Vegas pole pigs can't take the heat (fwd)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 06 Jul 2007 17:59:39 +0000
From: David Rieben <drieben@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc: drieben@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Vegas pole pigs can't take the heat

Hi all,

Although this is not directly Tesla coil related, I thought that
some of the collective knowledge of this list would be able
to address this question, assuming that the moderator fore-
bares to let this through. I noticed in the recent news that some
of the pole transformers in Las Vegas were failing and catch-
ing fire, supposedly due to the increased demand of running
A/Cs. My question is that although 116*F is a bit warm, even
by Las Vegas summer standards, Las Vegans (including their 
local electrical utility) are certainly no strangers to triple digit
summer temperatures and I would think that the A/Cs are go-
ing to be running a plenty whether it's 116*F or "only" a more
typical 105*F.? I can see where the entire power grid, as a
whole, would be under additional strain due to above average 
temperatures, but not the individual pole transformers, at least by 
that much. We coilers talk all of time about how pole pigs are built 
very robust and can easily handle 2 to 3 times their nameplate rating 
for short duty cycles and can even be ran like 50% above their 
nameplate rating continuously. It sounds to me like the said trans-
formers in Las Vegas may have been a bit underrated to begin with and/
or they may have been toward the end of, or even past their useful life 
cycle and the current heat wave may have been the "straw that broke 
the camel's back". Any more qualified comments?


David Rieben