A new thing to worry about
in [Repair]
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From: The Daring Dufas on 12 Dec 2009 03:38 David Brodbeck wrote: > Stormin Mormon wrote: >> And, and also learned the Jesus Method of finding out which breaker >> connects to a certain electrical outlet. requiring a six or so inch >> length of 12 or 14 gage wire, with about an inch of each end stripped. >> Often with the ends gently pounded flat. >> > > I used to fly sailplanes. Because these non-powered aircraft sometimes > land away from the airport, they're designed to be broken down into > pieces so they can be loaded on a trailer. Part of every preflight > inspection was examining the removable pins that held the wings on, > which everyone referred to as "Jesus pins." As a broadcast engineer working around large tube type transmitters, one has to be mindful of residual high voltage in the equipment. There is always an insulated pole with a metal hook and grounding conductor attached that is used to discharge any dangerous stray current. It's called a "Jesus Stick". The things can also be seen hanging around any high voltage equipment facilities. TDD
From: Stormin Mormon on 12 Dec 2009 10:57 I can imagine that. Thanks for sharing. -- Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus www.lds.org .. "David Brodbeck" <gull(a)gull.us> wrote in message news:VMGdnZ4Ufb-Il77WnZ2dnUVZ_thi4p2d(a)speakeasy.net... I used to fly sailplanes. Because these non-powered aircraft sometimes land away from the airport, they're designed to be broken down into pieces so they can be loaded on a trailer. Part of every preflight inspection was examining the removable pins that held the wings on, which everyone referred to as "Jesus pins."
From: Michael A. Terrell on 12 Dec 2009 19:23 The Daring Dufas wrote: > > David Brodbeck wrote: > > Stormin Mormon wrote: > >> And, and also learned the Jesus Method of finding out which breaker > >> connects to a certain electrical outlet. requiring a six or so inch > >> length of 12 or 14 gage wire, with about an inch of each end stripped. > >> Often with the ends gently pounded flat. > >> > > > > I used to fly sailplanes. Because these non-powered aircraft sometimes > > land away from the airport, they're designed to be broken down into > > pieces so they can be loaded on a trailer. Part of every preflight > > inspection was examining the removable pins that held the wings on, > > which everyone referred to as "Jesus pins." > > As a broadcast engineer working around large tube type transmitters, > one has to be mindful of residual high voltage in the equipment. > There is always an insulated pole with a metal hook and grounding > conductor attached that is used to discharge any dangerous stray > current. It's called a "Jesus Stick". The things can also be seen > hanging around any high voltage equipment facilities. I worked in brodcasting for decades and never heard it called that. Also, I only saw them in small transmitters. I've been inside some big transmitters, including the 500KW WLW transmitter. The only TV transmitter I saw with a shorting stick was 500 watts. The 195 KW UHF transmitters would either vaporize a shorting stick, or destroy the HV supply. Have you ever been inside one of the Harris solid state AAM transmitters with a high current 300 volt DC power supply? It will kill you just as fast as any tube transmitter. -- Offworld checks no longer accepted!
From: The Daring Dufas on 12 Dec 2009 22:39 Michael A. Terrell wrote: > The Daring Dufas wrote: >> David Brodbeck wrote: >>> Stormin Mormon wrote: >>>> And, and also learned the Jesus Method of finding out which breaker >>>> connects to a certain electrical outlet. requiring a six or so inch >>>> length of 12 or 14 gage wire, with about an inch of each end stripped. >>>> Often with the ends gently pounded flat. >>>> >>> I used to fly sailplanes. Because these non-powered aircraft sometimes >>> land away from the airport, they're designed to be broken down into >>> pieces so they can be loaded on a trailer. Part of every preflight >>> inspection was examining the removable pins that held the wings on, >>> which everyone referred to as "Jesus pins." >> As a broadcast engineer working around large tube type transmitters, >> one has to be mindful of residual high voltage in the equipment. >> There is always an insulated pole with a metal hook and grounding >> conductor attached that is used to discharge any dangerous stray >> current. It's called a "Jesus Stick". The things can also be seen >> hanging around any high voltage equipment facilities. > > > > I worked in brodcasting for decades and never heard it called that. > Also, I only saw them in small transmitters. I've been inside some big > transmitters, including the 500KW WLW transmitter. The only TV > transmitter I saw with a shorting stick was 500 watts. The 195 KW UHF > transmitters would either vaporize a shorting stick, or destroy the HV > supply. > > Have you ever been inside one of the Harris solid state AAM > transmitters with a high current 300 volt DC power supply? It will kill > you just as fast as any tube transmitter. > NO EXCREMENT?! I was out in the Marshall Islands 20 years ago and got to explore the old phased array radar installation on Meck island at the Kwajalein Atoll. I think it had two power supplies at one time but there was one left in what was called the Frankenstein room, an incredible contraption that looked like the set of a monster movie. I wish I still had pictures, darn. There were Jesus sticks hanging all over that place. You did notice that I wrote "stray current"? You probably got into the field after the advent of Affirmative Action when dangerous items had to be hidden away from quota hires because of the death and destruction they were capable of. "Hey, what's this big red thing for?" Here's a picture of the outside of the building, I wish I had a picture of the interior. http://www.smdc.army.mil/smdcphoto_gallery/Kwaj/Img19_MeckIsland.jpg TDD
