Anyone have any comments or experience with the older type of Series Street Light Systems. This is where there are a large number of Street Lights connected in series with each other and there is single high voltagle conductor loop supplied by a constant current (generally 6.2 amps) transformer. Ten years ago; I had the "Joy" of maintaining and repairing a system at a large State Hospital for several years. It only has a single point of ground refernece that was located near the midpoint of the series loop for the light poles. It actually depended ground faults in the system to keep the string of lights working. If you observed several lights or an area out you knew that you had some type of ground or failure that needed to be repaired. Anyone working on light poles needs to remember that these types series systems still in use at cities and large facilities. They do not have the normal grounding or bonding that you would normally see.

Until the department responsible for the public lighting in any location is absolutly and positivley held responsible for the proper maintainence of systems this will unfortunately continue. There should be no sub then sub contracting allowed for this paticular situation. Each municipality has a public works department with and electrical division. Cut and dry, they should be responsible for their municipality. Cut some administrative fat, get the required amount of funds and personnel to maintain the problems. End of story.