CABLE TROUBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 167, 18 July 1938, Page 9

CABLE TROUBLE.

WATERFRONT LIGHTS.

ELECTRICITY CURRENTS.

INVESTIGATIONS AT BRIDGE.

In an attempt to trace the cause of interference with the supply of power for the street lighting system near the bridge at Hobson Point, on the Tamaki Drive, the Auckland Electric Power Board has lifted the cable for the whole length of the bridge far investigation purposes. It was explained by Mr. E. H. Bartley, general manager of the board, this morning, that the lead covering of the cable had become pitted, and it was necessary to ascertain the cause in order to remedy the trouble. The board had previously experienced similar defects on the reclaimed areas at Freeman's Bay, in Fanehawe Street, and eleewhere in the vicinity of the waterfront, where the mixture of metals in the rubbish formerly deposited had given rise to local currents and affected the electricity system.

Testa had revealed that the interference near Hobson Point i»as confined to the portion of the cable on the bridge, he added, and there were several possible causes. There might be some chemical agent in the concrete which was sufficiently powerful to act on the lead covering of the cable; another possibility was that the reinforcing fiteel in the bridge was picking up stray currents; and other factors might be some form of electrolysis or galvanic action under the surface.

When similar trouble was experienced in Remuera Road the board had found it necessary to lift the cable for a distance -of about 300 yarde, he said, but on this occasion the excavation was confined to a chain. The footpath where the work was being carried out had been barricaded' off.