Safety Lighting (Continued)

Starting on the ballast replacement and relamping.

"2N" G.E. ballasts will be replacing the older ballasts for the larger T12 bulbs.

T8, T12...the number is the measurement in eighths of an inch wide; T8= 1"...T12=1.5"

First, we isolate the circuit with lockout tagout. I'd thought to look for a second switch, sure enough, was one on the opposite hallway.

LOTO on an installed light switch cover. 

Hasp so others can add their lock and tag.

Ballasts were beneath a panel inside the underbelly of the fixture. None were leaking (so far) but many were bad, and incompatible with the new T8 lamps anyways.

Old and Busted.

New Hotness + Means of Disconnect

(Shown plugged for pictoral purpose only) 

410.130(G) "Means of Disconnect".

TT took me to lunch for my birthday. We went to Rocky Rococo's, a fast-food pizza place, if you don't know what that is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

While chowing pizza and breadsticks, I'd explained "RickRolling" to TT, he actually got a kick out of the song, which we later joked about.

I took the foil from my breadsticks and  cut two rectangles from it, each having a tab. I have two fat "L"-shaped flats of thin aluminum foil. Wrapped it up in the coupon material with about four turns, and voila'!
2 nF capacitance!

I think the buttery breadstick grease is a rather good dielectric material! (not really).

2 nF! 

From Wikipedia:

A farad is the charge in coulombs which a capacitor will accept for the potential across it to change 1 volt. A coulomb is 1 ampere second. Example: A capacitor with capacitance of 47 nF will increase by 1 volt per second with a 47 nA input current.

The 'farad' should not be confused with the faraday, which is the electric charge carried by one mole of singly charged ions. So don't accuse me of talking about myself all day today.

We returned to relamping and reballasting, singing the Rick Roll song; I'm thinking this isn't such a bad birthday after all!

TT must be intolerant to something in the pizza. It wasn't even 30 minutes since we'd eaten, and he dropped his ass SO BAD in the staircase, I'd almost puked. He was changing the ballast in the staircase on the 1st platform, I was on the 2nd. Even after trying to escape down the hallway, it had creeped another twenty feet inland like an invisible deadly septic Ninja.

Anyways, we'll finish tomorrow. Another day in Candyland.

Why Numbers are Dangerous.

I've always been fascinated how the brain works.

More likely out of frustration when dealing with incompetent instructors.

You know the type: They tell you 37 ways to NOT do something, and one way TO do it...
...when it comes time to use that knowledge, you remember every single one of the 37 ways to NOT do something, and a few of your own, but can't remember the RIGHT way, because you were overloaded on information.

In comes the brainpower, and why you DON'T TEACH SO MUCH TO PEOPLE. Not everyone has a perfect "filter" for such things, will forget 90% of what you said in an hour anyways, and will remember something the way their brain is wired, not the way you taught them.

Example 1:

Dry skin: 120v and 0.0011A. 

Example 2:

GFI trips at 0.0050A

Thesis 1: Grabbing 120VAC will result in 0.0011A current in body with dry skin at the contact point

Thesis 2: GFI receptacles trip at 0.0050A imbalance.

Synthesis: It is OK to touch live 120VAC wiring with dry skin.

WRONG!

An example of why this is NOT the way to teach someone about safety;

People wrongly assume electricity takes the shortest or easiest path to ground. NOT TRUE.

Except for high-frequency examples of WHERE on the conductor the current flow is (i.e., "skinning") and certain experiments Tesla was famous for, under normal conditions, electricity takes ALL paths it can as a return point (or ground) and can be can be calculated accordingly. 

Say there is a set of conductors, size 3 AWG (size of a Sharpie marking pen) and a spot removed on the insulation by a genetically engineered plastic mouse, impervious to electricity, whom has gnawed an area large enough away for you to put your "1000-ohm dry skin palm" on.

