Steve_Miller
Veteran Member
Yes, a transformer does work that way and yes you can kill someone of they do not protect themselves from the hazards while working on lines. I'm not a lineman, but anytime I've seen or talked to lineman working on downed lines they have grounding lines they connect from phase to phase and to ground at the last disconnection point to protect them from some other person from re-energizing the lines while they may working down the line several miles. It's their protection from someone doing something their not suppose to do whether it be reconnecting the inline switches or the distribution center re-energizing a feed on which they are working. Anytime they are working on live lines, they are to be in contact with a central dispatch. Up here in Nova Scotia (NSPI) lineman sometimes work alone, when they do they have to contact or be contacted I think every twenty minutes and if no contact is made someone is sent immediately to their location to investigate why they did not call or reply. Sorry if I'm stealing someones thread.I was told the transformers work both ways, power back feed into the lines can be stepped up to thousands of volts and could potentially kill a person working the lines. I cannot verify, maybe someone who works for a utility could provide some input.
Steve