At Transpower, we love seeing our people excel and come up with innovative new ways of doing things. One of the coolest examples of innovation we’ve seen recently has come from graduate engineer Vinod Rodrigo who developed a conductor temperature sensing device package to assist sagging operations. Vinod’s device, called TempSense, has already made a huge difference to the way our engineers sag power lines, and we’re stoked to share this example of one of our own taking the time to consider how we can improve our work. The traditional approach to sagging lines can be slow, prone to errors, and creates extra work for crews already busy with adjustments. TempSense is a device package consisting of three components: The conductor holder securely grips an earth wire and a sample piece of ACSR GOAT conductor. It features a handle with a pair of strong magnets, allowing it to attach easily to a steel pole or tower. The transmitter includes an accurate temperature probe, and the device magnetically clips onto the conductor holder, ensuring constant contact with the conductor for precise readings. The receiver, used by engineers on the ground, displays real-time temperature updates with a tested working range of over 2 kilometres. Vinod developed TempSense during his service provider placement with Northpower, after joining the Transpower graduate programme in 2024. During a sagging project with Northpower, Vinod’s supervisor pointed out some inefficiencies in the traditional methods. In response, Vinod came up with a device to address these challenges: TempSense. TempSense reduces the workload for engineers, improves overall reliability and increases efficiently of transmission line sagging operations. Ka pai Vinod!
Darryl Yorke
1w
And not only did Vinod Rodrigo come up with the concept he designed and built everything from completing the electronics to 3D printing the cases, the future is in good hands.
Mark Ryall
3h
Great work Vinod, the future is bright!
Love the detail in these work stories Transpower New Zealand! 👏
Pengwei Liu
1w
Looks great.
Archana Devi
1d
Well done Vinod. Excellent work. And has been great having you part the team for a short while.
Impressive
Excellent work
Awesome work Vinod Rodrigo
Great work Vinod Rodrigo !!
Graduate National Grid Asset Engineer | Mechatronics - Be(Hons)
1wThank you so much, Transpower New Zealand, for the kind recognition and for sharing my work during my Northpower service provider placement! I’m truly honoured to be part of such a supportive team and to have had the opportunity to learn from them. The encouragement and resources provided through the amazing graduate program have been instrumental. It's inspiring to be part of a company that invests in young engineers and fosters innovation. 💙