grep, etc

[Bill Vermillion]

In the last exciting episode of the filePro saga, 
Jay R. Ashworth was heard to say:" 
if: Wed, Aug 18 00:34  
then: nm = Jay R. Ashworth 
if:
then: show nm < "said:"  
Jay R. Ashworth said: 

> On Tue, Aug 17, 2004 at 11:31:52PM -0400, GCC Consulting wrote:
> > > After having no power for 95 hours, and expecting it to be 
> > > out for at least 3 more days, things are running here again.

> > This is why one of my client's built a battery backup room.
> > He has enough power to run all of his computer and laser
> > printers for at least 5 days. Now, there may be no lights in
> > the warehouse but his staff can process orders by sunlight or
> > the glow of monitors.

> Ah yes... battery rooms.

> I can't find a damned reference anymore, but we had a problem
> in one about 10 years ago or so. Seems a new technician was
> let loose in the battery room at St Pete Main. Now, that's
> 2 30,000-line GTD-5's and 1 50,000-line 5ESS-remote, taking
> up half of one floor of the 7-story building, but back then,
> there was a bit more left in the building, and the battery room
> reflected it.

> When I took a tour in 1993, I believe the guy told me something
> like 25,000Ah at -52VDC. Helluva lot of lead and acid, guys. So
> you can understand why the tools you use in that room are vinyl
> dipped, and tied to the ceiling with rope.

For people who've never seen the inside of a CO all of those
clear plexiglass columns filled with sulphuric acid and the plates
is a bit startling.

The newer plants are all used gel-cel lead-acid batteries.
And because of the design they can be stacked up, while all the wet
units I'd seen were just on the floor with nothing above them.

> 
> Bare.
> 
> It got across a pair of busbars.
> 
> <poof>

> Took out the entire wirecenter for at least 8 hours.  Flashed the
> wrench into plasma, instantly.  Probably EMP'd some nearby gear.

That's scary.  I've seen people - engineers who got sloppy -
vaporize screwdriver shafts.  I was always careful around it.

When I'd have to do anything at all on the transmitter I'd trip the
main switch, open all the doors that had interlocks, and then hang
the grounding device on the chrome plated copper tubing connecting
all the big capacitors together.  You don't get a second chance
when you are pushing about 10,000V at 3/4 AMP into a pair of
final output tubes and do something foolish.

When something was wrong one engineer used to open the door, and
then close the interlock with his finger and then look inside to
see if he could spot the problem.  

That's just foolish.

Bill

-- 
Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com