Utility guy says transformer needs replacing due to high use

Space Toker · Feb 6, 2015

A utility guys shows up and says the transformer needs replacing within a couple months due to high use causing it to wear out quicker. This is maybe 100 feet from the house and almost 40 years old so probably needed replacing soon anyway. I use no more than some other families in the winter. A lot less then some people here, that's for sure. Higher than average I'm sure, but not into crazy high territory by any means, nothing that some families can and do use.

So, the question is, what's next? Will anyone else show up other than the guy replacing the transformer and his crew? Will anyone need to come in?

Space Toker · Feb 6, 2015

this guy was in a plain vehicle with a safety vest on. There has been more chopper activity the last few days especially and even the last couple weeks. This guy marked the pole with a white X with an arrow pointing down, took some pictures of the pole, sat there forever, stopped and sat there a couple more times down the drive and at least once in the road. Then the state chopper went by. So just want to have some idea if this is to be taken at face value or not. thanks

stoned-trout · Feb 6, 2015

transformer will be replaced without anyone coming in your place...smoke a j and watch

EsterEssence · Feb 6, 2015

My neighbors upgraded the service to their house, the elec co came out and flat out said we know what you are doing ,if you are going to light this place up you need to replace the transformer. You should of seen the look on my neighbor's face, priceless...

Lester Beans · Feb 6, 2015

In my area they use choppers to inspect poles and lines.

growshopfrank · Feb 6, 2015

ST are you saying that they replaced the transformer and it failed again?
If that's the case I would be a little worried.
If they are just replacing a aged transformer I wouldn't worry at all because we all are using more hydro these days
I know a poor soul that got caught because he smoked two transformers back to back and it pissed the utility off so they did some investigating and called the cops (50 lighter in a residential area lol)

If you are paranoid about it get one of those infrared thermometers and compare the temperature of the transformer with others in the neighborhood

Space Toker · Feb 6, 2015

50 lighter?! Damn, I use nowhere close to that (move a decimal point and that would be closer)! Now, what is the transformer exactly? The whole cylinder/trashcan shaped and sized thing with white twisty ceramic things coming out, or something inside that?

The reason I ask is, we had a big freak October snowstorm, 2011 I think? Knocked out power for a good long while, you could hear what I assumed were transformers blowing, kind of like microwave popcorn popping. There was extensive utility activity for like 3 days, one of which there were like 8 big vehicles with cherry pickers taking over our field like it was their regional headquarters. No more than 2 working at a time though, the rest just seemed to be standing around and shooting the shit.

Anyway, they were working on that pole at that time, but the exterior of the transformer is the same as it was in the late 70's. So I don't think it was replaced, but I don't know. It's hard to imagine that it wasn't replaced, but looks the same. I found it a little freaky that he mentioned high use causing it to need replacing, but without getting too specific, I know several families that use the same, a couple easily double what we use.

resinryder · Feb 6, 2015

Space Toker;6789408 The whole cylinder/trashcan shaped and sized thing with white twisty ceramic things coming out [/quote said:
That would be it!!

Space Toker · Feb 6, 2015

please spell it out for me: that means if the transformer had been replaced, the exterior would be new too right?

growshopfrank · Feb 6, 2015

Yes the transformer is the trashcan looking deal. I have never heard of a utility doing anything other than cleaning or changing the posts(where the wires attach) on the pole so if it looks old it most likely is still to original transformer.
The "transformer" is a steel can filled with oil that helps cool the actual transformer inside.
When a transformer fails big it is more like a large bomb going off than microwave popcorn. that popping that you heard might have been lines arching from ice buildup FWIW
It sounds like what is happening in your neighborhood is just normal line maintenance

Space Toker · Feb 6, 2015

My brother was the one to actually talk to him, and he came home for lunch with more details. I don't want to mention race as I am not racist, but bro said it was a black guy in a BMW. My brother mentioned electric heating and hot tub when the subject of high use came up, and after my brother left all he did was spray that downward arrow on the pole and take a picture and leave.

So, if he really was an electric worker, would he know specifics about our usage or even that it is high? If posing as a utility worker, who could he be? Bro's friends at work think it's fishy. I actually would have worried less if he just said the transformer needed replacing and nothing about use. Like I said, we don't use that crazy an amount, plenty that use more and plenty that use less. Strange, hopefully nothing will come of it besides a new transformer.

edit: if the transformer really was an issue, why would they not call and set up a time and just fix it? why send someone out to take pics? I was watching him like a hawk from indoors, and all he did was take a pic or two, pole only as far as I could tell (could not watch every second, didn't want to seem fishy myself), and kept stopping and parking his car before finally leaving.

