ELECTRIC POWER.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17008, 22 January 1927, Page 9

ELECTRIC POWER.

TE iyWAMUTU BOARD.

p/4 st MONTH’S OPERATIONS.

The monthly meeting of the Te Awamutu Electric Power Board was held at Te Awamutu on when the chairman, Mr J. T. Johnson presided. Also present Messrs J. GYuthertand, F. S. Par!lane G- Spm lev G G Downes, N. M. LetliDriage, A s 'l stores and 8. C. MaoW- Ug of absence was granted Mi J- B - Teas VaHey Power Board forwarded a circular that is beuio sent to all consumers in the Boards aiea in connection with the earthing fence wires, and the placing of barbed wire round the poles. , . . A circular letter from the Chief Electrical Engineer, P.W.D., directed attention to the danger to life when men are working on live lines. n was suggested that rubber shields he placed over all lines not actually being worked on. Regulations to be issued shortly will make provision for this safety precaution. x It was generally recognised this was a very wise precaution to take. It would mean a slight expense to the Board, but would be more economical in the long run. The Telegraph Engineer, P. and T. Department, Hamilton, notified that in connection w r ith the extension of the power lines approval is given subject to standard crossings on the P. and T. and private telephone Ikies being made.

The secretaries’ branch of the Power Boards’ Association was holding its annual conference next month, and it was decided to send (lie secretary, Mr D. 'McArthur, who is on the executive, to represent the Board. Revenue for November was shown as follows. —General lighting, heating and meter rents, £834 10s 3d; power, £I2BB Us fid; penalties and sundries, £36 Us 2d; streets, £36; making a total of £2105 12s JOd. which includes £3O 6s 5d from Kio Kio, as. against £1544 2s Sd for the same month last year. Accounts totalling £2741 2s 6d were passed for payment. 'Consumers’ Finance Fund was shown lo be as follows.- —Receipts, sundry debtors for installations and service lines, £21.149 3s lid; interest and penalties, £485 2s Gd; Public Trustee loan. £15.000, making a total of £36.634 6s sd. Payments.-—Sundry creditors for installations and service lines. £30,826 15s 3d; bank charges, £2 ss; loan interest, £BO6 Is 9d; loan sinking fund, £.120: loan expenses, £4 8 7s; meters and. transformers, £4125 17s 2d, leaving a credit balance of £705 0s 3d.

Electrical Foreman’s Report. The Electrical Foreman (Mr E. Bryant) reported as follows for the month ; During the Christmas period a severe lightning storm was experienced and was responsible for a number of transformer fuses blowing. Fortunately, no transformers or lines were damaged. A number of consumers’ pole fuses have been blowing lately, and, in the majority of- cases, the cause has been traced to the consumers’ switchboard fuse being far 100 heavy for the load. In one case, a 20 amp. fuse was installed on a load of 3 amps. This results in the pole or the transformer fuse blowing. No doubt, the consumers are renewing their own fuses with any kind of wire and are not aware of the consequences of burning out their own apparatus. After taking detail tests of power, factor and load, a schedule for capacity of condensers required on the system has been drawn up. The highest maximum demand, namely 963.8 K.Y.A., was recorded at the Tc Awamutu sub-station during the OctoberDccember quarter. During December, the Public Works Department’s Inspector made an inspection of the Cambridge Road extension and the Tiki Farm Road alteration; also rc-inspccted the Farawcra Road line from Kihikihi lo Parawera, Owairaka Valley line, Puahuc lino. Hairini line and all the lines between Parawera and the end of the Pukcatua section. The P. and T. officer inspected the Cambridge Road and Tiki Farm Road.

Loading tests- of 24 transformers were taken during the month. Three transformers were dried out, filled with oil and tested on 3300 volts. Nine 30 feet and ten 26 feet poles were erected during the month. The Cambridge Road extension line was completed and the transformer erected. Everything being in order, this line was livened up in December. The Tiki Farm Road alteration was completed, and the necessary alterations to the telephone line were made, and the lI. T. line was livened up early in January. Low tension lines at Pirongia, Frontier Road, Lake Road, Rhodes Road, Pukeatua, and part of Hairini have been overhauled.

One three phase motor service, two single phase pump services, four single phase lighting services and one temporary motor service were erected during the period. Two lines were taken down to allow trees, to he cut and were re-erected. Four street lights at Ohaupo and one at Kihikihi were renewed. The community lighting circuits were reset. Sixteen consumers’ faults were attended to during the month.