltages are 400kV or 275kV

National grid then goes 132kV, 66kV, 33kV, 11kV 415kV and then down to
230/240V to consumers.

Until just a few years ago, my local substation (just around the
corner) had an input voltage of 20kV.
(North East Electricity Board (NEEB) were the original operators).

--
Frank Erskine

On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:22:13 +0100, Frank Erskine
wrote:

ummed into me as follows:

Supergrid voltages are 400kV or 275kV

National grid then goes 132kV, 66kV, 33kV, 11kV 415kV and then down to
230/240V to consumers.

Until just a few years ago, my local substation (just around the
corner) had an input voltage of 20kV.
(North East Electricity Board (NEEB) were the original operators).

I wonder if it went further back than that, one of the constituent
companies of NEEB will have been The North Eastern Electric supply
company NESCo, who started in 1899 as the Newcastle upon Tyne
Electric supply company who changed their name but not initials as
they expanded.
This company pioneered efficient commercial electric distribution in
Britain and the North East had a sizable interconnected network from
an early date and a lot of their work and expertise was used when the
grid was developed . One thing that was changed from their original
network was the frequency NESCo used 40 Hz until the whole country
standardised on 50Hz.

G.Harman

Stephen H wrote:

National grid then goes 132kV, 66kV, 33kV, 11kV 415kV and then down to
230/240V to consumers.

Why do they transform it back up to 415kV before dropping it to LV?

Bill

On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:47:18 +0100, Bill Wright
wrote:

National grid then goes 132kV, 66kV, 33kV, 11kV 415kV and then down to
230/240V to consumers.

Why do they transform it back up to 415kV before dropping it to LV?

In the hope a flashover might take out Drivel and Dennis.

Stephen H pretended :
On 26/03/2012 18:00, tony sayer wrote:
In
.com, David scribeth thus
Hello,

'They' are installing a new power line near here using this type of
pole:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...61350872537605
089/5724230961795865650

What sort of voltage / current would this kind of pole supply?

That looks quite different from any around up here in East Anglywold.
Judging from the size of the insulators I'd reckon that'd be a 132 kV
version.

I have seen something almost identical here for a while standing in
whilst a 132 line was being re built.

I don't think they run 66 kV and 33 aren't that much different to the
Three phase version of the one below which is a 11 kV single phase apart
from having more beefy insulators..


There are also some of these nearby:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...61350872537605
089/5724230956512187202

Same question!

In a recent thread about power cables to houses in the sticks, someone
mentioned that the electricity companies aren't too keen on installing
(I think it was...) 3,000 volt wires on poles, instead preferring a
higher voltage. Why is this?

Losses .. higher volts mean less Ohmic resistive losses..

Are the transformers-in-a-can that strap
to the utility poles of a similar price to the lower priced ones? I
only make that supposition as it would seem more sensible to supply at
a higher voltage as close as possible to the customer's premises to
reduce the losses. Is this in any way right?!

Yes..


Thanks in advance,

David Paste.


For what its worth, I was on work experience with overhead linesmen when I
was 16. I had the voltages drummed into me as follows:

Supergrid voltages are 400kV or 275kV

National grid then goes 132kV, 66kV, 33kV, 11kV 415kV and then down to
230/240V to consumers.

They also use 3.3Kv on some local supply lines.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

In article ,
David Paste writes:
Hello,

'They' are installing a new power line near here using this type of
pole:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...30961795865650

What sort of voltage / current would this kind of pole supply?

Only place I've seen those in the UK is on the A505 heading towards
Cambridge:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Camb...6 8,,1,-15.39

Sorry, don't know the voltage.

There are also some of these nearby:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...30956512187202

Same question!

As others said, that's 11kV.

In a recent thread about power cables to houses in the sticks, someone
mentioned that the electricity companies aren't too keen on installing
(I think it was...) 3,000 volt wires on poles, instead preferring a
higher voltage. Why is this? Are the transformers-in-a-can that strap

11kV is the lowest. 33kV is the next size up.

On cost/voltage drop basis, rough rule of thumb is 1kV per mile of cable
run, so an 11kV cable will do 10 miles, whereas a 33kV run will do
30 miles. But the load is important too, and you may well find a 33kV
cable on a shorter run if the load is high enough to merit it.

to the utility poles of a similar price to the lower priced ones? I
only make that supposition as it would seem more sensible to supply at
a higher voltage as close as possible to the customer's premises to
reduce the losses. Is this in any way right?!

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:55:29 -0700 (PDT), David Paste
wrote:

Hello,

'They' are installing a new power line near here using this type of
pole:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...30961795865650

What sort of voltage / current would this kind of pole supply?

132000 Volt . May surprise a lot of people on here to find that such a
voltage is now carried on single wooden poles . A relatively recent
development by some of the regional distributors to enable them to
meet rising power demands and reinforce their networks . Other
installations such as this one
http://www.westernpower.co.uk/getdoc...alTrident.aspx
are to link wind farms etc into the network.

There are also some of these nearby:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...30956512187202

Same question!
11000 Volt. Rough guide used to be 2 wires 11000 Volt, 3 wires 33000
Volt but as your first query shows its not that straight forward
anymore.

