Watched a brand new transformer blow up on a Tuesday morning

I was swapping out a meter can for a new build outside Austin last month, and the utility crew showed up to tie in the transformer. They got it hooked up, flipped the switch, and within 30 seconds there was this loud pop and oil spraying everywhere. Turns out they wired the secondary backwards after the test. I just stood there with my coffee while they scrambled to shut it down. Has anyone else watched a utility crew mess up that bad?

2 comments

2 Comments

ross.felix19d ago

Hold on, I see it a bit different. Shit happens when you're working live on new equipment, and a quick backwards hookup is an easy mistake when you're hurrying. At least they caught it before anyone got hurt and the transformer did what it was supposed to do.

nora_dixon19d ago

That 480v secondary is no joke, one wrong move and you're toast. But you're right that a backwards hookup is an easy thing to miss when you're in a rush on a new install. Still, gotta respect the safety gear - that transformer tripping out showed the protection did its job.