It seems like an odd place to have concerts. A Golf Course Driving Range… really?? The range does have a nice slope so people can throw out their blankets and not have to worry about the big ol’ head of the person in front of them blocking their view. An amphitheater of sorts I guess…
A little backstory on this is needed. Roughly over a year ago we installed this transformer and of course, it was a big hurry to get it installed. Then it sat there waiting and waiting for them to get their electric panels installed and their 120 volt service wires pulled in.
Finally last week on Wednesday they called saying their wire was in and they needed it connected. You see they have a big concert on Saturday and didn’t want to bring in big loud generators like they did the last concert. We don’t work Fridays so this needs connected asap. I love when customers wait until the last minute. It’s almost like they think their job is the only thing we have to do. I will be the first to admit… if they get pushy and annoying, they go to the bottom of my list of things to do. The local wineries have the worst case of entitlement I have ever experienced… anyway I could rant about that for a while but let’s get this place some electricity so the community can enjoy a concert this weekend.
In front of the transformer there are 2 heavy steel lids that open up. This allows access to a concrete vault that the transformer sits on. All the underground cables for this service were all tangled up in there. So I climbed in and pulled all the cables out in order to organize the cables and lay them in there nicely.
When I first arrived there were no Golfers on the range. I’m glad there was a barrier built to protect the transformer and me from any incoming golf balls, because the golfers started showing up.
They probably wouldn’t even notice me down range, being that I was kind of hidden behind the barrier wall. So I went to my bucket truck and turned on all my fancy flashing lights.
I’m over here…
Don’t hit me!!
Alright now that I feel like they know I’m here, the first thing I need to do is install some paddles for the cables to connect to. They bolt onto the paddles that are on the transformer and have 6 spots to connect cables. Each cable slot has 2 bolts that get tightened down onto the cables making the electrical connection.
This is what is called a 3 phase transformer. Each of the cables is taped with the appropriate color identifying which phase it is. A, B, or C phase… plus the neutral. First I grabbed all the neutrals laid them in the vault nicely and cut them to length, stripped the insulation off and bolted them in. I also did the same with B phase.
Doing the lower connections first gives me plenty of room to get my Milwaukee impact gun in there to tighten things down. This right angle impact drill doesn’t need a lot of room but the more I can get the better. This battery operated tool is my new favorite. No more getting out the ratchet, this things reaches everything!
After getting all 20 cables cut, stripped, and tightened down all connections were made. All the cables have a nice uniform shape…
Dang, That looks good…
Down inside the vault the cables are no longer in a tangled mess
Now all that is left is to use a Shotgun Hot stick and flip the switch turning on the secondary side of the transformer.
Oh yeah, better check the voltage to make sure this transformer didn’t decide to get weird on us while it sat for over a year. Close the doors, bolt them down, and lock it up. My job is done here. I didn’t even get hit with any golf balls either.
Onto the next job…
Your Random
Dose of...
