Any Ideas What This Is?

[gman76]

This LV distribution pole is located in a large residential area where fenced transformers on the ground are the norm, I can see no feeds going up the pole & the street lamp gear is obvious.

Anyone got any ideas what the small transformery looking device may be for?

(This is the only example of it's type I have seen).

Untitled

• gman76
• 21 Oct 2014
• 1

 

[ban-all-sheds]

http://images.google.com/images?q=pole+transformer

 

[bernardgreen]

Bit strange, looks too small to be supplying more than one property so unlikely to be 11Kv to 230 volt.

There is a "black box" on the pole which could be end of route telemetry and the grey box provides an isolated supply to power the telemetry equipment.

 

[westie101]

It's a vey old (1960s) 3 phase balancer!

 

[gman76]

It's a vey old (1960s) 3 phase balancer!

Ah! I thought Westie would have the answer.

Is it likely to still be in use - it looks like it's still connected?

 

[westie101]

Is it likely to still be in use - it looks like it's still connected

Probably

Though the network has been rewired using ABC (aerial bundled conductor) any inbalance or voltage issues will probably still be there

 

[DaftPunk]

Hi westie can you tell us what and how a three phase balancer does what it does? I'm just curious about this side of electrics which I don't know much about.

 

[westie101]

Hi westie can you tell us what and how a three phase balancer does what it does?

To be honest it's nigh on 40 years since I came across one as we don't use them in this part of the company.
Their intent was to balance the load on the phases and reduce neutral current to near zero to help with voltage regulation. (how they did this I can't remember though)
They were usually installed in concert with a voltage regulator that are used to buck or boost line voltage to remain in limits, these we still use from time to time.