ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
Increasing demand factors in residential
by gfretwell - 03/28/24 12:43 AM
Portable generator question
by Steve Miller - 03/19/24 08:50 PM
Do we need grounding?
by NORCAL - 03/19/24 05:11 PM
240V only in a home and NEC?
by dsk - 03/19/24 06:33 AM
Cordless Tools: The Obvious Question
by renosteinke - 03/14/24 08:05 PM
New in the Gallery:
This is a new one
This is a new one
by timmp, September 24
Few pics I found
Few pics I found
by timmp, August 15
Who's Online Now
1 members (Scott35), 265 guests, and 13 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
#123944 06/16/06 08:32 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
I
iwire Offline OP
Moderator
I had a service call for an emergency generator that failed to start during it's weekly exercise.

When I pulled up out front I remembered I had been there two years before connecting the generator to remote monitoring.

Once I got to the electric room and pulled enough stuff out from the door that I could use my key I through my entire 220 lbs into the door to force it open this far...


[Linked Image]

... you can see the old non-functioning vending machine blocking the door from full travel.

Now we can look into what is the Main Electric Service room.

Believe it or not there is a generator in there.


[Linked Image]

Can you see it? [Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

How about now?

[Linked Image]

Oh there it is right behind the 4' x 8' sheets of plastic.

[Linked Image]

Sure wish I could see the control panel.

Oh I forgot to mention the lights in the room did not work, I had to find some lamps.

I could see the fail to start light was lite on the control panel and I was able to slip my hand down and hit reset.

I used the test feature on the ATS and the unit fired up immediately. I never found the reason it failed to start.

However I did find the exhaust had a large hole in it.

I took these pictures and the company emailed them to the customers headquarters.

They have promised it would be cleaned out.

I will believe it when I see it, some of the junk was in the room when I was there two years ago.

Bob



[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 06-16-2006).]


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#123945 06/16/06 11:25 PM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 60
C
Member
Talk about a fire waiting to happen...

I hope the room has good ventilation with that hole in the exhaust.

#123946 06/17/06 01:01 AM
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 943
Likes: 2
N
Member
Where is the Fire Marshall? Like a cop, never around when you need them.

#123947 06/17/06 05:33 AM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,723
Likes: 1
Broom Pusher and
Member
This kind of gives a new meaning to the term "LOTO", as displayed in the first image:

[Linked Image]

When I was involved with Retail Bank Branches (even loan centers and corporate campuses), the above noted "Crap Clusters" were commonplace for any Electrical Room.

Quote

Once I got to the electric room and pulled enough stuff out from the door that I could use my key I through my entire 220 lbs into the door to force it open this far.

Bob's situation places a new twist on things - as I never had to use that much force to enter the "Variety Pack" rooms!

What's even better in Bob's example, is the presence of a Genny which uses an Internal Combustion Engine for the Prime Mover!

I would like to share these images with a few people, if that is OK with you Bob?

Scott35


Scott " 35 " Thompson
Just Say NO To Green Eggs And Ham!
#123948 06/17/06 09:25 AM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 43
R
Member
Quote "Talk about a fire waiting to happen..."

I have seen this cause a fire!! I Worked for large grocery chain in the Northwest. Cardboard display base just flung into the room. Un-like this location, no protection around exhaust. Right at the end of the weekly auto test cardboard caught fire and set off sprinkler system. We all know how water and electricity mix. Needless to say it took most of the day to get everything dried out, and the power back on.

#123949 06/17/06 03:09 PM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 558
R
Member
Good thing that Gennie DID fail to start... If it did I think that the room would have gone from being called an " electrical room" to full out "incineratED Room"...
Somehow I have found the electrical rooms of banks are the worst for storing all sorts of combustables in such rooms... could just be me but every one I have been in its a disaster waiting to happen

#123950 07/03/06 01:45 PM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
Bob,
This nothing but a mess.
I'd be interested to know who would be responsible if someone was not able to get near the isolation switches in an emergency. [Linked Image]
Incidentally Bob,
What is that funny looking wavy pipe thing heading down into that green box, in pics 4 and 5, is that EMT?, it just looks like the end has been flattened on it.
{I apologise for the lame description}.

#123951 07/03/06 01:54 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
I
iwire Offline OP
Moderator
Sorry all I had forgotten about this thread.

Scott you can certainly use these pictures.

I was supposed to go back last Friday but truck problems side tracked that.

I will be going back soon, they supposedly cleaned the room out. I'll have my camera with me.

Mike that is 3/8" flexible conduit running from a change over fitting from EMT.

Its not flat, I believe it has the low voltage generator start circuit in it.

Pretty sloppy job none the less.


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#123952 07/09/06 03:22 AM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 272
L
Member
So they will probably just move all that crap to another storage/electrical room? Hopefully there isnt any other elec room. Maybe they should consider a yardsale? [Linked Image]


Luke Clarke
Electrical Planner for TVA.


Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5