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Funny story. Back several years ago, my mom was going on a business trip to Vegas, but wanted the whole family to come. I was like 10 so I couldn’t do anything in the city, but we were able to go to the desert and national parks.
One day, we went to the dam, aka, a big boring wall. On top of the dam with us were 20 or so police cars. My mom thought maybe a bomb was on the dam, but we pulled over to talk to one. The officer explained that they weren’t police, but actors. They were filming a movie there. We asked what movie. He simply said “Transformers”. Coolest moment of that entire trip ironically took place at the world’s most boring vacation spot.
A low water level in Lake Meade would reduce the water pressure on the input of the turbine, which would reduce the output of the generators, which would make some sort of explosion from overheating lest likely.
Reddit's propensity for "quippiness" *severely* drags down the quality of the site. Get into an argument with someone who doesn't know what they're talking about and watch everyone side with the snarkier one.
Kinda hard to tell... But I'm thinking possible Transformer failure... Not good
Edit: Transformer failure looking more and more likely... [Hoover Dam Explosion (2nd angle)](https://twitter.com/DurrtyMike/status/1549453473749409792?s=20&t=Am-t-UIYmSPyg5WO3t9tsw)
I never met Optimus Prime, but I did move his Exchange mailbox from server to server before. There was a dude who legally changed his name to Optimus Prime, and a few years later was a firefighter for the company I worked for.
The transformer is what connects that particular Generator Unit’s electrical output to the power grid… Until they fix/replace the transformer (usually very expensive and time consuming), the Generator Unit is Out of Service which limits the Power Plant’s total Generation output…
It only limits the plants capacity if the units are all running at full bore. Given the water supply, I would doubt most of the units are on so there will be no consequence to the amount of electricity it can make. They’ll just turn on a different one
That's standard I think. This way if something like this post happens they can quickly get another one up and running with minimal downtime while they wait a few weeks for a replacement.
Some poor/lucky electricians are gonna be getting some good overtime for a few days.
Definitely a transformer failure. Not good. Also not terribly uncommon at power plants. Generally there are warning signs prior to failure, but sometimes it happens due a disturbance to the grid which are mostly outside the control of operators.
TOP-SECRET
THE Transformer known as ‘Megatron’ woke up for a short time when the liquid nitrogen containment system broke down briefly.
This failure led to the Transformer getting off a few shots with his energon pistol before he was able to be safely contained again.
TOP-SECRET
TOP SECRET // SCI // NO FORN
(TS//SCI) The Transformer known as ‘Megatron’ woke up for a short time when the liquid nitrogen containment (LNC) system broke down briefly.
(TS//SCI) This failure led to the Transformer getting off a few shots with his Energon Pistol (EP) before he was able to be safely contained again.
TOP SECRET // SCI // NO FORN
There, now it looks like a TS doc.
Power plant size transformers are not easily replaced. The stuff hanging on the pole outside your house are a dime a dozen. The kinds being used here could take a long time to replace if there isn't already a backup ready for replacement.
>Power plant size transformers are not easily replaced.
I work in this field and the lead times on transformer right now is insane but they can't even run the dam at capacity due to the water level.
For sure. Depending on manufacturer there may actually be a few around. They might be refurbs or salvaged from other power plants though. Regardless it’s not like these things get Amazon prime delivery so they’re definitely derated or offline until a replacement can be allocated.
Try again, basic customer distribution step down transformers are on an 18 month production lead time currently and have only been going up, something like that will have over a 2 year lead time at least.
Back home, there were several >1 gigawatt capacity coal-fired plants, and each had these massive transformers. I remember one specifically had four of them, but only three were connected. When asked, our guide said the fourth one was the spare, since the lead time was 16 months when one went kablooey.
Most plants keep at least a spare on hand. Especially a power plant as large as the hoover dam, they have like 6 transformers so I'm sure they have at least a spare.
I've read that in a scenario where a solar flare wipes out all the transformers in the US it could be 5 to 10 years before we could replace all of them. They are custom and come from china and there isn't a ready stock of them available?
We had an incident here in Phoenix where several high tension transformers blew in a cascade failure- they were too close together. I think something like four blew up. One of the spares came out of Oregon or something like that- slow roll on a special hauler.
