This is the guts of a Southern California Edison power distribution system in an old building. The three cylinders you see are three huge step-down coils of copper wire, transforming the power coming into the building from high voltage to 220 volts, the standard voltage for distribution systems inside buildings. When I took the photo these connections were being removed from the building and replaced.The bus bars, or connecting bars of copper bolted to the coils, are bigger than any electrical connection I've ever seen.
The coils dwarf the slim build of this young electrician.
Even though the entire building was disconnected from the power grid at the time I took this photo, just looking at these massive coils made the hair rise up on my scalp, and made my bones tingle as if the electromagentic force were still thrumming through them.
Electric.
5 comments:
Oh I love this. You went right to the source.. how ingenious..
Fascinating pic and interesting information - thanks for sharing it :)
Shocking!
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When I first saw the picture, I thought they were funny looking barrels for wine or vats of beer. (Not sure how THAT would relate to electric, nor what it says about where my mind is right now!)
All that copper is worth a fortune right now! I'm betting the recycling of it paid for the new system.
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