Transformers sitting in water

[detlevgrad]

Place:

Busy busy shopping mall.

Scenario:

An exterior underground vault containing hv transformers observed to be sitting in water from previous rain run off. Happens often apparently.

Problem:

Aside from the fact that these transformers are sitting in water in the first place, if the level of the water is high enough, it can reach the bottom of a metal rung ladder used to climb in and out of the vault. This metal ladder has a metal chain with a metal padlock attached to it. This chain and padlock is also attached to a metal grate, serving as the 'roof' for the vault (hence the rain runoff). The metal grate also happens to be part of a sidewalk along the side of the building for pedestrians (ie -shoppers) to get to the entrances of the mall.

Question:

How red should the flag be for me to raise to the owner about this?


Thanks

Detlev

 

[lpelectric]

It would seem to me, and I am only pontificating here, that if you have received training on the hazards involved with a set up (condition) like this and were not to bring it to someone's attention and yet you were involved by nature of a contract or other legal obligation, you could be held negligent should a disaster occur. This would be because you knew about it by reason of training and made a conscious decision to ignore it.

If, however, you were an innocent bystander without any legal (moral not discussed here) obligation or duty, it's doubtful you would be held liable.

I'm just guessing on this whole answer, by the way. :smile:

 

[Energize]

Place:

Busy busy shopping mall.

Scenario:

An exterior underground vault containing hv transformers observed to be sitting in water from previous rain run off. Happens often apparently.

Problem:

Aside from the fact that these transformers are sitting in water in the first place, if the level of the water is high enough, it can reach the bottom of a metal rung ladder used to climb in and out of the vault. This metal ladder has a metal chain with a metal padlock attached to it. This chain and padlock is also attached to a metal grate, serving as the 'roof' for the vault (hence the rain runoff). The metal grate also happens to be part of a sidewalk along the side of the building for pedestrians (ie -shoppers) to get to the entrances of the mall.

Question:

How red should the flag be for me to raise to the owner about this?


Thanks

Detlev

Crimsom.


Seriously, Depends upon your professional relationship with the owner.

Are you just a tenant of his? I would think urgerency of making him aware of the situation (in writing, just as you have described it here) would be more critical than explaining the reprecussions.

Are you the EC for his businesses? Then I would explain the existing situation (again, in writing) and possible reprecussions.

Either way, as a member of the public, I would report it to the Utility with some pictures if available.

Document, Document, Document.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

An exterior underground vault containing hv transformers observed to be sitting in water from previous rain run off.

Some transformers are designed so they can safely operate while submerged.
Don

 

[petersonra]

Some transformers are designed so they can safely operate while submerged.
Don

you beat me to it.

 

[detlevgrad]

Thanks

Thanks

Thanks all,

I was doing a building conditional assessment of the electrical systems for the mall.

I would like to believe that these transformers were designed to operate while submerged, but they look to be quite identical to other transformers located in other (aboveground) vaults around the mall from the same construction date. I really do not see these being constructed as such.

Still, even if they were, I don't like the fact that there is a potential path for a fault current to reach the metal grate that pedestrians walk on top of. Especially at 13.2kV. These transformers are only about 3 -4 feet below the metal grate.

I am going to recommend that the pedestrian sidewalk be cordoned off until a long term solution is found.

Detlev