Post by MCDemuth on Jun 3, 2019 20:23:51 GMT
We just had another powerline in the neighborhood, that was going to a home, fail last night, that resulted in an impressive, but extremely dangerous electrical light show... I couldn't help but be reminded of another wire that failed a few years ago, that was right behind my home, that also resulted in a colorful light show, that ended with the wire catching fire... But, fortunately, mine was not as "scary" as last night's was. In fact, last nights was so bad, that it was producing enough noise, and light, that half the neighborhood knew about it...
But these failed wires aren't the only problem my neighborhood is encountering...
A couple of power poles have rotted away, and they had to be replaced, because they were in the process of falling down!
In Addition, we still have a mystery that involves a loud "boom" that occurs about once a month...The power will go out for about two seconds, and then there is a loud boom, and then everything returns to normal... I've spoken with the electric company a few time about this, and they keep trying to blame this on SQUIRRELS, which are probably getting into the transformers... Well, possibly, But, if that is the case, They they must be wearing watches, because this almost always takes place around Noon, and as I recall on Mondays... However, not too long ago, we had one of these events on a Sunday evening near midnight... But, the weird thing is, I think I can oonly count on one hand, the number of squirrels that I have seen in the 25 years that I have lived in my neighborhood... There just are not enough squirrels around here to account for all of these events!
And So, with all these other failures going on... I highly doubt that SQUIRRELS are the problem...
The Power Grid should not be "Booming"!
This raises at least a couple of big questions...
Does your electric company... Routinely inspect your neighborhood to keep you safe?... or.. Do they just wait until things fail, before they do something about it?
Clearly, it seem they "wait", in my neighborhood!
After doing a Google Search for: Aging Power Grid ... 15,800,000 results... were listed. Clearly this isn't just a concern in my neighborhood.
One of the FAQs was "How old is the USA Power Grid?" The Answer?
"Parts of this network are more than a century old -- 70 percent of the grid's transmission lines and power transformers are over 25 years old, and the average age of power plants is over 30 years old."
Well, I've lived in My Neighborhood for over 24 years... and So, I know that it is at least that old.... But from what I understand, the neighborhood was built around 1964... That would mean that it is very likely, and there is evidence to support it, that much of the power grid in my neighborhood is probably 55 years old.
55 YEARS OLD!
Aside from the wiring, that is probably running though the walls of our older homes...I doubt most of us are using ANY ELECTRONICS that are that old... Should we be concerned then, that 50+ year old wiring, is just no longer safe?
If power lines and power poles are failing after 50 Years... What about those in the network that are over a century old? In other words, in use before 1919?
You hear stories all the time about how, bad Solar Storms could take out the power grid... Personally, I didn't think too much about it. But now... Solar Storms, Nuclear EMPs... And what about all of today's electronics? ALL those modern devices being plugged into 100 year old electrical wiring?
Forget about the National Grid for a minute... Is the wiring, just running throughout your neighborhood, able to keep up with the times, or even a national disaster? Even if it is... Now, what about that National Gid? Is it in good shape to get the power to your neighborhood?
EDIT...
We also need to ask ourselves...
Is that 50 year old main line wiring, also capable of supporting the increasing population?... The added strain... of more neighborhoods & more electronic devices being added to the grid?
Remember "A Christmas Story?" When they plugged-in that Leg Lamp light into the single, already over taxed, outlet? The Fuse Blew!
Have you seen additional wires or higher gauged "thicker" wiring being added to the poles in recent years?
I think our country (And All Countries)... need to stop worrying about petty things, such as: 100 year old Civil War statues... and start worrying about more important things, such as making sure that our infrastructure is being properly maintained... Or else, MANY of us could find ourselves having to live in the dark... Literally!... for a very long time!
This is something we ALL need to be thinking about...
And at the very least... The next time electricians are working in or around your home, Have them inspect the power grid wiring and the poles in your immediate area...
Be Safe, And Don't Take Chance!
