in a world without electricity

**Batch** · 06-20-2010, 02:15 PM

How does the whole world lose and then remain without electricity? Even if you had a global event that completely wiped out the current electrical grid. It is repairable. New homes in the US have had electricity for a hundred years.

There are hundreds of thousands of people who know how to build or repair generators. Hundreds of thousands more could do so with the help of a book.

Delicate electronic parts that control idles on generators are not required parts. They just make the engines more efficient.

I think the scenario of long time world system failure is unrealistic. IMHO

**Mischief** · 06-20-2010, 03:19 PM

+1
I would miss Air Conditioning and Hurricane tracking reports down here in FL.
Could put up with the rest

Mischief

**Sourdough** · 06-20-2010, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by Batch

How does the whole world lose and then remain without electricity? Even if you had a global event that completely wiped out the current electrical grid. It is repairable.
I think the scenario of long time world system failure is unrealistic. IMHO

The problem is those huge green transformers and the smaller one too.

**Camp10** · 06-20-2010, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Sourdough

The problem is those huge green transformers and the smaller one too.

I doubt very much that many of them would be hurt. There are internal fuses in some while others rely on a cut out fuse on the outside. Lightning storms are a good test for them. They can be very hard on transformers but even still, there are rarely storms that destroy more than a few of them(usually it is the ones at the end of the line if there is any damaged).

When you factor in the down grounds at least on every service pole, the surge protectors all through the systems, the grounding mats in switch yards and substations, and add the grounded (steel framed) buildings that all the system dispatch is done from..Well, I think the grid is safe.

I saw a video of one of those old nuclear tests from back in the 50's where they set up a substation in the test zone to see what might happen and it worked fine after the bomb. Ken might have posted it here...cant remember where I saw it.

Oh, dont forget all the top notch station workers and linemen out there keeping it all running..

**Batch** · 06-20-2010, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by Camp10

Oh, dont forget all the top notch station workers and linemen out there keeping it all running..

Exactly right!!!

**Rick** · 06-20-2010, 04:49 PM

And again I'll reiterate that supply yards currently have spare transformers, insulators and the rest. Just like the phone company and cable TV. They have supply warehouses within the district and supplies in each of the reporting yards.

Past failures have generally been tied to one or two primary failures that triggered a series of automated shut downs. Not mass destruction.

**Camp10** · 06-20-2010, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

And again I'll reiterate that supply yards currently have spare transformers, insulators and the rest. Just like the phone company and cable TV. They have supply warehouses within the district and supplies in each of the reporting yards.

Past failures have generally been tied to one or two primary failures that triggered a series of automated shut downs. Not mass destruction.

Yup, Just in the small district I work in there are probably 50 or 60 spare distribution transformers in the back yard along with several different sized stepper transformers. Our power company also has a handful of mobile substations that can be set up under a transmission line and can take the place of the entire station if needed.

**Rick** · 06-20-2010, 05:05 PM

For everyone, these are semi trailers that are set up as a sub-station. They can be pulled anywhere they are needed. There are also skid mounted substations that are a bit smaller, mobile circuit switchers and mobile or skid mounted transformers and other components. Just about anything you can imagine is available to be moved into place and cut over while the damaged components are changed out.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.