Live Line Technology – Transformer Combi units

Live Line Technology has been in the electrical manufacturing business for the past 30 plus years.

Live Line Technology has a worldwide patentfor the Transformer Combi unit and have installations in the USA, South America, Australia, Eurpe, and Africa (ARIPO) and OAPI ( French speaking African states)

The Transformer Combi unit, is a world first. The only fully integrated surge arrester and fuse protection isolating device.

Distribution transformers become an asset using the Combi unit. Transformers reach their 20-30 year intended lifespan instead of being lost within the first 5 years of service.

Function of the Transformer Combi unit:
The Combi unit will isolate the transformer once the surge protection has expired. It will also isolate the transformer for over current faults. The dual function makes it a world first.

Voltages:
Available in distribution voltages in 3.3kv, 6.6kv, 12kv, 24kv and 36kV. The transformer Combi unit is also available in fault levels determined by the electrical utility. The transformer Combi unit can be fitted on any pole mounted distribution transformers of the following sizes : SWER transformers, 16kva, 25kva, 50kva, 100kva, 250kva , 350kva 500kva and maximum ground mounted up until 11kv up 1Mva, on 22kv 2Mva , on 33kv.
It can be installed on composite, wooden, concrete or aluminium poles.

Current:
The transformer Combi unit is rated at 100A continuous current.

Standards:
The transformer Combi unit confirms to : IEC 282-02. The unit is Eskom approved..

Countries and customers:
USA, Australia , Brazil, Peru , Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa,
Combi unit is fully operated by means of a link stick. ( no outages are required for the entire service of the unit over 20-30 years of service.

New installations:
Many utilities in the US, South America and on the African continent need to become more competitive with the privatisation of electrical utilities. Having a device that fully protect a distribution transformer and provide easier maintenance via ground is a huge benefit.

The Transformer Combi unit will provide better customer service in the following ways :
1)    Transformer losses reduced by 95% (When surge arrester expires it isolates the transformer through patented technology).
2)    Surge arresters are replaced more frequently ( The probability of replacing a surge arrester with a telescopic link stick is improved by 95%)
3)    Surge arresters and fuses are replaced , within seconds.(previously hours).
4)    Nuisance fuse failures are stopped. The surge arrester in the Combi unit is designed to protect the fuse.
5)    Safety of personnel is improved by 100%. The personnel doing maintenance never have to climb the pole. All maintenance is achieved from ground level.

Retrofit:
Utilities retrofit existing installations with the newer technology.
Instead of continuously losing transformers year after year at a site installation , electrical utilities procure the Combi unit to protect their transformer base.The Combi unit can be retrofitted on any transformer pole because it is a system that replaces the old surge arrester and fuse link.
Customers retrofit their old systems where they experience one or more loss at a transformer site.

Retrofit example  -Transformer TX 259 typical installation – Before and After Combi unit

BEFORE  •    Multiple transformer lost per annum at site. •    Surge arresters don’t get replaced. •    High rate of outages – nuisance fuse blows	AFTER •    No transformers lost. •    Spent surge arresters isolate the transformer ( protection) •    No nuisance fuse blows

The Combi unit is available Distribution transformers have up until this design never been explicitly protected by a single device. Transformers provide electricity to clients in the system by transforming higher voltages from the grid into low voltages which are consumed by the customer. Often transformers are treated as consumables, where electrical utilies around the world experience losses in billions of dolllars. These transformer losses

Live Line Technology products have been installed across the world and haveinstallations  in Africa Asia, Australia, Brazil and the USA. The units have also been used in Eskom and have been approved, because Live Line Technology only uses Eskom approved surge arrester brands.

The key to success is the universal nature of the product. Live Line Technology is a customized system which allows the Utility to choose the surge arrester brand of their desire. The bracket is a universal

The most common voltages are from 3.3kv 6.6kv , 12kv, 24kv which fit into the drop out surge arrester Firewall bracket.
The drop out surge arrester is the safest surge arrester system , with a no recorded injuries to replace the surge arrester with a telescopic link stick.

Benefits:
1)    Safest surge arrester in the world – electrician cannot get injured by replacing the surge arrester from ground.
2)    Visual indication-  The drop out surge arrester will drop out only when the surge arrester expires. Not every time there is a lightning storm.
3)    Reduce fault finding – should a surge arrester malfunction and SEF (SEF – sensitive earth fault), the surge arrester can easily pulled out via a hotstick or telescopic stick.
4)    Improve customer service – reduce surge arrester replacement time from minutes and hours to seconds.
5)    Improve probability of replacement – Eskom studies indicate drop out surge arresters are 4x times more likely to be replaced than fixed types.

Brand – Utilities:
Utilties have their preference when it comes to surge arresters brand or type.

Contracts and procurement agreements are often into place for years.Live Line Technology has a patented design which accommodates all various the surge arrester brands that are available in the market.  This enables the utility to get the easy replacement system Live Line Technology uses, without changing their surge arrester brand.

The units below are indicated.

Patented insertion tool:

A special insertion tool has been patented to allow the easy removal and re-insertion of any surge arrester voltage up until 36kv via a telescopic link stick. This is the only surge arrester system in the world which allows this replacement up to this voltage.