And during an Emergency... Get far away from those "failing" old electrical wires!... And then call your Fire Department, and then call your Electric Company...
That's what my neighbor did.... Thankfully, no one was hurt, their house didn't catch fire... and the electricians made everything safe (AT LEAST FOR THEM!)
But these failed wires aren't the only problem my neighborhood is encountering...
A couple of power poles have rotted away, and they had to be replaced, because they were in the process of falling down!
In Addition, we still have a mystery that involves a loud "boom" that occurs about once a month...The power will go out for about two seconds, and then there is a loud boom, and then everything returns to normal... I've spoken with the electric company a few time about this, and they keep trying to blame this on SQUIRRELS, which are probably getting into the transformers... Well, possibly, But, if that is the case, They they must be wearing watches, because this almost always takes place around Noon, and as I recall on Mondays... However, not too long ago, we had one of these events on a Sunday evening near midnight... But, the weird thing is, I think I can oonly count on one hand, the number of squirrels that I have seen in the 25 years that I have lived in my neighborhood... There just are not enough squirrels around here to account for all of these events!
And So, with all these other failures going on... I highly doubt that SQUIRRELS are the problem...
The Power Grid should not be "Booming"!
This raises at least a couple of big questions...
Does your electric company... Routinely inspect your neighborhood to keep you safe?... or.. Do they just wait until things fail, before they do something about it?
Clearly, it seem they "wait", in my neighborhood!
After doing a Google Search for: Aging Power Grid ... 15,800,000 results... were listed. Clearly this isn't just a concern in my neighborhood.
One of the FAQs was "How old is the USA Power Grid?" The Answer?
"Parts of this network are more than a century old -- 70 percent of the grid's transmission lines and power transformers are over 25 years old, and the average age of power plants is over 30 years old."
Well, I've lived in My Neighborhood for over 24 years... and So, I know that it is at least that old.... But from what I understand, the neighborhood was built around 1964... That would mean that it is very likely, and there is evidence to support it, that much of the power grid in my neighborhood is probably 55 years old.
55 YEARS OLD!
Aside from the wiring, that is probably running though the walls of our older homes...I doubt most of us are using ANY ELECTRONICS that are that old... Should we be concerned then, that 50+ year old wiring, is just no longer safe?
If power lines and power poles are failing after 50 Years... What about those in the network that are over a century old? In other words, in use before 1919?
You hear stories all the time about how, bad Solar Storms could take out the power grid... Personally, I didn't think too much about it. But now... Solar Storms, Nuclear EMPs... And what about all of today's electronics? ALL those modern devices being plugged into 100 year old electrical wiring?
Forget about the National Grid for a minute... Is the wiring, just running throughout your neighborhood, able to keep up with the times, or even a national disaster? Even if it is... Now, what about that National Gid? Is it in good shape to get the power to your neighborhood?
EDIT...
We also need to ask ourselves...
Is that 50 year old main line wiring, also capable of supporting the increasing population?... The added strain... of more neighborhoods & more electronic devices being added to the grid?
Remember "A Christmas Story?" When they plugged-in that Leg Lamp light into the single, already over taxed, outlet? The Fuse Blew!
Have you seen additional wires or higher gauged "thicker" wiring being added to the poles in recent years?
I think our country (And All Countries)... need to stop worrying about petty things, such as: 100 year old Civil War statues... and start worrying about more important things, such as making sure that our infrastructure is being properly maintained... Or else, MANY of us could find ourselves having to live in the dark... Literally!... for a very long time!
This is something we ALL need to be thinking about...
And at the very least... The next time electricians are working in or around your home, Have them inspect the power grid wiring and the poles in your immediate area...
Be Safe, And Don't Take Chance!
And during an Emergency... Get far away from those "failing" old electrical wires!... And then call your Fire Department, and then call your Electric Company...
That's what my neighbor did.... Thankfully, no one was hurt, their house didn't catch fire... and the electricians made everything safe (AT LEAST FOR THEM!)