[BC] Power

[Clive Warner]

>I do remember how dramatic it could be, when power went out, and switching
> to "emergency backup" power.
> ( which meant pulling the 110VAC octal plug, and replacing it with the
12VDC
> octal as fast as possible, in the dark )

Hmmm.. with me, it involved groping my way to the diesel room in the pitch
blackness, finding the torch (US: flashlight) and studying the manual on the
200KVA (US: watts) diesel until I could work out (US: figure out) which
levers to pull, what noises to wait for, and so forth.
And of course remembering to first open the incoming main circuit breaker,
not wanting the national grid (US: local transformer pole) to suddenly have
a fight with the machinery . . .
Actually, that was the 'domestic services' BBC site at Burghead, Scotland.
We all had to learn to start and test the diesel/alternator by synchronising
it to the incoming mains.
This was done by using two 150 watt lamps connected in series.
You simply connect one side to 'red' of the generator (e.g.) and the other
side to 'red' of the mains, and then adjust the diesel speed until the
flashing lamps slow down and stop . . . on 'dark' you throw the switch. Must
be on 'dark' or . . . KABOOM!
Clive