My 5 year old was playing in our backyard around a transformer and started screaming and crying. I went over to see what was going on and noticed there was a buldge and exposed wires protruding from transformer. She cried for a little while, but otherwise seems fine. I called the energy company and they immediately came out to fix it. The technician said this sort of thing happens all the time. Just curious if that's a factual statement. I'm also wondering if we dodged a bullet, or if shocks from ground transformers are indeed no big deal. Lastly, what would cause this? Thanks!

 

It depends on the neighbor hood. ha ha Looks like bullet damage. What country or should I say city, do you live in.

 

Cary, North Carolina USA. Highly unlikely it's bullet damage, but I guess ya never know!

 

Well in that case have the electric company replace it. And if they don't....call the county engineer. It's a code violation. Be careful of who they try to charge a fee for it.

If it is a puncture......a guard is needed.

Edit: It's a very big deal. Keep all people away from it.

 

The voltages inside that transformer housing can easily kill.
Your little girl is lucky that all she got was a scare.

That looks like it could be a bullet exit point.
Did you check on the other side for an entry hole?

 

The technician said this sort of thing happens all the time. I'm also wondering if shocks from ground transformers are indeed no big deal.

No matter how often this happens, it is ALWAYS a big deal because there is no such thing as an avoidable death that isn't a big deal. This is full blown panic quality.

 

This is full blown panic quality.

It is indeed, there is no reasonable way to downplay what just happened there... God was definitely looking after your daughter that day... plenty to be grateful for

 

My 5 year old was playing in our backyard around a transformer and started screaming and crying. I went over to see what was going on and noticed there was a buldge and exposed wires protruding from transformer. She cried for a little while, but otherwise seems fine. I called the energy company and they immediately came out to fix it. The technician said this sort of thing happens all the time. Just curious if that's a factual statement. I'm also wondering if we dodged a bullet, or if shocks from ground transformers are indeed no big deal. Lastly, what would cause this? Thanks! View attachment 127038

When you zoom into the photo, it looks like the piece from inside was a bolted lug clamp on a fairly large stranded wire. It also looks like it came through the fiberglass reinforced plastic box where a label was placed. That white label has some Black char where the lug came through. I would say an overheated connection caused something to catastrophically fail inside and melt through the box.

 

Thats creepy your child actually was lucky. But also there was clear signs. Tell your child to recognize signs + stay away if theres any sign / ask you first. Electricity can be quite deadly and especially so, high voltage gear.

Larger picture would be more helpful. Plus better description. Why is it in your backyard + not fenced?

Forward this to authorities, the device seems to have no protection for failure + not fenced / enclosed. Normally we have such transformers inside enclosures.

Is this a permanent installation + why didnt you tell your minor to stay away from it + talk about the signs? They are there for reasons.

 

Thats creepy your child actually was lucky. But also there was clear signs. Tell your child to recognize signs + stay away if theres any sign / ask you first. Electricity can be quite deadly and especially so, high voltage gear.

Larger picture would be more helpful. Plus better description. Why is it in your backyard + not fenced?

Forward this to authorities, the device seems to have no protection for failure + not fenced / enclosed. Normally we have such transformers inside enclosures.

Is this a permanent installation + why didnt you tell your minor to stay away from it + talk about the signs? They are there for reasons.

In the US, thus stuff is supposed to be "idiot proof" and anyone strolling by or leaning over it to retreave a ball or trim grass/weeds, they should not expect to get shocked. These units are encased in large composite materials boxes that isolate public from the device.

 

With that kind of damage, I'm surprised that you had power in your house (unless you aren't served by that xformer).

 

I have seen a similar box bumped by an inexperienced driver doing a 3point turn definitely worth a call to the power company.

 

So where exactly she get the shock from being what I see of the transformer module shell is it's fiberglass which is a non conductor.

 

where exactly she get the shock from

I read this as a voltage gradient across the lawn, but the T.S. hasn't been back so this will probably remain a guess.