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What are the two devices under the capacitors? 2

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stevenal

Electrical
Aug 20, 2001
3,789
image003_qdvuwv.png
Thanks.
 
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Probably VTs for voltage control of the capacitors. Sort of weird looking VTs, though.
 
Jghrist,

There's no control cabinet below and no switches above. It's a fixed bank.

itsmoked,

Series capacitors on two phases only seems unlikely. It would be unbalanced.
 
They kind of look like capacitors. I wondered if there is a 3rd one behind the pole, but at the picture angle it just doesn't seem likely without being partly visible.

If the wires went to them first then I'd guess reactors.

I'd have also guessed PT's, but there doesn't appear to be any secondary connection points which rules that out. No real reason for them either.

I do like how the fuses are on one side and the caps are on the other side so the wires have to go around the pole.
 
Just a guess, but in some places they tried distribution power line carrier (PLC) for several reasons over the years.
The problem is if they used distribution capacitors that would short the PLC signal to ground, so a filter would be needed to keep that from happening.

As I said, just a guess.
 
The screenshot is from Street View, and I can assure you I looked at all sides and there is no third device. I don't think I'll mention the town. This one is east of town, another similar installation is south of town. Wouldn't reactors or filters be installed in groups of three on a three phase grounded wye cap bank? I suppose they could be series connected between wye point and ground.
 
The zoom level I used didn't capture the telco line below. Series connected harmonic suppression reactors to prevent telephone noise? See Link page 29.
 
From that picture, I can tell it's a Y capacitor bank, but I can't tell if or how it's grounded or how the conductors on the lower boxes are connected. They could be reactors in series with the ground connection.
 
stevenal,

You're right. I'll have to go along with Lineman beer refrigerators.
 
Do you have a screenshot from a different angle that shows whether the wye point is directly earthed? Or perhaps it attaches to the small bushings on the unknown devices?
 
bacon4life,

That's the best view I could get. The cap bushings on the front connect to the cutouts, so the boxes must connect to the neutral side.
 
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