2nd edit: I appreciate the support and help and think and hope it is nothing.

3rd edit: I guess if someone said what this guy did is standard utility company procedure, I would feel better!

FlowerFarmer · Feb 6, 2015

I wouldn't worry too much about it. They'll likely just come swap the transformer if that is what is needing done. Shouldn't involve anything on your end as it'd just be pole work.

You'll lose power momentarily so they might come speak to you to warn you of that, but there is no reason for them to come inside.

Since we are on the topic.. how much load can these transformers handle. I've got a 5 acre property and the neighbor also has a 5 acre parcel which is accessed through mine. It appears that we share the same transformer (one trash can thing on the pole where our lines split to each house). Does this mean that the transformer must handle our usage combined? This is down my driveway a bit (not at the street) so it's not feeding any other houses except our 2 it appears.

I run around 12k in lights, he runs nothing however might be selling his house and a buddy was considering buying it. He would then also be growing semi-commercial so we'd have a lot of draw into our 2 parcels..which appear to feed from the same transformer/poles. This worries me that the additional pull would bring some heat and possibly cause problems overloading that transformer or something. I've been encouraging a friend to try to get it (so that I know I've got a cool neighbor), but I know he'd be going big as well so perhaps it's not the greatest idea since we feed from what appear to be the same transformer.

Also, I also have a pole building nowhere near the house that I considered building out to move the 12k grow to.. and then up it to 20k+ or so. It would have to come off of another pole (from the line that heads over towards my neighbors) so I'd imagine it'd get it's own meter. I'm curious if this is possible and again if that single transforming feeding into the 2 properties would fail/cause issues.

At an old house we had a transformer pop during a thunderstorm. It sparked and blew chunks of ceramic all over the street. They just came and replaced it the following morning. They appear to replace the entire can.

Space Toker · Feb 6, 2015

thanks! I know my neighbor has one too, maybe more than one neighbor. I think they did have to replace one but not mine come to think of it. Whatever they did to restore our power involved fixing something down the road from me.

Adze · Feb 6, 2015

If the transformer has been there for years likely demand has risen requiring a larger transformer, so they swap it out. On the other hand utility workers drive company cars, don't they? Never seen one in a BMW though.

Dirty Harry · Feb 6, 2015

In the US, utilities will replace a failing transformer (if they can catch it before it burns). They are quit spectacular when the do burn and blow. The warning was probably to give you a heads up of losing power for 15-45 min and for you to shut down sensitive electronics.
Transforms wear out. Some transformers are for area stepping up/down in the distribution service. Most houses do have a dedicated transformer for each home. Those are close and only have wires feeding from it to that property.

Mad Lab · Feb 6, 2015

Is this PG&E or another power company?

Dirty Harry · Feb 6, 2015

FlowerFarmer said:
... It appears that we share the same transformer (one trash can thing on the pole where our lines split to each house). Does this mean that the transformer must handle our usage combined?...

Yes, it seems like all are pulling from the same transformer. If it fails, you both lose power. If a transformer in a substation or in the distribution system fails...parts of a city or the whole city can lose power.

Holdin' · Feb 6, 2015

I thought in most residential, neighborhood settings (with overhead power) that 2-4 houses pull from the same transformer?

And in residential settings with underground power, each home has its own transformer, in the form of a green box somewhere on the property.

I know that's probably not rule of thumb, but seems to be the case in my area.

I find it slightly odd that the dude came out in a personal vehicle... but that could be relatively innocuous, as various power companies may have different protocols. For example, your power company may use private contractors for some jobs... For instance, power company notes that your transformer is xx years old, contacts a private contractor to replace it, and dude runs out real quick to take a look, and mark it for when his crew replaces it.

The "high use" comment is probably nothing... he was probably just saying it needs to be replaced because it's old and had seen lots of wear, thus needs to be upgraded. If you're only running 4-6 lights, a lot of houses that don't grow herb use well over that in day to day life, like you said. Some people have an electric furnace for heat, which can be on the upper end of 10-20kw. Relatively speaking, a 5-10kw garden uses the same amount of power as a non-energy-efficient family dwelling.

Also, it would be very rare for them to call you and set an "appointment"... so there's no reason to expect that they would do that. At most they would knock on the door and give you a heads up that your power is going to be out for a bit while they work.

In summary, I think you have nothing to worry about :yes:

stoned-trout · Feb 6, 2015

here we go...yeehaw.... your a small fish bro I wouldn't sweat it...

Space Toker · Feb 7, 2015

I don't understand the yeehaw bit, but thanks!

Utility guy says transformer needs replacing due to high use

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