Single Wire Utility Transformers?

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Like I said in related post. Every time that I amprobed a copper water service & steel gas pipe leading outside that had this one wire feed to primary side of cheap shake Ultility distribution transformer there was usually at least 0.2 amps of current flow. Even when the main breaker was off or meter removed .
 
garbo said:
Like I said in related post. Every time that I amprobed a copper water service & steel gas pipe leading outside that had this one wire feed to primary side of cheap shake Ultility distribution transformer there was usually at least 0.2 amps of current flow. Even when the main breaker was off or meter removed .
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That is always the case where there is a common metal underground piping system. The piping is connected to the neutral at each service and it is a parallel path for the neutral current. It is not uncommon to find 20% or more of the neutral current flowing on a common metal underground water piping system.
 
Let's talk money ... Who is paying for this excess energy that the utilities are pumping into the ground ?
 
Is this a 100 % return, or are there any losses ? Why use the earth as a return, how about using a dedicated wire return instead ?
 
mtnelect said:
Is this a 100 % return, or are there any losses ? Why use the earth as a return, how about using a dedicated wire return instead ?
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Ohhhh, you're still thinking SWER, which I said nobody uses anymore earlier in this thread.

We have been discussing systems with a neutral conductor.
 
mtnelect said:
Yes ... That would clear up all these gradients that we have to attend with.
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I'm 99% sure you don't have SWER distribution where you are.

If you do, it should have been remedied decades ago.

Yes, the SWER system was a horrible idea, and why is obvious.


The gradients we have been discussing are about systems with neutrals.
 
electrofelon said:
huh? Letting some current travel back to the source through a parallel path like the dirt is lowering the resistance and reducing losses.
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Mean while it creates a potent dangerous and expensive repair bill to home owners. My block of maybe 30 homes were built in 1964. As soon as we moved in back in 1975 and were away for a few days would always have a faint gas smell. By the time the gas company came out odor disappeared. Fast forward a few years and most of the steel current carrying pipes leaked and had gas company sleeve a plastic line inside of leaking pipe. A lot of the copper water lines leading out to the street had been rep!aced.Our Vo Tech shop teacher told us back in the 1960's that worst thing about a steel gas pipe carrying current when it runs close to a grounded source sparking can occur creating a hole in the pipe and causing an explosion. Not sure if local electrical provider in my area still will go out where the energised wire on an old 30 amp two wire 120 volt service would remove the remaining good wire ( neutral ) and connect that to the energised side and use the copper water service to.provide power. They told the customer that they had to get a new service within 30 days or else they would cut off old wire. Would not want to be the guy replacing a water meter without the bonding jumper during that.
 
mtnelect said:
Is this a 100 % return, or are there any losses ? Why use the earth as a return, how about using a dedicated wire return instead ?
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There is resistance in the "normal" conductors as well which yields some losses in them.

Even the transformers have some losses. They wouldn't need to be designed to dissipate heat if there were no losses.
 
garbo said:
Mean while it creates a potent dangerous and expensive repair bill to home owners. My block of maybe 30 homes were built in 1964. As soon as we moved in back in 1975 and were away for a few days would always have a faint gas smell. By the time the gas company came out odor disappeared. Fast forward a few years and most of the steel current carrying pipes leaked and had gas company sleeve a plastic line inside of leaking pipe. A lot of the copper water lines leading out to the street had been rep!aced.Our Vo Tech shop teacher told us back in the 1960's that worst thing about a steel gas pipe carrying current when it runs close to a grounded source sparking can occur creating a hole in the pipe and causing an explosion. Not sure if local electrical provider in my area still will go out where the energised wire on an old 30 amp two wire 120 volt service would remove the remaining good wire ( neutral ) and connect that to the energised side and use the copper water service to.provide power. They told the customer that they had to get a new service within 30 days or else they would cut off old wire. Would not want to be the guy replacing a water meter without the bonding jumper during that.
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None of that has anything to do with MGN distribution.
 
kwired said:
There is resistance in the "normal" conductors as well which yields some losses in them.

Even the transformers have some losses. They wouldn't need to be designed to dissipate heat if there were no losses.
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Unless you build a system with superconductors, there are always losses.
 
Nothing will change ..."We are only just pawns in the game of Life".
Can anybody come up with this quote in a famous movie ?
 
mtnelect said:
Nothing will change ..."We are only just pawns in the game of Life".
Can anybody come up with this quote in a famous movie ?
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Close to Mongo's statement in Blazing Saddles.

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