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Why Aren't Powergrids Underground?
jonging asks: "It is common knowledge that an underground power grid is less susceptible to the effect of a large thunderstorm. The American Transmission Company cites numerous reasons why it (and other power companies I assume) do not bury their transmission lines underground (e.g. environmental concerns, cost of installation and repair, etc.). Exactly how detrimental are underground transmission lines to the environment? Wouldn't the time spent without a power outage generate more than enough revenue to offset initial costs? Aren't the need for repairs in cities with successful underground power grids rare?" The linked article goes into extensive detail about the disadvantages in initial costs of putting in underground lines, but doesn't go into any detail about the maintenance costs of either option. With storms getting worse and worse (Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia have weathered torrential downfalls this week), might underground lines prove more resistant to storm-related power outages?
"In about 10 months of running monitoring 24/7 on our UPS, I've never seen a major "power event" (outage, surge, something else big)"
If William of Ockham were here he would point out the obvious conclusion: The monitoring on your UPS doesn't work.
The answer to this is simple. Instead of running both wires from the power station to the customer, run one each way. As one cable is now reversed, the current will now not be in opposition. As you know, the opposite of destructive interference is constructive interference. You could get twice as much power out of that line as you put in!
Another answer is to move the users closer to the power stations! We should make the stations smaller and have more of them. What if every transmission pole was a power station? We should put a solar panel on top of every pole, and if we spin it around at 60 RPMs, voila! A/C!
Well, I can dream.
Karma: Chameleon - mostly influenced by bad '80s New Wave music
Reminds me of this thread
The Backhoe, The Internet's Natural Enemy
Always carry a length of fiber-optic cable in your pocket. Should you be shipwrecked and find yourself stranded on a desert island, bury the cable in the sand. A few hours later, a guy driving a backhoe will be along to dig it up. Ask him to rescue you.
[Fuck Beta]
o0t!
What was that bright flash?
Our power line continuity tester!
Mea navis aericumbens anguillis abundat
There's a slight difference between the two jobs. When you're working on something, you're standing on the ground. So when you touch something not-at-ground-potential, a current flows through your body (killing you instantly ;). When you're working on the high tension lines, you touch the line, and you too become charged to whatever potential the lines are at. As long as you don't touch anything else (like the ground), you're perfectly fine.
My other car is first.
I presume that the Germans, because of the constraints of their language's syntax at the end of which their sentences most of their verbs must put, cultural constraints that ahead they must think required are.
Do not mock my vision of impractical footwear
In general, it is safe and legal to kill your children. -- POSIX Programmer's Guide
yeah, those crafty hobos and their winches.
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Is this the MPAA? Is this the RIAA? Is this the DMCA? I thought it was the USA!
I don't know about anywhere else, but at least in Ohio people would not even notice the constructions or traffic jams. They close down roads here for weeks for all kinds of random roadwork that never seems to really make the roads any better. The state quarter should have traffic barrels on the back, and they should get this guy to be the mascot.