Electric Transformer

[tomturbomatic]

If the majority of transformers in the world or even in a few countries were damaged or destroyed by an electromagnetic pulse, it would take a very long time to build enough of them to bring the grid back up. And, with our depleted manufacturing capacity, if China needed to replace their transformers, don't think that they would be willing to sell transformers to us.

Mielabor, if I might clarify something, the underground cables are under the streets in tunnels or buried under the earth in tubes. The grates are over the vaults where the transformers are located to allow air circulation to dissipate heat.

 

[mielabor]

Underground cables...

Clearly a different layout there in the USA. Our cables are usually not in tunnels or tubes (with exception of fiber optic cables) and transformers are above ground, either in existing buildings or in structures specifically built to house them. Probably because the ground can be wet: in some places the water table is only a few decimeters below the surface. The vertical yellow tubes in the picture are connected to a pump for lowering the water level to facilitate working in the ground.

 

[mielabor]

And this is what one usually sees when they are working on the cables or sewer tubes...

 

[tolivac]

Visit your electric companies salvage yard-lots of transformers there!go to a transformer factory-lots more there too-Don't think shortage of transformers is going to be a problem.And most transformers are adequietly protected from EMP and lightening and surges-The surge protector is the insulator like device that is on most pole type transformers-and in the case of ground mount ones-and the device is easily replaced.When it faults-usually blows the transformer primary fuse.I wouldn't worry about mass utility co mass transformer failers.The lines themselves are more likely to have problems before the transformers.For the US many of our utility co transformers are built or repaired in the US-GE does have a distribution transformer factory in Mexico-the plant makes pole type and URD mount transfromers there.Pensylvania Transformer Technologies has a plant near Goldsboro,NC that made our special order transformer-been by the place-they build and repair substation transformers and several in their yard waiting for sale or delivory to customers.GE,Square D,Westinghouse-Seimens,Brown Boveri,have factories in the US and worldwide.