What is this?

I've driven by this pole lots and always though it looked neat, sort of like an octopus. Am I right in guessing it's an O/H to U/G transition? If it is how come I never see those insulator dealies on the residential transitions in my neighborhood? My curiosity is just getting the best of me so I thought I'd ask, thanks.

It's a dip pole/terminal pole/riser (whatever you want to call it). You named it just a transition from overhead to underground. Looks to me it's mainline. In the second picture there is a switchgear right there to be able to open or close.

There are different kind of potheads out there; porcelain or polymer. From what I can tell it may be might be 34.5kv at least in insulating value judging by how many bells and length of the standoff insulators and pot head.

Kinda different construction with the switch gear right outside the pole with no solid blade disconnects up top the pole.

What i think your saying is a switchgear is the set of floodights that you can see in the third picture at the far right, just a weird angle. Unless your talking about something different. I'm no lineman yet though so I maybe just not be seeing what your talking about.

Whoops I mean 1st picture...you can kind of see it in the 2nd though.

Switchgear is the green cabinet that you see there. There are different types of switch gears, some have contain 2 sets of solid blades and fuses (PMH-9). Others might have 3 sets of solid blades and 1 set of fuses. On the solid blade compartments there is a handle in which when you turn it'll open / close all 3 phases at the same time. Fuses you open up the door and open each fuse individually with a stick.

Now there are some old type of switch gears that are out there that might deviate a little but from what I described is what's in that picture.

Basically a switch gear is kind of like an overhead airswitch. It's just a way to switch feeds for whatever reason.

Ahhh ok I see I see, thanks for the info!

I never really thought about taking pictures of the inside of one but if I get a chance to I'll put some up. Think I'll be in old piece of junk one tomorrow might not be a good one to put.

If you come across something just ask.

[quote="Gilbert"]

Kinda different construction with the switch gear right outside the pole with no solid blade disconnects up top the pole.[/quote]

Maybe it is an up feed and no need for switches on the pole. I see no neutral, must be Delta. It has five dead end bells, I think it is a transmission dip pole.

[quote="Highplains Drifter"]

Gilbert wrote:

Kinda different construction with the switch gear right outside the pole with no solid blade disconnects up top the pole.[/quote]

Maybe it is an up feed and no need for switches on the pole. I see no neutral, must be Delta. It has five dead end bells, I think it is a transmission dip pole.

I gotta believe your right on or they got one hell of a primary voltage? Looks like subtransmission to me?

Here you on occasion see that set up outside a sub that has no access? We got one here near a sub on hospital property?

We got one sub in another city where there's approximately a half mile or more urd 46k in ORANGE conduit!! :afraid:

I bet that switch gear has nothing to do with that riser pole?

My guess would be Sub-transmission too.

Looks like a reverse riser, probably 46Kv.

It's either an up feed or down feed of a 69kV transmission tie to a feeder substation. Where exactly is it? Looks like Surrey or Richmond.

The green "box" is an S&C 4 way or 4 position 12 or 25kV U/G switch gear. It can have many configurations depending upon what is trying to be accomplished. It has nothing to do with the potheads that are nearby.

It's on McBride right outside the New West firehall, by the Canada Games Pool.

Don't know NW very well. I think it is all 12kV there. The Switch gear would be 12kV and the pot heads 60kV. I'll look next time i go by there.