[R-390] OT - Transmission lines - local

[rbethman]

There is NO question that HV is nasty stuff!

Our team was selected to install a "small" 750KW unit to provide for 
emergency power to the U.S. Embassy "compound".

We had gotten through the entire installation.  It was time ti light it 
up and test it out.  That was when the *fun* began!

We started it up and brought it up to speed.  The automatic Field Flash 
kicked in.  Little did we know that Depot had overlooked one little 
item.  The generator's *diode* that spun on the rotor was an antiquated 
selenium rectifier.

Well, it decided to let go just then.  The remainder of the team hauled 
rump out the business end door.  I hauled rump forward to hit the 
emergency shutdown.

It was VERY disconcerting to see the 4160/2400 crawling all over the 
outside of the "normally confining" HV enclosure.  Personally, I'll pass 
on EVER seeing THAT sight EVER again.

Nasty is putting it mildly!

They picked one of "our" teams due to the specific country we were 
installing this in.  The going and coming was interesting in and of 
itself. <GRIN>

Bob - N0DGN

On 2/24/2011 6:07 PM, Randy and Sherry Guttery wrote:
> On 2/24/2011 4:27 PM, Les Locklear wrote:
>> Interesting story about 4160 volts.
>> <...snip...>
>> We worked up to 660 volts, nothing higher,
>> that's what they were for. Nasty stuff!
>>