Power line facts for kids

A power line running across facilities.

Power lines are wires that conduct electricity through to another place. Some have step-up transformers and step-down transformers. The voltage of the power at the end is usually 120V, but is much higher while going through the lines. The power at the end is then safe enough to be used when "stepped-down" by a transformer.

Principle

The original power is made at a power plant. As the power is sent through the power lines, sometimes it encounters spots that it cannot go through. Then it will need to raise its voltage with a step-up transformer. The act is called "stepping up". But when it reaches buildings, it is too dangerous to be used (about 750,000V) so it goes through a step-down transformer. The act is called "stepping down". Then the elctricity can be distributed to buildings.

Related pages

Images for kids

Overhead power line in Gloucestershire, England.
High- and medium-voltage power lines in Łomża, Poland
Medium-voltage power lines with ceramic insulators in California
Modular suspension insulators are used for high-voltage lines.
Sample cross-section of ACSR power line
Conventional ACSR (left) and modern carbon core (right) conductors
A bundle conductor
Spacer damper for four-conductor bundles
Bundle conductor attachment
Aluminum conductor crosslinked polyethylene insulation wire. It's used for 6600V power lines.
HVDC Fenno-Skan with ground wires used as electrode line
Aerial bundled cable in Old Coulsdon, Surrey
A man working on powerlines in Nauru (2007)
low-profile power lines near an airfield
A single-circuit line
A double-circuit line
Parallel single-circuit lines
Hamilton Beach Pylon (2).JPG

Four circuits on one tower line
six circuits of three different types
Short length of power line
Medium length of power line