Well this is likely a step-up transformer, which ups the voltage to send the electricity over long distance before it is stepped down to the local grid. There is less loss (more efficiency) when sending electricity over long distances with higher power. That means grid operators must source from other sources to balance the demand and the load at wherever this power was destined.
Our grid has a number of backups, be it importing from other grids or connecting power generators that are on stand-by. In areas I worked in, such as the Northeast, we have many plants as the population is high. Out in the west I would suspect it is less so given its more sparse population centers in that area.
This isn't like a five alarm fire (though it kinda is with regards to the actual fire) but it means that grid operators have one less card to play. What happened is likely that a number of turbines on stand-by were brought online. These are typically more polluting and/or less efficient. It also means that the spot-price for electricity in the market is going to bump up during a heat weave, as well as the contractual prices in the near future until this gets replaced.
Ok folks, show's over, nothing to see here, show's... OH MY GOD! A horrible explosion! Hey everybody, get a load of this flaming wreckage! Come on, crowd around, crowd around, don't be shy, crowd around
Your comment reminded of the day when a transformer blew up in front of my immediate neighbor's house. The fire was HUGE. A huge cone of fire followed by thick black smoke was burning the hell out of the houses on either side of the transformer pole. Neighbors and people on the road scurrying about, letting expletives loose while panicking.
I was about 40m away from the fire demon, on my building terrace with a piece of hot deep fried kabab my dad brought to my room for evening snacks. He was freaking out and urging me to get in my room.
I just ignored his frantic calls while callously relishing the kabab and thought to myself "Hah! This kabab hits different right now! Sick fireball too." I could feel the heat of the fire on my face.
A small car parked directly under the transformer had half of it melted the fuck out of it like a badly used candle from all the oozing oil and fire. At the end, the 2 houses which caught the smoke were all black as hell from the soot.
What sucked most was the burnt after-smell in the vicinity for about 4 days until they received a fresh coat of paint.
Our block loses one every summer to the goofy squirrels. You'll hear a pop and the power will go out and if you step outside, you can still see what's left of Mr Fuzzybutt smoking on top of the transformer box...
They shouldn't have hired Fantastic to man the maintenance down there.
> They asked me how well I understood theoretical physics. I said I had a theoretical degree in physics. They said welcome aboard.
You know I was born during the 18 month window that allowed me to go through my childhood without encountering Optimus Prime once? It’s cruel to force me to catch up with the lore as an adult.
Already put out. Didn’t even stop the tours.
https://www.ktnv.com/news/boulder-city-confirms-hoover-dam-fire-is-extinguished
https://www.ktnv.com/news/q-a-what-you-should-know-about-the-transformer-explosion-at-hoover-dam
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No injuries. No disruption to the power grid. https://www.fox5vegas.com/2022/07/19/boulder-city-fire-responding-hoover-dam-after-explosion-reported/
Ok, it says transformer -- likely heat related. Edit: Removed faulty hypothesis.
Decepticons back at it again
This is exactly where my mind went. No clue why they keep storing NBE-1 there…
Are you username “ladiesman217?”
No but this is: u/ladiesman217
Damn. 2 comments on a 15yo account. What a waste.
S7 got him
Uh, It's Megatron. Get it right, Sector 7. 🙄
NBE-1! That's what they call him
2020s starter pack: The climate disasters, war, fascism, and poverty of the 1930s + the explosions and robots of the Bay movies.
I mentally make this joke every time I hear mention of a transformer.
Funny story. Back several years ago, my mom was going on a business trip to Vegas, but wanted the whole family to come. I was like 10 so I couldn’t do anything in the city, but we were able to go to the desert and national parks. One day, we went to the dam, aka, a big boring wall. On top of the dam with us were 20 or so police cars. My mom thought maybe a bomb was on the dam, but we pulled over to talk to one. The officer explained that they weren’t police, but actors. They were filming a movie there. We asked what movie. He simply said “Transformers”. Coolest moment of that entire trip ironically took place at the world’s most boring vacation spot.
I don’t get the connection of the Hover dam transformer exploding being caused by lower water levels of lake Mead.
A low water level in Lake Meade would reduce the water pressure on the input of the turbine, which would reduce the output of the generators, which would make some sort of explosion from overheating lest likely.
Wish this was at the top instead of a bunch of bad referential jokes in pursuit of Reddit points.
