Lightning, Bonding, EMI, Power Grids, and Telephone Utilities:

FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT

-and-

BellSouth

Problems & RF Caused by Utility Companies can damage your equipment and/or interfere with HDTV and other communications

This information is being supplied so that the end-user (customer) can spot potentially dangerous conditions, and notify his/her area Public Service Commission. This was prompted by voltages in excess of the allowed 126 volts (measured with a calibrated FLUKE 8840/AF), and high transients and spikes on drops. When my own Tektronix Spectrum Analyzer was fried, I took a look around the area. I didn't have to go far to find problems, including one pole with a 3 phase feeder that was emitting RF across the spectrum, well into the L-Band region.

My claim for lightning damage, transients, and excessive voltage (also measured by one of their own service personnel), has been paid ($6,475.00) in November, 2002. These are pictures of our local telco and power company's distribution equipment, to make others aware of potentially dangerous conditions, and what to look for.

There is no ground on my end of the FP&L or Telco drop, as is common in my area. Water and sewer pipes are PVC, and therefore not conductors. These pictures were taken on a few streets, within about a 1/4 mile radius.

Many poles, including those with laterals from feeders, have NEVER had any vertical grounds installed. Some of these poles have telco cable feeds to DSLAMS and telco cross-boxes.

Peak lightning currents (99 percentile) exceed 200 kA, with slew rates of 400 kA/microsecond, and temperatures in excess of 50,000 degrees F. This implies that a typical utility vertical (#6 copper wire) is a poor lightning ground, because of its high impedance. This can be verified by studying lightning "flashover" on poles. Even FAA "AC 20-53A.11.a.(1)" sets forth tests based on a 200 kA peak lightning strike.

I personally notified Dana of the Code Compliance Department of the Town Of Davie, Florida, headed by Daniel Stalone, of these dangerous conditions, and waited with a Florida Public Service Commission Engineer.

Davie Town Code Compliance never bothered to even check it out, leaving the residents of the Town where these pictures were taken, to fend for themselves in this hurricane-prone area.( 1 )

Florida Power & Light -and- BellSouth:
Fort Lauderdale Florida Area

"High Resistance Ground"
Please note the dark "lightning channel"
on both sides of the open vertical ground.

The base of this pole was so rotted that I could put half of my hand inside.
Any Telephone, Cable-TV, or FP&L Employee that climbs this pole may be RISKING THEIR LIFE.

This rotted pole is lucky to even be standing. The inside of this pole is virtually HOLLOW.
I can stick my whole hand inside this pole. Please note open ground wire left of pole.

Another rotted pole.

More open vertical grounds

Still more open grounds

This pole has 2 open grounds.
This open-ground pole has underground Telco feeds to a cross-box on a slab.

Example of how NOT to splice a vertical ground. This goes to a 3 phase neutral,
which is also common to Telco and Cable-TV messengers.
Would you want this ground protecting your home?
IT FEEDS MINE.

Oxidized ground rod with type approved clamp(?) to oxidized vertical ground wire
on pole. I recall reading that lightning strikes can exceed 100,000 amps,
but I question whether this "ground" is even effective for balancing a 3Ø Wye.

This is one of many surge protectors (lightning arresters) with connectors blown off,
allowing a lightning strike to pass through the primary of the step-down transformer,
and the lightning surge is passed to the secondary. The surge on the secondary goes
into homes and businesses, where it can damage communications equipment, computers,
appliances, lights, and in the case of Radio and Television Stations, some very costly equipment.

The not-so-lucky person whose house was fed by this 15 kv line through a
step-down transformer, reported blown appliances, et.
The surge protector's "ground" is blown
about 1/4 the way around the pole!

This pole carries 2 phases, and one has no active surge protector.
Note discoloration of the top of the pole caused by
lightning "flashover" to unprotected top phase.

The wire to the top of the center surge protector (middle) SHOULD BE connected to the
fuse holder. The fuse, however, is not in its holder, but is dangling from the neutral,
along with the wire that appears to have been connected to the surge protector.
The top 3 phases are all "live" to the right (West).
The "live" center phase (top) is currently unprotected by this bank of protectors.

The wood pole under the 220 kv lines was the best path to ground for a lightning strike.
It appears to have followed a rather hefty Telco feed to a slab-mounted Telco cross-box.
Perhaps #6 copper wire is an insufficient ground for a 100,000 amp lightning strike.

At least it's only 120 volts. This is common for area street lamps.

This hanging line is still connected to the un-fused secondary of a live transformer.

Leaning "Tower of Power"

"Drop Cover" dropped.

Whoops

Telco box "blowing in the wind."

Public Park: Telco drop unsecured its full run, except for a "tuck" behind vertical ground.

BellSouth ran wires above drop ceiling. BellSouth now tells the customer that HE must pay
to have these BellSouth "Company Installed" lines re-run, and patch holes in walls and ceiling,
because BellSouth refuses to do so!

A closer look at a BellSouth "Company Installation"
All 5 holes above were made by BellSouth in this customer's home.

This BellSouth "Company Installation" had no clamps to the side of this structure.
The wind whipped the phone line until it broke. BellSouth will not stand behind their work.

This BellSouth box is 19" above ground, about car bumper height.

Lightning and Grounding

( 1 ) This is the same Town Of Davie (Florida) Code Compliance Department that forced an elderly couple to live in a barn, without electricity or running water, because their house did not meet current code. The stupidity of that action was compounded when Daniel Stalone was notified that the house was "Grandfathered In," and was built 10 years before the town annexed this area. (It should also be noted that this couple's autistic grandson was removed because of this incident, and then lost by DCF, when the couple had no home to keep the young child. The elderly man has a heart condition, and his wife cannot hear without the use of hearing aids.)

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