Big Problems come in Small Packages

Just Mocking Me

Last week, quite a few members approached my assistants and me while hovering over an open hole with a quip about the famous movie Caddyshack. “You guys need me to call Bill Murray to help out”. That definitely put a smile on our faces as we searched for the root cause of an electrical break rendering half the satellite boxes on the course inoperable.

Last Thursday, after 4 days of bright sunshine and light breezes, some light wilt started appearing on a few fairways. I grabbed the remote and headed out. Passing by the pumphouse and down 16 cartpath, I punched in a few sprinkler numbers and waited for the confirmation beeps. Good to go, but no water. Tried again. Beep,beep,beep. Nothing. I spun around, checked 4 fairway for golf and typed in the codes. Beep,beep,beep. No heads popping up and that sickening feeling washing over me. Oh lord not again!!! I raced to the pumps and no red fault lights! Whew, we still have water! Opened the breaker panel and there we go, tripped.

Tried the breaker again, 15 seconds later, pop.

Now, this electrical leg travels from the pumphouse to the two satellites in the fescue, down 16 to a junction box at the path to 12 bathroom.  One line heads to the satellites behind 11 and 5 greens. The other continues down 16 fairway, across the creek to 12 fwy, splits again to connect 13 and 15 and then all the way across the road to 8 green and then finally out to 7.

There’s only one way to determine where the break is and that’s going to each splice box, disconnecting all the wires, and then testing with a voltmeter. Once we determine the incoming power line, we reattach the wires and move to the next box.

After 3 hours we finally narrowed down where the break might be, but it was between two boxes and most likely 4-5’ underground. That’s when the professionals were called with all their fancy gadgets and meters.

After 2 hours, and Tim’s(Rainbird Irrigation) needle on the gauge bouncing back and forth we had pinpointed a spot and started digging.

I was on my stomach reaching down the hole as far as I could when I hear “well, isn’t this typical union work, one guy in the hole while 3 guys standing and watching”.  Now that made me laugh! It isn’t always good being the tall guy in the group.

We found our problem! Three feet down, I felt the insulated cable, rough edges, and then exposed copper wire. Bingo!

One tiny little creature, causing so much mayhem!! Never a dull moment at the Crest. 

Grounds and power wires: Never a good match