From: Michael A. Terrell on 13 Dec 2009 00:33
The Daring Dufas wrote: > > Michael A. Terrell wrote: > > The Daring Dufas wrote: > >> David Brodbeck wrote: > >>> Stormin Mormon wrote: > >>>> And, and also learned the Jesus Method of finding out which breaker > >>>> connects to a certain electrical outlet. requiring a six or so inch > >>>> length of 12 or 14 gage wire, with about an inch of each end stripped. > >>>> Often with the ends gently pounded flat. > >>>> > >>> I used to fly sailplanes. Because these non-powered aircraft sometimes > >>> land away from the airport, they're designed to be broken down into > >>> pieces so they can be loaded on a trailer. Part of every preflight > >>> inspection was examining the removable pins that held the wings on, > >>> which everyone referred to as "Jesus pins." > >> As a broadcast engineer working around large tube type transmitters, > >> one has to be mindful of residual high voltage in the equipment. > >> There is always an insulated pole with a metal hook and grounding > >> conductor attached that is used to discharge any dangerous stray > >> current. It's called a "Jesus Stick". The things can also be seen > >> hanging around any high voltage equipment facilities. > > > > > > > > I worked in brodcasting for decades and never heard it called that. > > Also, I only saw them in small transmitters. I've been inside some big > > transmitters, including the 500KW WLW transmitter. The only TV > > transmitter I saw with a shorting stick was 500 watts. The 195 KW UHF > > transmitters would either vaporize a shorting stick, or destroy the HV > > supply. > > > > Have you ever been inside one of the Harris solid state AAM > > transmitters with a high current 300 volt DC power supply? It will kill > > you just as fast as any tube transmitter. > > > > NO EXCREMENT?! I was out in the Marshall Islands 20 years ago and > got to explore the old phased array radar installation on Meck > island at the Kwajalein Atoll. I think it had two power supplies > at one time but there was one left in what was called the Frankenstein > room, an incredible contraption that looked like the set of a monster > movie. I wish I still had pictures, darn. There were Jesus sticks > hanging all over that place. You did notice that I wrote "stray > current"? You probably got into the field after the advent of > Affirmative Action when dangerous items had to be hidden away from > quota hires because of the death and destruction they were capable > of. "Hey, what's this big red thing for?" Here's a picture of the > outside of the building, I wish I had a picture of the interior. > > http://www.smdc.army.mil/smdcphoto_gallery/Kwaj/Img19_MeckIsland.jpg I saw the first in the late '60s. If you want to see an impressive power supply, visit WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio. The transmitter has multiple, large plate transformers to supply the transmitter. We had a pair of 2 MW Westinghouse RADAR systems at Ft Rucker in the early '70s across the hall from the Weathervision office. A lot of transmitters drop the plate relays when any interlock trips. It shuts down the incoming AC line to the HV power supply, which is quickly dissipated through the final tube or tubes. Permanent sets of bleeder resistors keep the dielectric from recovering any voltage There was nothing Affirmative Action at the stations i worked at. The TV transmitters at the AFRTS station I worked at was six feet from the control console, the processing racks directly behind the operator, and the film chain was next to the proc racks. No video tape and all in beautiful B&W. Several radio stations had the transmitter in the control room, from the days when someone with a FCC ticket was required to be there while they were on the air. The only TV transmitter that was in a separate room was at the WACX transmitter site in Orange City. That wasn't to keep people away, but for the noise and cooling requirements. The small service area was in a room off the transmitter room, where you could barely hear what you were working on. That was a mid '80s Comark with three 65 KW Klystrons. I don't know if they modified it for DTV, or replaced it, since I haven't been to that site in 20 years. One station I consulted with has their transmitter in the hallway leading to the studios. An old 5 KW Gates, from the '50s. A couple relay racks next to it hold the antenna and power controls for day & night power and pattern controls. A real outdated mess, but like many small stations, the owners believe that they can't afford to replace it. -- Offworld checks no longer accepted! |