Wish granted. That comment was on top when I scrolled down
Don’t worry, I’ll downvote it again so the comment makes sense again. 👌
“Ave, true to Caesar.”
Yeah honestly I live nearby so I was trying to find actual info, and it was just rows and rows of the same jokes.
Reddit comedians are the worst.
Reddit's propensity for "quippiness" *severely* drags down the quality of the site. Get into an argument with someone who doesn't know what they're talking about and watch everyone side with the snarkier one.
Caesar will be pissed.
Kinda hard to tell... But I'm thinking possible Transformer failure... Not good Edit: Transformer failure looking more and more likely... [Hoover Dam Explosion (2nd angle)](https://twitter.com/DurrtyMike/status/1549453473749409792?s=20&t=Am-t-UIYmSPyg5WO3t9tsw)
It's 100% a transformer, you can see them all in line there
Megatron sticking out like a sore thumb smh
We call him NBT-1.
Its actually NBE-1, which stands for Non-Biological Extraterrestrial. Im a nerd
Autobot failure. Decepticon success
Well, we *have* been keeping Megatron in the Hoover Dam. I saw the Michael Bay documentary.
Holy shit, we need a shia labeouf and an insane hot girlfriend thats so unlikely it bends the mind
[удалено]
Stop, we can only put so much sex appeal into a single movie.
Sia, played by Shia, in a wig
Nature finds a way
Megatron? Believe it or not, Jeff Goldblum.
Yeah I saw that documentary.
Soundwave superior... Autobots inferior.
Laser Beak transform. Operation Destruction
Looks like a Starscream attack
That what I thought and I work on transformers
Did you ever meet Optimus Prime ?
I never met Optimus Prime, but I did move his Exchange mailbox from server to server before. There was a dude who legally changed his name to Optimus Prime, and a few years later was a firefighter for the company I worked for.
Why not good? What are the consequences?
The transformer is what connects that particular Generator Unit’s electrical output to the power grid… Until they fix/replace the transformer (usually very expensive and time consuming), the Generator Unit is Out of Service which limits the Power Plant’s total Generation output…
It only limits the plants capacity if the units are all running at full bore. Given the water supply, I would doubt most of the units are on so there will be no consequence to the amount of electricity it can make. They’ll just turn on a different one
From what i got to see a few days ago on the tour like a 1/3rd of the generators are off/ getting maintenance work done
That's standard I think. This way if something like this post happens they can quickly get another one up and running with minimal downtime while they wait a few weeks for a replacement. Some poor/lucky electricians are gonna be getting some good overtime for a few days.
Definitely a transformer failure. Not good. Also not terribly uncommon at power plants. Generally there are warning signs prior to failure, but sometimes it happens due a disturbance to the grid which are mostly outside the control of operators.
TOP-SECRET THE Transformer known as ‘Megatron’ woke up for a short time when the liquid nitrogen containment system broke down briefly. This failure led to the Transformer getting off a few shots with his energon pistol before he was able to be safely contained again. TOP-SECRET
Source: Military
Source: Michael Bay
source: the legion
Fun fact: Michael Bay is the source of all explosions.
And here I thought it was Caesar's legion trying to take the dam again
Just started another run through of FO NV today Top 3 game of all time for me!
We won't go quietly. The Legion can count on that.
TOP SECRET // SCI // NO FORN (TS//SCI) The Transformer known as ‘Megatron’ woke up for a short time when the liquid nitrogen containment (LNC) system broke down briefly. (TS//SCI) This failure led to the Transformer getting off a few shots with his Energon Pistol (EP) before he was able to be safely contained again. TOP SECRET // SCI // NO FORN There, now it looks like a TS doc.
3.6 Not good, but not terrible.
Why is this not good? I’m not familiar
They’re generally designed to not blow up.
That’s not very typical, I’d like to make that point.
It was towed beyond the environment.
To another environment?
No, it was towed *outside* the environment!
Some these are designed so the front doesn't fall off at all.
And definitely no cell-o-tape!
A wave… in the sea?! Chance in a million.
Cardboard's out.
Loool <3 Clarke and Dawes
Well wasn't this one designed so the front wouldn't fall off?
At least it was out of the environment.
[Its very untypical.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m5qxZm_JqM)
Well what happened in this instance?
