POCO population control measures in Australia

[tek9]

We went to a house in Sydney,tripped breaker,caused by a faulty microwave,lady asked us about this black cable hanging about a foot over their roof top swimming pool,was horrified to see 11kv triplex,called ABC in oz,going from a pole to a recloser on the next pole,then down the gully to a junction with other cables,we went around the street,marking down the 3 pronged ring main,cut the locks with bolt cutters,worked the air breaks back and forward,then slammed the **** home,went back,opened the airbreaks to the triplex,called Endeavour energy,guy said,yeah,we lost the keys to some of the switches,so we just did that as a TEMPORARY measure,what,for 5 years,surely stuff like this doesn't happen in America.:rant:

 

[Besoeker]

We went to a house in Sydney,tripped breaker,caused by a faulty microwave,lady asked us about this black cable hanging about a foot over their roof top swimming pool,was horrified to see 11kv triplex,called ABC in oz,going from a pole to a recloser on the next pole,then down the gully to a junction with other cables,we went around the street,marking down the 3 pronged ring main,cut the locks with bolt cutters,worked the air breaks back and forward,then slammed the mofos home,went back,opened the airbreaks to the triplex,called Endeavour energy,guy said,yeah,we lost the keys to some of the switches,so we just did that as a TEMPORARY measure,what,for 5 years,surely stuff like this doesn't happen in America.:rant:

Maybe the prisoners weren't the sharpest tools in the box?

 

[grich]

About 20 years ago I saw 6900V single-phase lines in rural areas propped up with hot sticks after a storm broke off a couple of poles...the poco was trying to keep a nursing home with no generator functioning until their line crew could get the poles replaced. As far as I know, no locals were culled from the herd from that incident.

 

[tek9]

Would love to post pics,but with our slow internet connection,this computer gobblydegook keeps appearing,server timeout error,pops up,sorry bout that.

 

[kwired]

...guy said,yeah,we lost the keys to some of the switches,so we just did that as a TEMPORARY measure,what,for 5 years,surely stuff like this doesn't happen in America.:rant:

It doesn't happen around my neck of the woods.

Some POCO would not be all that happy about a non employee of their company cutting locks and tampering with their equipment though, even if your intentions were good, and may consider pressing criminal charges.

 

[tek9]

They went into damage control,guy who looked like he was from ASIO visited us at home,said,don't talk to the press,he obviously had a gun on him,well,my daughter said,we have guns too,he said,what,with no ccw in Australia,thank God she didn't start yapping bout the military stuff we've got,crews removed the cable,replaced all the old spindly CU 11kV mains and new switches,some extra reclosers,left the one on pole still hanging out at a crazy angle due to the pole being undermined by rats,local council had apparently tried to poison these guys,well that's where the Aussie expression,''as cunning as a sxxthouse rat''comes from.

 

[GoldDigger]

They went into damage control,guy who looked like he was from ASIO visited us at home,said,don't talk to the press,he obviously had a gun on him,well,my daughter said,we have guns too,he said,what,with no ccw in Australia,thank God she didn't start yapping bout the military stuff we've got,crews removed the cable,replaced all the old spindly CU 11kV mains and new switches,some extra reclosers,left the one on pole still hanging out at a crazy angle due to the pole being undermined by rats,local council had apparently tried to poison these guys,well that's where the Aussie expression,''as cunning as a sxxthouse rat''comes from.

Isn't it lucky that we are not the press!

By the way, the owner of this forum does not take kindly to what by conservative US standards may be considered either profanity or vulgarity. So far you colorful native language has not gone beyond the pale, but please be sensitive in what you post.
Thanks!

 

[broadgage]

Here in the UK I once used boltcutters to cut the lock on an 11KV air break switch in order to turn it off.
Storm damage had resulted in a still live 11KV line hanging down only just out of reach, and at risk of falling furthur.
Several of the still live 240/415 volt conductors supplied from the transformer were well within reach and were rendered dead by opening the switch.

So doing would normally be an offence, but I had the backing of the local police who loaned me the bolt cutters.