I didn't think I would/could write a sequel to my yesterday's post- but then a little serendipitous event occur'd this afternoon that gave me pause, and something else to write about.
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This morning I and mi buen companera drove up to one of our remote sites in the Jemez Mountains (NM) to adjust a project. In town the temperature was a balmy 80 something, but by the time we crested the mountain site it was down to the upper 50's- What had started out as blue, clear skies were now turning dark and nasty. The wind was picking up, clouds were hanging on the peaks- the NOAA radio channel was alerting to thunderstorms thru out the region. The Monsoons have started.
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We unlocked the cinder block equipment building and quickly completed what I'd come up there to do. I don't like to go up to these sites alone; meanwhile my companion, having come along as my escort, occupied herself with some equipment in another hut. It was while I was closing things up, it stared to hail- in heavy thick blowing ice---
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Then--
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"Ker- Accck !" followed by a split second "BOOOM"
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The building lights went off simutaneously to a brilliant green flash that filled entire room. The first "Ker-accking" sound had come from some of the equipment and the heavy bulkhead on the wall-- a thick copper plate where all the cables, arrestors, powerlines meet and enter the building at the common ground junction.**
The Boom! was a power pole hit a millisecond before,- (the sound delayed.) But that flash of green light??.. God only know what that was; but it was inside that building with me!
The fluorescent lights were slowly flickered back on when my friend came bursting into the building.
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"Lauri, are you all right?!" she stammer'd
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"Yes, I think so" I replied
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"I saw the pole down by the Blazer get hit--- I saw this Ghastly ! flash thru the door, from inside where you were... I didn't know what happen'd to you!"
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"I'm fine, but lets get out of here" I said-- We hastily looked over all the equipment -- everything check'd ok.
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Meanwhile a lot more thunder and flashes were spurring us quickly to lock up and head for the vehicle- the hail know turning to a cold slushy rain.
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Normally one of us will jump out and lock the big steel gate on the site's road, but with the lightning striking all around, we just drove thru it. .
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"We'll get the guys to lock it for us sometime.... later...."
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So, how was Your Day??.......... (laughing
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________________________________________________
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---------------Epilogue
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"Is there something of a conclusion here, Lauri ?" you ask
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"Yes there is"... now that I have had time to calmly think about what just happen'd to us (wine included.)
That brilliant green flash was, as far as I can determine----- that is, until some one goes to actually look- the power line surge arrestor. It's located inside, on the bulkhead as the lines enter the cinder block building.
These use a Zinc Oxide arc barrier- and remembering my chemistry, zinc burns the colour green. I may go up there later this week to verify this...
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In the mean time, I am SOLD !... I am ordering two of them, one for Colorado and one for home here in NM.
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..............................CF
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** the 'floating ground' I mentioned before- a "one common" grounding point.
