Re: Why no corona? AC / DC transmission lines

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Lau, Gary by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<Gary.Lau-at-hp-dot-com>
> 
> While these HV lines clearly exhibit corona, what I can't figure out is why
> the ground under them isn't littered with bird carcasses.  Corona coming
> off their little beaks has GOT to hurt should they try to perch on the
> lines!  Is it just a case of being too large to perch on?
> 
> Gary Lau
> MA, USA

	Remember that they are little birds on a long conductor suspended at
high altitude.  They probably don't disturb the local field enough to
cause much current to flow through them.  Birds ain't too swift, but if
it bit them much they wouldn't do it again.  Of course, when a bigger
bird gets across a suspension insulator more exciting things happen.

	I used to drive to work along a 220 kV SCE line, and in the early
morning there would be literally miles of birds sitting on the wires
(not just the ground wire) as close as they could roost.  

Ed