Pulling down over head powerlines.

[Norcon]

We pulled down a power line from a transformer to a property with the digger yesterday.
Turned out transformer had also blew up. Thought as much with the amount of flashing and banging it did. Pole looked as if it was on fire at one stage.

Should the fuse not have saved the transformer?
Will NIE meet any of the cost here? How much does a new transformer cost?
Seeing as the pole is on private property and serves a different property.

Happened about 3 oclock yesterday. Took them to 12 last night sorting it out.

 

[westie101]

Should the fuse not have saved the transformer?

In an ideal world probably, but a lot depends on how good the "short circuit" to neutral and/or earth was, I've attended a number of cases where current flow was sufficient to burn a transformer out, but no blow the fuse (we do not fuse to protect from overload BTW)

How much does a new transformer cost?

Depends on size but well into 4 figures, labour costs won't be cheap either

Seeing as the pole is on private property and serves a different property.

Problem is that if you go down that route NIE could just remove their property and leave you off supply!! It will have had permission from a previous owner to be there which is deemed to transfer as property changes hands, it's also possible there will be a wayleave (though these are often missed by solicitors as property is sold)

End of the day it is an overhead line it can be seen, there are HSE guidelines on how to avoid danger from them that do require you to notify NIE if working near power-lines.

 

[RF Lighting]

I guess it'll also depend on what was shorting to what. If the LV output stud(s) of the transformer were shorting to ground / each other, then that will be an ufused output, and the only thing that will fail with overcurrent is the transformer.

Here you can see the HV input on the front of the transformer, and the output studs on the back of the transformer. Wires run down the pole a bit and then connect to the fuses (white boxes) which protects all the wiring from there on to what ever it's supplying.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

We pulled down a power line from a transformer to a property with the digger yesterday.

That was unbelievably stupidly careless of you.

Will NIE meet any of the cost here?

Only if they are who you work for.

...serves a different property.

Happened about 3 oclock yesterday. Took them to 12 last night sorting it out.

Don't be surprised if you have to pay some compensation to them as well as the cost of the repairs.

Hope you are well insured.

 

[JohnW2]

Don't be surprised if you have to pay some compensation to them as well as the cost of the repairs.

What could one be aked to compensate them for other than the cost of the repairs?

Kind Regards, John

 

[westie101]

Don't be surprised if you have to pay some compensation to them as well as the cost of the repairs.

DNOs cannot legally claim anything other than the direct cost of the repairs despite there being hidden costs for loss of supply to other customers.
However these other customers can and have claimed compensation themselves!

 

[JohnW2]

DNOs cannot legally claim anything other than the direct cost of the repairs despite there being hidden costs for loss of supply to other customers. However these other customers can and have claimed compensation themselves!

Yes, but even they can only claim for demonstrable financial loss. Claims for 'compensation' are just what they say!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Losses of food.

Losses of amenity leading to increased expenditure (e.g. eating out, alternative accomodation).

Distress and worry, bigged up by a rottweiler solicitor.

 

[JohnW2]

Losses of food.

Little, if any, as a result of a 9-hour power loss, I would have thought.

Losses of amenity leading to increased expenditure (e.g. eating out, alternative accomodation).

Possibly a little, but only in relation to any actual expenditure incurred. Given a vigilent lawyer, the amount saved by not paying for electricity during its period of absence would have to be subtracted from any such costs.

Distress and worry, bigged up by a rottweiler solicitor.

Only a court (where such a case is most unlikely to end up) could make such awards and I would imagine it would be small or non-existant for such a short period of power loss, no matter how fierce the solicitor - and that ought to be refelcted in any out-of-court settlement.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes, but you go balls-out and try it on.

That way you get a larger out of court settlement.

 

[JohnW2]

Yes, but you go balls-out and try it on. That way you get a larger out of court settlement.

No harm in trying (other than the lawyer's fees) but, as I said, an out-of-court settlement is likely to reflect the fact that a court would probably award little, if anything, for the 'worry and distress' resulting from 9 hours without power.

Kind Regards, John

 

[westie101]

Ah ..... but I've never said how successful any claims have been!!














..... not very!!

 

[JohnW2]

Ah ..... but I've never said how successful any claims have been!! ........... not very!!

Quite. ... and the magnitudes of any such claims for 'collateral' compensation are likely to be so small in cases such as we're discussing that, as so often, the only real winners are likely to be any lawyers whom the parties concerned choose to involve!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It's not the DNO who would be asked to pay out.

'tis diggerman who is liable.

 

[westie101]

It's not the DNO who would be asked to pay out

I know, but we would be asked to give evidence on behalf of the plaintiff which to the best of my knowledge has never happened (or at least locally)