Farm building hit by lightning

[springcrocus]

I had a call from a customer last week to go and sort out the electrics in the barn. They had been the victim of a direct-hit lightning strike and the DNO had to come and replace the main fuse and the meter. The meter guy told the owner that the RCD wouldn't reset, and the changeover switch didn't work, either.

Photo

Hardly suprising the RCD doesn't work - there's a damn great hole in the side. And doesn't the nice new shiny meter look great on the board?

I think it might be fun sorting this lot out. :^O

 

[batty]

Is he farmer by any chance?

 

[Steve3948]

What's wrong with it looks just like every farm installation, as soon as you mention how much it will cost to rectify, they will get the tractor out with forks on the front and drive it straight at you.

 

[Apache]

It is the sole reason farmers wear wellies, nothing to do with the manure, it's the electrics just so damn dangerous.

I went to a farm last winter later afternoon and it was getting dark. I went to turn the light on and the farmer stopped me. Something had hit the IP rated switch and exposed all the internal components, you could see the wires connecting into copper terminals. The farmers solution - he used a biro to turn the lights on!

(It has been fixed now)

 

[Brian 157]

What's wrong with it looks just like every farm installation, as soon as you mention how much it will cost to rectify, they will get the tractor out with forks on the front and drive it straight at you.

Quite true, but he can't use the usual "but it works" excuse can he?

 

[Steve3948]

Quite true, but he can't use the usual "but it works" excuse can he?

True that, but he would try and use "it nearly works, just tape it up and try again, then we can fix it later, if not I have one in the other shed that looks worse but still works, we can try that"

 

[Andy™]

Quite true, but he can't use the usual "but it works" excuse can he?

'but its only that part thats broke, just fix that and leave everything else as is'

 

[ProDave]

Given the state of that installation, I'm surprised the DNO actually re connected the supply.

I think given the state of the changeover switch, the hole in the side of the rcd's enclosure, the fact it's know to have lightening damage, and just the fact everything is old and rusty, that the DNO would have been quite within their rights to refuse to re connect and demand a PIR before they come and re connect the supply.

When the DNO act irresponsibly like this, it's no wonder installations are left in a dangerous state. Had it "worked" when re connected, the farmer would never have called an electrician.

 

[sellers]

Around here I have been requested to give a PIR to the dno after an installation has been damaged by fire, both times were the meters setting on fire presumed bypassed.

 

[Manator]

I can just imagine Apache going around the farms, there to look at the animals and livestock and all the while telling them how poor the electrical installations are.

 

[springcrocus]

If you look carefully at the top left, you will see a cable coming out of the isolator that has just been chopped off. Also, under the cobwebs, you will notice that the switch is ON. This used to be the feed-in from a generator set, long since gone. In theory, the genny input and the mains input should never meet (centre-off isolation) but considering the state of the equipment, I wouldn't bet a lot of money on this.

Once I've done some tests, cleared out the c**p and replaced the RCD, I will post an update.

 

[Apache]

I can just imagine Apache going around the farms, there to look at the animals and livestock and all the while telling them how poor the electrical installations are.

Normally I just scowl and ask 'is that live'.