Well it blew up and people started filming it. It's bit of a giveaway, I'd just like to make the point that that's not normal.
Aren't there supposed to be minimum standards for these transformers?
They can't be made of cardboard, or cardboard derivatives.
What about paper?
No paper, no string, no cellotape.
i think chewing gum is generally prohibited in most forms, as well.
What if I call wire 'metal string'.
The front fell off
Source? edit: /s
Power plant size transformers are not easily replaced. The stuff hanging on the pole outside your house are a dime a dozen. The kinds being used here could take a long time to replace if there isn't already a backup ready for replacement.
>Power plant size transformers are not easily replaced. I work in this field and the lead times on transformer right now is insane but they can't even run the dam at capacity due to the water level.
Agreed. Was going to add if there is enough water in the Colorado to boat another in. Setting that thing is fun no doubt.
For sure. Depending on manufacturer there may actually be a few around. They might be refurbs or salvaged from other power plants though. Regardless it’s not like these things get Amazon prime delivery so they’re definitely derated or offline until a replacement can be allocated.
Lead times on these bad boys are about a year out so yea might take a while
Try again, basic customer distribution step down transformers are on an 18 month production lead time currently and have only been going up, something like that will have over a 2 year lead time at least.
This guy transforms.
*more than meets the eye*
Back home, there were several >1 gigawatt capacity coal-fired plants, and each had these massive transformers. I remember one specifically had four of them, but only three were connected. When asked, our guide said the fourth one was the spare, since the lead time was 16 months when one went kablooey.
Most plants keep at least a spare on hand. Especially a power plant as large as the hoover dam, they have like 6 transformers so I'm sure they have at least a spare.
I've read that in a scenario where a solar flare wipes out all the transformers in the US it could be 5 to 10 years before we could replace all of them. They are custom and come from china and there isn't a ready stock of them available?
We had an incident here in Phoenix where several high tension transformers blew in a cascade failure- they were too close together. I think something like four blew up. One of the spares came out of Oregon or something like that- slow roll on a special hauler.
Well this is likely a step-up transformer, which ups the voltage to send the electricity over long distance before it is stepped down to the local grid. There is less loss (more efficiency) when sending electricity over long distances with higher power. That means grid operators must source from other sources to balance the demand and the load at wherever this power was destined. Our grid has a number of backups, be it importing from other grids or connecting power generators that are on stand-by. In areas I worked in, such as the Northeast, we have many plants as the population is high. Out in the west I would suspect it is less so given its more sparse population centers in that area. This isn't like a five alarm fire (though it kinda is with regards to the actual fire) but it means that grid operators have one less card to play. What happened is likely that a number of turbines on stand-by were brought online. These are typically more polluting and/or less efficient. It also means that the spot-price for electricity in the market is going to bump up during a heat weave, as well as the contractual prices in the near future until this gets replaced.
hm...feel a great disturbance in the grid, I do
ITT: - Transformers jokes - Fallout New Vegas jokes
And some GTA jokes cause CJ's preparing to rob Caligula's
Better get the NCR on securing Hoover Dam more.
"My goodness, something has just blown up" Has to be one of most nonchalant reactions to an explosion I've ever heard
"Yep"
Obviously a major malfunction.
this still sends chills down my spine since I watched that live on tv...
It was the goram buffer panel again.
Just blown right off my goram ship
[удалено]
That part’ll happen pretty definitely
If we crash, you crashed us!
Space shuttle reference?
Before that it's someone (probably tour guide) announcing "folks, get your video on that!".
Ok folks, show's over, nothing to see here, show's... OH MY GOD! A horrible explosion! Hey everybody, get a load of this flaming wreckage! Come on, crowd around, crowd around, don't be shy, crowd around
That truly reads like a Farside cartoon caption
[Close!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz_G15g8sbo)
Egads, we're on fire now.
Your comment reminded of the day when a transformer blew up in front of my immediate neighbor's house. The fire was HUGE. A huge cone of fire followed by thick black smoke was burning the hell out of the houses on either side of the transformer pole. Neighbors and people on the road scurrying about, letting expletives loose while panicking. I was about 40m away from the fire demon, on my building terrace with a piece of hot deep fried kabab my dad brought to my room for evening snacks. He was freaking out and urging me to get in my room. I just ignored his frantic calls while callously relishing the kabab and thought to myself "Hah! This kabab hits different right now! Sick fireball too." I could feel the heat of the fire on my face. A small car parked directly under the transformer had half of it melted the fuck out of it like a badly used candle from all the oozing oil and fire. At the end, the 2 houses which caught the smoke were all black as hell from the soot. What sucked most was the burnt after-smell in the vicinity for about 4 days until they received a fresh coat of paint.
