Pole mounted lightning arrestors
Pole mounted lightning arrestors
(OP)
Hello,
I'm more of a low voltage, instrumentation type and was curious about how the power company's pole mounted lightning arrestors work- say at the 14 kv level. I'm used to the gas filled or MOV type down here at the lo voltage level.
Can they fail in such a manner that a visual inspection can't catch?
I'm more of a low voltage, instrumentation type and was curious about how the power company's pole mounted lightning arrestors work- say at the 14 kv level. I'm used to the gas filled or MOV type down here at the lo voltage level.
Can they fail in such a manner that a visual inspection can't catch?






RE: Pole mounted lightning arrestors
Very few power companies use 14 kV arresters in the US, as the typical distribution voltage is 8 kV phase to ground on the primary. The secondary maybe a different story, as some utilities don't put arresters on the secondary (that's why customers should carry insurance).
Why would you think the utility companies arrester failed?
Sags and surges happen all the time, and these are typically not arrested because the magnitude is to small. And most sags and surges are caused by the customers, not the utility company.
RE: Pole mounted lightning arrestors
A bit of an overstatement. Out west at least, higher voltage distribution systems are pretty common. A lot of 20.8, 24.9 and now even 34.5 distribution feeders are in service.
RE: Pole mounted lightning arrestors
RE: Pole mounted lightning arrestors
However, if you have a street light you rent from them, they will typically drive by it monthly. So for an extra $15 to $25 a month you can get the utility to check the arrester.
I don't know if they have remote meter reading, or have a live person read the meter, but the meter readers don't usually know what to look for, so don't depend on that.
We do serve a few remote sites, and sometimes we have issues, but I don't hear that many.