Brexit, for once some facts.

[Zlatan]

I, ve had a look at spec of cables generally used in street lighting, obviously wouldnt be same in every case but electricians /electri al engineers are masters at over speccing.
Cable spec is here..


The cable is capable of handling minimum of 50 Amps (depending how its fixed, trunking, conduit etc) and rated at 600v/1000v..
I, d guess the cable is rooted in a ring system but no idea how many are used in each ring.
Some street light electrician might know???
I think there is lots of built in safety over capacity to at least have a look at. I doubt very much heavier cables would have been removed as and when LEDs were installed.

 

[Wicky]

It can be done, we have over 100 lamp post charge points in London now,

In Colchester and other parts of Essex most street lamps are turned off at nighttime to save money.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-32030913

About 70% of lights have been turned off between midnight and 05:00 since March 2013 to save £1m annually.

 

[Zlatan]

In Colchester and other parts of Essex most street lamps are turned off at nighttime to save money.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-32030913

About 70% of lights have been turned off between midnight and 05:00 since March 2013 to save £1m annually.

I blame Brexit..

 

[flecc]

You clearly don't.

But if you're happy with your Nokia 3310 then I can't help you.

Stick to a subject you know. I don't have that Nokia and my lack of signal is confirmed by all my neighbours, also an electrician with an I-phone and the guy who installed the smart meter, his phone a classy Samsung Galaxy. Neighbours and visitors wanting to use their smartphones go outside where there's sometimes a bar or two of signal, but if not they walk up the hill where there's a good signal at the top.

There's also a signal on all networks a little further along the cul de sac road and half way up the other side of they valley, but nowhere near it's needed. So please stop pretending you know better about where I live.

The reason we have no signal is simple. When a mast was proposed for our zone some people started a campaign against it on grounds of radiation (near a school), so the company withdrew and we can't get anyone interested again. Perhaps too small a pool of affected people.
.

 

[Nev]

They could up the voltage at supply, existing cables could carry more power at higher voltage, then sort voltage at each light.

To what voltage would they be able to up it to? Once again I don't think this is that simple. I seem to remember there are supply regulations that govern both single and three phase supplies. These stipulate items such maximum and minimum voltages and frequencies.

Supply authorities do have some flexibility to change voltages using tappings on their transformers, but if say the single phase supply is supposed to be 230 volts. It can be as high as say 250 volts or so but it would not be allowed to be say 300 volts. I can't remember the tolerance they are allowed to work to but its something like 252 volts or so maximum supply voltage.

 

[Wicky]

You really don't give me much credit do you? I've already obtained SIM cards for all networks and checked them for signal, There's no usable one, and as I posted smart meters dont work here either. It's for terrain reasons, being on the lea of a valley that's blind side to the transmission masts. Ther are three relay points locally, but even they are blocked by the hills between them and my zone.

Ive also wandered the area with the SIM cards and found many dead spots. So overall it's just not worth my bothering to have smartphone until there's some big improvements in the area.

Even one G would be something!
.

5G satellites should open up network alternatives to current ISPs.

 

[Zlatan]

Bercow is at it again..
He, s most powerful man in country... and an idiot.

 

[OxygenJames]

Stick to a subject you know. I don't have that Nokia and my lack of signal is confirmed by all my neighbours, also an electrician with an I-phone and the guy who installed the smart meter, his phone a classy Samsung Galaxy. Neighbours and visitors wanting to use their smartphones go outside where there's sometimes a bar or two of signal, but if not they walk up the hill where there's a good signal at the top.

There's also a signal on all networks a little further along the cul de sac road and half way up the other side of they valley, but nowhere near it's needed. So please stop pretending you know better about where I live.

The reason we have no signal is simple. When a mast was proposed for our zone some people started a campaign against it on grounds of radiation (near a school), so the company withdrew and we can't get anyone interested again. Perhaps too small a pool of affected people.
.

Flecc I have the same here - living in the Surrey hills though so not so surprising. The solution? Swapped over to Vodafone and they have a fancy box you can get that runs off your wireless internet - and allows you to make and get calls as per normal.

Though like you if you walk too far away from the house you lose the signal - and like you if you walk far enough down the lane it picks up again. The only downside is the lowest monthly deal Vodafone do is £12 (500 minutes).

But at least I get to use my mobile (yup I have an old Nokia - but my partner has one of the latest all singing and dancing modern smart phones) - at least they both work absolutely fine.

 

[Wicky]

I blame Brexit..

Funnily enough now you mention it - it's a Tory run Council - once led by Pig Farmer with his nose in the trough https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-20337917

 

[Zlatan]

T

Funnily enough now you mention it - it's a Tory run Council - once led by Pig Farmer with his nose in the trough https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-20337917

They are all corrupt. A disgrace.

 

[flecc]

But you said a Borough of London. What borough? I can show you a service provider that covers every area of London.

No you can't, since there wouldn't be so many dead zones if that was true. Covering an area is not the same as providing for all homes in that area, dead zones are numerous, even in some parts of London.

I'm in southern Croydon in a steep sided valley that is a spur sticking out into the country from the general London boundary. I have woodlands either side and as I look sideways I see the trees on the Surrey border some three hundred metres away. So it's London, but very rural.