G.Harman

On Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:29:52 +0100, wrote:

11000 Volt. Rough guide used to be 2 wires 11000 Volt, 3 wires 33000
Volt but as your first query shows its not that straight forward
anymore.

I would say that 3 = 33kV would hardly ever be right. Round here the
majority of the distribution is 3 phase (thus wires) @ 11k. There are
a number of two wire spurs but the main distribution is all 3 phase.

The local substation is fed with 33kV and it looks very similar to
the 11kV but the insulators are just a little bigger, IIRC they are
two stacked saucers with a skirt rather than just the one for 11kV.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Mar 27, 12:29*am, wrote:

132000 Volt . May surprise a lot of people on here to find that such a
voltage is now carried on single wooden poles.

Thanks. Do you know how much current is carried on these high-voltage
wires?

[snipp]

Other installations such as this one
http://www.westernpower.co.uk/getdoc...-b5bc-5991b6a4...
are to link wind farms etc into the network.

Thanks, I did see some of the wooden twin-pole units around there too.
I presume they use them at places where the direction of the lines
changes, and (in this case) where it meets the M6 and presumably needs
a bit more hight to clear the carriageways.

11000 Volt. * Rough guide used to be 2 wires 11000 Volt, 3 wires 33000
Volt but as your first query shows *its not that straight forward
anymore.

Pardon my ignorance, but wouldn't a 3-phase supply need 4 wires - the
3 phases plus a neutral? Or does it not work like that?

On Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:00:23 -0700 (PDT), David Paste wrote:

Pardon my ignorance, but wouldn't a 3-phase supply need 4 wires - the
3 phases plus a neutral? Or does it not work like that?

Doesn't work like that. Provided the current in all phases is the
same there is no neutral current so you don't need a neutral wire. A
fair amount of care is taken to ensure that the phases are (more or
less) in balance.

Where there is a neutral it is bonded to ground (as in the big round
thing we inhabit) at the sub station. The grid does have a neutral
wire, that's the much smaller wire running pylon top to pylon top.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...

Where there is a neutral it is bonded to ground (as in the big round
thing we inhabit) at the sub station.

There is a substation behind where I work that has a notice on the gate
"Earth depleted site contact control before entering" (IIRC). So I guess the
pikeys have been around again.

David Paste wrote:
On Mar 27, 12:29 am, wrote:

132000 Volt . May surprise a lot of people on here to find that such a
voltage is now carried on single wooden poles.

Thanks. Do you know how much current is carried on these high-voltage
wires?

[snipp]

Other installations such as this one
http://www.westernpower.co.uk/getdoc...-b5bc-5991b6a4...
are to link wind farms etc into the network.

Thanks, I did see some of the wooden twin-pole units around there too.
I presume they use them at places where the direction of the lines
changes, and (in this case) where it meets the M6 and presumably needs
a bit more hight to clear the carriageways.

11000 Volt. Rough guide used to be 2 wires 11000 Volt, 3 wires 33000
Volt but as your first query shows its not that straight forward
anymore.

Pardon my ignorance, but wouldn't a 3-phase supply need 4 wires - the
3 phases plus a neutral? Or does it not work like that?

It does not work like that.

There is a sort of neutral wire that is grounded and runs along the top
of the pylons, but it does not carry any - or very much - current.

transformers are connected between the phases. one side of a single
phase transformer is earthed and a neutral run from that to you.



--
To people who know nothing, anything is possible.
To people who know too much, it is a sad fact
that they know how little is really possible -
and how hard it is to achieve it.

On Tuesday, March 27, 2012 5:54:47 PM UTC+1, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
David Paste wrote:
On Mar 27, 12:29 am, wrote:

Pardon my ignorance, but wouldn't a 3-phase supply need 4 wires - the
3 phases plus a neutral? Or does it not work like that?

It does not work like that.

There is a sort of neutral wire that is grounded and runs along the top
of the pylons, but it does not carry any - or very much - current.

transformers are connected between the phases. one side of a single
phase transformer is earthed and a neutral run from that to you.

There are two ways of connecting the three phase transformers, Star (Y or Wye in the USA) and Delta; I think the terms ar fairly self-explanatory. If you are using the Delta configuration, there are only three conductors, with no neutral; if you are using a Star then there is a neutral to which one end of each winding is connected, but if the loads are perfectly balanced then there's no current at all in the neutral conductor. In the Star system you get a phase to neutral voltage which is equal to the phase to phase volts divided by the square root of 3. Main transmission lines can be run as Delta but you would not be able to use it for the final distribution circuits, where you usually see three phase cables run along the street with individual supplies taken from one phase and neutral, though you occasionaly see single phase only.

On 27/03/2012 18:44, wrote:

[...] if you are using a Star then there is a neutral to which one
end of each winding is connected,

There doesn't have to be a neutral. It's perfectly valid to have
star-connected sources and loads on a 3-ph 3-wire system. A motor with
a star-delta starter is an example, during start-up. If such a load is
unbalanced the star point will take up a voltage displaced from the
notional 'centre'. This sometimes happens with an o/c neutral on the LV
mains - some single-phase users get reduced volts and others get cooked
appliances.

IOW, star and delta connections is one topic and 3-ph 3-wire v. 3-ph
4-wire systems is quite another.

--
Andy