Unfortunately, the Radar Engineers ultrasonic tracker is way out of the
price range of most amateurs. While the MFJ one isn't as sensitive, it
can be useful. I've often been able to hear the offending source with
it, and sometime identify the offending hardware.
73,
Scott K9MA
On 1/11/2021 4:40 PM, Mike Martin wrote:
Chuck there is so many variables that in my opinion it would not be a good idea
to request them to change out lightning arrestors.
Lightning arrestors are almost never intermittent and either are transformers.
I just finished the job in Tennessee where they had been working for a year on
all kinds of suspected hardware. I found the problem to be a faulty transformer
we replaced it and everything was good. My point here being if you don't know
what the source is by all means don't request them to change hardware that's
unnecessary to change. Imagine it being your car, you're taking it to the
dealer and they tell you well it's running rough we think we need to change the
fuel injection system. Are you going to tell them to go ahead and take a shot
in the dark maybe he'll get lucky and then pay for it if they're wrong? That's
what you're asking them to do. In addition, you're wasting a good opportunity
to be correct about the problem and score points with your utility. Being right
is great being wrong hurts the chances of you getting something else taken care
of later. I don't know what kind of ultrasound dish you have but if it is not
the radar engineers model 250 or 251 it is extremely unreliable for overhead
sources. I've used the mfj many times and many times find the source not
exposed enough to be detected. However, I pull out my radar engineers 251 and
can easily detect it. It's a matter of game. the more gain you have the less
direct line of sight you need to have to the sparking source.
If you have a recording of the noise please forward it to me and I can possibly
tell you if it's a lightning arrestor or a transformer.
You're welcome to call me to discuss it. 240, 508, 3760. And I'm on Eastern
standard Time.
Best wishes with finding your source and again you're welcome to call me
Mike k3RFI
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On Jan 11, 2021, 3:16 PM, at 3:16 PM, "EDWARDS, EDDIE J via RFI"
<rfi@contesting.com> wrote:
Chuck,
Besides the lightning arrestor which is an easy fix, other things that
can be blocked on ultra-sonic dishes are the transformer itself with
internal arcing; and also on top of the transformer there might be a
squirrel guard mounted so it's not visible to the ground unless you
walk farther away. Squirrel guards with multiple prongs jutting out in
every direction can actually start up and get worse with rain just
opposite of the other hardware on a wood pole. They act like a Jacobs
ladder in the rain until going full out noisy.
There are RF quite squirrel guards that work well. So if that's it,
get them to install a better guard.
If it's the transformer, it'll blow up eventually, but they'll want to
replace it before then.
73, de ed -K0iL
-----Original Message-----
From: RFI <rfi-bounces+eedwards=oppd.com@contesting.com> On Behalf Of
Charles Plunk
Sent: Monday, January 11, 2021 1:20 PM
To: rfi@contesting.com
Subject: [RFI] Pole mounted lightning arresters?
READ THIS FIRST! This is NOT an OPPD email.Be very cautious of any
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malicious.
Long Story but will try to keep it to my point. I have triangulated my
power line arc to a pole. Fairly typical 3 phase old residential but
busy pole. Insulators, disconnects, lightning arresters, a transformer,
etc. Pole is a junction as the 3 phase goes off in 3 directions from
that pole. Arc is not affected by rain. And I cannot hear it with my
ultrasonic dish. In the past I have pinpointed bad hardware on other
poles with the dish.
I suspect the lightning arresters. There are 3 on there, one for each
phase and I assume very little way I could tell which one. Rural
utility, knows little about and/or is not concerned about arc rfi other
than past dealings with me and TVA (power distributor who does have rfi
location capabilities but is rather difficult to get them out to do).
And now the arc is intermittent. Today its pulsing about every second.
Next week it may get solid for a while or go away entirely. And of
course if TVA comes out, it will be gone.
What hardware, other than lightning arresters (arcing internally) would
not be affected by rain and I could not hear with the dish?
Would it be reasonable enough to ask the util to replace the lightning
arresters before bugging TVA?
Any thoughts appreciated.
Thanks,
Chuck
AF4O
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Scott K9MA
k9ma@sdellington.us
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