I had a big electrical storm just before leaving for home that broke the utility pole with my 3 phase transformers on it and leaned it up against the building at about a 45 deg angle. I called the power company and the lady told me that this number was only for emergency. I tried to explain that the high voltage line was as tight as a guitar string and could be disastrous. She repeated her mantra and hung-up. I call back and finally get someone in a car to come and he freaked on his radio and 7 power trucks and 30 guys show in 5 minutes. True professionals, had the pole replaced, new transformers up and the shop was back on the grid by 8:15 the next morning. As I was talking to the foreman and relating a story in the news that a guy had broken into a utility company yard and was stealing transformers to make his "Time Machine". So I asked the foreman how many transformers in series were needed for a time machine and he replied: "How far back do you want to go?"
- posted
20 years ago