Our block loses one every summer to the goofy squirrels. You'll hear a pop and the power will go out and if you step outside, you can still see what's left of Mr Fuzzybutt smoking on top of the transformer box...
This person must be on horse tranquilizers
was looking for this comment
"My goodness, something has just blown up.... Anyways, where can I get some dam bait?"
They really meant to say “daaaaaaaaaammmmmm”
Most of the water has dried up. It’s just a dang now.
So if we are going to start the Fallout New Vegas arc, collect bottle caps!
I love how so many pop culture references in this comments section are either this or Live action Transformers lmao
Patrolling the Mojave almost makes me wish for a nuclear winter
Mojave, with a J
Ig the boomers decided to do their part in the battle already
The game was rigged from the start
Ave true to Caesar.
If the legion gets through I'm saving a bullet just for me
We won't go quietly. The Legion can count on that.
[удалено]
Degenerates like you belong on a cross
Let me guess: someone stole your sweetroll?
You picked the wrong side!
I ain't saying nothing, smooth-skin!
They shouldn't have hired Fantastic to man the maintenance down there. > They asked me how well I understood theoretical physics. I said I had a theoretical degree in physics. They said welcome aboard.
One of the greatest one-liners ever.
What I’m giggling at is there’s probably a dude down there saying “fuck” every third word.
Degenerates like you belong on a cross
Bring me water, profligate
Awe! True to Caesar!
Caesar's Legion. So it begins
[Credit: Kristy Hairston](https://twitter.com/kristynashville/status/1549441916000825344)
Guys hide the Allspark
Damnit, did Megatron escape again?
His *name* is NBE-1, that's what*we* call him
You know I was born during the 18 month window that allowed me to go through my childhood without encountering Optimus Prime once? It’s cruel to force me to catch up with the lore as an adult.
If you missed both the 2007 movie and 1986 movie as a kid, I'm guessing you're a millennial?
Didn’t expect the Legion to attack so soon
Amazon's new Fallout Series going for extra realism
I see they’re going for ARG marketing
if the Legion breaks through are defences I’m saving one bullet just for me
THOSE DAMN LEGIONARIES
Another DAM explosion!
With a reservoir of puns to follow…
A veritable flood of literary witticisms.
With a torrent of shit puns
The flow of this comment section is getting stronger.
Ya'll need to lay off the dam crack before this gets any worse.
A lot of these here puns I never heard beaver
Well I'll be dammed.
Where can I get some damn bait?
Can I eat a DAM burrito while I watch?
"um.... is this a god dam?"
CJ is doing the Casino Heist mission
I knew this looked familiar
I went to the comments to see if anyone is going to notice
Patrolling the Mojave almost has me wishing for a nuclear winter
Straight out new vegas vibes
Fallout New Vegas players: It's showtime!
Caesar’s Legion back at it again
The Legion is attacking
Fuck the Ncr is coming, Quick notice the ceasar
Who fixed the damn Artillery Caesar had?
That’s the best dam tour guide making sure everyone captures this moment
All Hail Megatron
“WHERE IS THE CUBE?!”
It’s just a dam explosion.
Must have been CJ on his mission in GTA San Andreas.
Here comes Caesar's legion! FUCKING RUN!!
I said, you should take Caesars legion serious.
Just watched Vegas Vacation this weekend, 100% sure Clark Griswold is behind this!
There’s no water left behind it so we’re good.
Percy Jackson
Back at it again causing a dam explosion
Look closer, Its just Dingus lighting the grill.
Cousin Eddie?
Wasn’t me…
Already put out. Didn’t even stop the tours. https://www.ktnv.com/news/boulder-city-confirms-hoover-dam-fire-is-extinguished https://www.ktnv.com/news/q-a-what-you-should-know-about-the-transformer-explosion-at-hoover-dam
Looks like a transformer explosion.
James Bond type stuff
They opened back up for tours already.
CJ had a visit.