We have been provided for after a fashion with two relays, but my zone is masked from one by the relay being just too far beyond the brow of a hill it's on, and the other masked by the hump of land formed by the other side of my valley. We need a mast in the valley, but since they've provided for most homes around with the relays, it seems they aren't bothered about the few of us left with nothing.
.

 

[flecc]

Flecc I have the same here - living in the Surrey hills though so not so surprising. The solution? Swapped over to Vodafone and they have a fancy box you can get that runs off your wireless internet - and allows you to make and get calls as per normal.

Though like you if you walk too far away from the house you lose the signal - and like you if you walk far enough down the lane it picks up again. The only downside is the lowest monthly deal Vodafone do is £12 (500 minutes).

I'm as near as dammit Surrey Hills, living in the North Downs on the outer edge of London.

Thanks for that info OJ, but I won't take it up since my phone usage is minimal and using my landline . Thats why I only use PAYG on the mainly emergency use mobile. I just checked and that mobile usage since June 2012 is just over £12!
.

 

[flecc]

Couple that with personal hubs inside garages etc and it's about 5 years away with a good wind.

I admire your optimism! I live on an estate of some 3000 homes, almost all with garages well separated from the homes and with no electricity at them. Cost of providing electricity to mine using the network provider plus electrician etc, circa £6000. I managed to circumvent that reducing it to £3500, but the method used means no-one else can do that around me.

I don't think many will spend several thousands laying on electricity for an also expensive e-car. They'll just hang onto i.c cars to the bitter end.
.

 

[Fingers]

I'm as near as dammit Surrey Hills, living in the North Downs on the outer edge of London.

Thanks for that info OJ, but I won't take it up since my phone usage is minimal and using my landline . Thats why I only use PAYG on the mainly emergency use mobile. I just checked and that mobile usage since June 2012 is just over £12!
.

But you could have a smart phone for the same price! Just connect to your Internet at home.

I can lead you to 4g but I can't make you use it I guess.

 

[Fingers]

I admire your optimism! I live on an estate of some 3000 homes, almost all with garages well separated from the homes and with no electricity at them. Cost of providing electricity to mine using the network provider plus electrician etc, circa £6000. I managed to circumvent that reducing it to £3500, but the method used means no-one else can do that around me.

I don't think many will spend several thousands laying on elevctricity for an also expensive e-car. They'll just hang onto i.c cars to the bitter end.
.

Croydon is the biggest conurbation in Europe. Its made for e cars. It was built future proof.

It's not a stretch to imagine everyone bar some flintstines having e cars in ten years time.

 

[flecc]

But you could have a smart phone for the same price! Just connect to your Internet at home.

I can lead you to 4g but I can't make you use it I guess.

But as I said to OJ, I don't need it at home, I have my landline phone and my phone calling is minimal.

Dont forget what started this, it was about control of car speeds in restricted zones. The rest is all irrelevant and only arose because you wouldn't believe I had no mobile signal at home.
.

 

[Danidl]

To what voltage would they be able to up it to? Once again I don't think this is that simple. I seem to remember there are supply regulations that govern both single and three phase supplies. These stipulate items such maximum and minimum voltages and frequencies.

Supply authorities do have some flexibility to change voltages using tappings on their transformers, but if say the single phase supply is supposed to be 230 volts. It can be as high as say 250 volts or so but it would not be allowed to be say 300 volts. I can't remember the tolerance they are allowed to work to but its something like 252 volts or so maximum supply voltage.

Yes, Pedelecers are moving outside their area of expertise on this one. The ability of the lines to carry power is determined by a body of engineering regulations and expertise developed over 150 years at this stage. Everything from the subtransformer station needs to be able to take any fault current . Whereas upping the voltage does allow a thinner calibre cable carry more power,all the associated switch gear needs to be up rated.
The tapping to which you refer is in order to maintain the voltage levels within the proscribed limits, .. which can depend on the line loading over the course of the working day.

 

[flecc]

Croydon is the biggest conurbation in Europe. Its made for e cars. It was built future proof.

It's not a stretch to imagine everyone bar some flintstines having e cars in ten years time.

You really couldn't be more wrong, you are looking at a very small proportion of Croydon.

They didn't have much future proofing between the 11th and mid 20th centuries when most of the Borough of Croydon was built.
.

 

[Danidl]

Croydon is the biggest conurbation in Europe. Its made for e cars. It was built future proof.

It's not a stretch to imagine everyone bar some flintstines having e cars in ten years time.

10 years is a bit short, but heading towards 30 is more feasible. If you visited rural france ,as I do the number of 20 + year old cars on the roads is considerable..and these are not vintage rallies but working 304 and 404s

 

[Woosh]

I admire your optimism! I live on an estate of some 3000 homes, almost all with garages well separated from the homes and with no electricity at them. Cost of providing electricity to mine using the network provider plus electrician etc, circa £6000. I managed to circumvent that reducing it to £3500, but the method used means no-one else can do that around me.

I don't think many will spend several thousands laying on electricity for an also expensive e-car. They'll just hang onto i.c cars to the bitter end.
.

I think there may be a solution with secondary battery in your garage. Let's say you need about 15kWH for your average e-car daily consumption. You fit a 17kWH secondary battery at home which is topped up at cheapest tariff. When you come back, your car pinches as much as it needs to top up its battery using a semi-fast charging system.
That way, the network does not have to be expanded in a hurry.
May be I should start a battery company and sell those 17kWH on trolleys for something like £2000.