[SarFred]

We have recently moved here and love our villa, but the transformer in the back yard buzzes incessantly. When we open the window to the second room it's really bad. The transformer is situated behind our house, not in between, and that's fine but what they have is fencing behind the transformer, which makes it into kind of an echo chamber. We have called Seico to come out and see if it's just loose, but can anyone suggest other avenues to pursue? We could and would put a matching fence in front of it to block the sound. Any suggestions from seasoned villagers?

[otherbruddaDarrell]

I would contact them again and continue to be the wheel that needs greased.
Transformers have been known to blow up.

[2 Oldcrabs]

Worked for utility co for 32 years. Transformers will make a slight Humming noise during "high load" times. Loud humming is not normal. Blowing up is possible but not likey unless hit by lightning. Keep calling and ask for a "trouble-shooter" be sent out. Make sure you can be there when they come. If issue is not resolved call " THE PUBLIC OR UTILITY SERVICE COMMISSION' and file a complaint. Utiliy co's do not like to spend the time & money to do this type of trouble because it does not add to "the bottom line".

[k2at]

I had a utility problem in my house in New Jersey and eventually had to call the Public Service Utility Commission. What a waste of time. They are in bed with the Utility companies and it takes forever for them to even acknowledge your inquiry. Eventually I just gave up.

[2 Oldcrabs]

SarFred
I think I replied to your private message. If you would like you can private message me with your Phone # and good time to call.

[ajbrown]

Originally Posted by SarFred

We have recently moved here and love our villa, but the transformer in the back yard buzzes incessantly. When we open the window to the second room it's really bad. The transformer is situated behind our house, not in between, and that's fine but what they have is fencing behind the transformer, which makes it into kind of an echo chamber. We have called Seico to come out and see if it's just loose, but can anyone suggest other avenues to pursue? We could and would put a matching fence in front of it to block the sound. Any suggestions from seasoned villagers?

Our home backs up to Villas and we have a transformer against the wall between us and the neighbor. Indeed they make a noticable hum. The main culprit as you have pointed out is the echo effect of the wall and it is very quiet where we live. We called SECO and they were very responsive. They came out and replaced the unit. That did not help, so someone with a larger title came out. He agreed it was a bit noisy, so they replaced the unit again. There was no noticable affect. They came back and put a rubber mat under the unit thinking that may lessen the vibration. Hard for me to tell if that made a difference.

I also found a site soundproofing.com that has some interesting forums. Check out the threads on soundproofing a generator.

I did get one private reply on their site, but took no action:

Hello,
I know it's been a while since you posted to the supersoundproofing forum, but I just was reading your post.

I work for a large power company, and thought I might add my 2 cents!
A couple things could be done easily to possibly quiet the offending transformer.

1. Ask the power company if they could demagnetize the transformer- this sometimes quiets them right down. Also see if they can test it for noise and see if it meets manufacturer's specs.

2. If it were one of those really big (the size of a small house-BIG!)transformers like my company uses and it were unusually loud, we have a special electronic device we have attached to one of ours, which injects an inverse wave voltage into the transformer which cancelled out the harmonic which was causing the hum. The device is an active audio device which listens to the transformer with microphones and automatically adjusts itself to minimize the hum.

Perhaps you could get an active noise suppression device and attach it to your house.

Another possible idea is Dynamat- available at car audio stores. You could try sticking small squares of it to the outside of the transformer. To find the best places to stick a small amount of it at a time, press your hand against the side of the transformer box in various locations and have your spouse/etc listen from near your house and see if they can hear a difference.

My experience in the Navy Seabees with portable power generators, it was amazing the difference in sound transmission when we simply grabbed a convenient piece of plywood and leaned it up against the generator, deflecting a significant amount of its noise away from our camp. My apologies for the long post!

In the end we did some nice landscaping, (out of sight out of mind?) and do our best to ignore it. If you have better luck I would be very intereted in hearing.

Alan

[Hoosiervillager]

We just passed on a great deal on a house because we went back to look again and noticed the hum of the transformer. It was located right by the master bedroom window. I'm sure I would hear it any night I had the windows open. Then we went to several more homes we had looked at and sure enough each one with a transformer on the corner of the lot had a noticeable hum. So now one more thing to look for and avoid in a lot.

[SarFred]

Thanks to all of you who have replied to this thread.... we aren't exactly having buyer's remorse, but we're trying to remedy the problem because it doesn't only hum, it throbs sometimes! I wish they had disclosed it when they showed the house, but I don't know if our agent was even aware it can be a problem. The SECO man came out and said they would replace it because it's too noisy, but it looks like that may not help. We're going to try a particle board with foam against the transformer and see if that works. Do warn your friends who want to buy a house here though, about the transformers... I'll let everyone know what transpires, got good advice from all of you!

[actor]

could this realistically be? You would think that with all the houses built here, this would have come up before if it were a widespread problem.

[wdwduo]

Sar-Fred the transformer is located in the utility easement and I believe that you are prohibited from errecting anything in that easement.
As you are aware the transformer is owned by Seco. If you were to install insulation panels on the transformer, you could have the potential of causing damage due to heat build-up and Seco would undoutably bill you for any damage.
The safest couse of action is to continue to work with Seco. Let them make their engineering fixes before you take any independent actions. Get names and numbers at Seco and make them aware of your problem, often. You know the adage about the squeaky wheel.
LED

[SarFred]

We aren't going to do anything without the approval and involvement of SECO. So far they've been helpful and they do acknowledge that it is a fairly widespread problem. They said they'd change out our transformer and put a different one in that is much quieter. We'll see....

[tpop1]

After about 4-5 phone calls over the 3 weeks since we got back to TV from the north, SECO came out today and replaced the transformer in the back yard, making 4 families very happy!!!

We had the same issue as SaFred described...a loud hum which could drive you crazy...not to mention safety and health concerns with a heavy load piece of equipment.

SECO was very good about it..no argument or long winded discussions required. Worker today indicated that the particular brand of transformer has been an issue for them.

[ajbrown]

Originally Posted by tpop1

After about 4-5 phone calls over the 3 weeks since we got back to TV from the north, SECO came out today and replaced the transformer in the back yard, making 4 families very happy!!!

We had the same issue as SaFred described...a loud hum which could drive you crazy...not to mention safety and health concerns with a heavy load piece of equipment.

SECO was very good about it..no argument or long winded discussions required. Worker today indicated that the particular brand of transformer has been an issue for them.

Very nice! Like I have said in this thread before, ours is not unusually loud, but there is a noticeable hum when it is quiet in the area. How is that for subjective scientific statement

Do you think your previous one was louder than others in TV? Maybe you do as I do and I stop and listen to others when on walks and bike rides. Our's sounds like all the others; they all have a hum.

I ask to determine if you know if you had a "louder than normal" one or SECO have changed the manufacturer and made them even quieter.

If it is the latter, I would be first to call my old 'friend' at SECO to have him come out. Like yours, my experience with SECO through all of this, they were very responsive.

[tpop1]

It was appreciably louder then the others in the neighborhood.

It's quietness is startling and almost disconcerting after getting used to the hum!!!

No noise at all, now!!!

[DDoug]

As posted above SECO is not governed by Public Utility Comm. they are a coop I found that out when I had to move my service line.