Well, its feeding a 5HP motor (about 3700W)  drawing 30 amps at 120 volts. V=I*R, so That's only 4 ohms! Your dry-skin hand is 1000 ohms, so no current will go through you, right? WRONG!

Regardless of the motor,  you are now a new branch circuit. Unless you and the motor will draw enough to trip the breaker or fuse, you'll continue to be an electronic heater/screamer which hasn't been tested by UL;  until the cows come home, whatever that means. Even if the breaker does blow, you're already had enough to ruin your organs, fry your heart or brain, probably even the family Joules.

So, I guess I have issues with people thinking they know about electricity because they "learned it in school".

Well, teachers were STILL teaching that Neptune didn't have rings and water vapor was visible when I was in school. A guy from the Electric Company told us in Driver's Ed class that if a power line falls on our car, we're "OK" because the tires insulate us. NOT EVEN CLOSE TO TRUE!

We're OK because we're the same voltage (potential) as the car, as the line, as the ground immediately under us. We're OK because we're all the same voltage and therefore no current flow.

MetersFeet

Voltage dissipates radially to ground, assuming all conditions equal.

Volts

       Distance to ground point

So, being in a car with a live 13800-Volt line on it can be fatal just stepping out of the car.

A 4000-5000 volt difference between the car and where your foot touches the ground means you get 4000-5000 Volts. Lets say a path between  your right hand and left foot exist at 2500 Ohms.

V=I*R; 5000=n*2500; 5000=2*2500. You now have two amps going through you.

Two hundred times dead, you are. Not a pretty way to die, nor always instant. Electric chairs are engineered (or were) poorly and often caused unspeakable misery rather than their intended "insta-death" purpose.

I'm far off-topic here, but I'm ranting. If you like weird movies and want to know more about electric chairs, see Mr. Death (1999). Warning: It's a political shocker movie. No pun intended. It covers capital punishment and the Holocaust, so if you're the least bit queasy about either subject, by all means see it anyways and flame my blog with insults.

Just a side note which I will prove soon:

GFI receptacles wont trip even if you shove a fork in one end and your tongue piercing in the other.

There needs to be an imbalance between the L and N side (usually indicating current going to ground and not back to the N; in a 1-phase circuit, a neutral really isnt a neutral; it's a return path).

Good day!

Another Safety Lighting Issue

There is a recently-remodeled area upstairs with a hallway connecting two locker rooms (Men and Women).

The lamps are all burned out in the hallway, all seven fixtures...and most of the lamps in the locker rooms.

It's daylight out, so you can still see pretty well. At night, it's unsafe.

TT and I had located ballasts and lamps for a previous job, along with the associated parts.

Starting in the 2002 NEC code with 410.130(G) and revised since then, you must have a "means of disconnect" for ballasts and/or the fixture (with a few exceptions listed).

Like this, about $1 apiece:

Don't think you cant get hurt working on 120V. It can and will kill you if it gets the chance. Dirty bugger it is.

Here's a nice, quick video on the subject;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osEr7SjVWlQ
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/osEr7SjVWlQ" frameborder="1" allowfullscreen></iframe>

So, TT and I recycled all the dozens of ballasts and a hundred or so old lamps laying on this cart (God forbid an Apprentice would have done such a thing...) and prepping it for the job, as soon as the Work Order comes through. The rest of the day I'll be working on my "My Learning" training. The three-hour Electrical safety (section 1 only) is on the list. Seems like I'd just done this last year.

Oh, yeah. It was last year!

Engineering a Clean-room Monitoring System

Back in September, I was given a rather special opportunity to "wire up" a multi-room monitoring system for a clean room, a monitoring lab, and assembly/finishing area.

I was given a box of parts, spools of various communication wire and vague directions. Like, "Build this".

I couldn't have been happier, seriously! I *love* things like this; it's why I wanted this career.

"Well, you can look at the other system we have; there arent any drawings [electrical wiring diagrams] for it, but maybe that will help..." I was told by Pat O. Well, nothing is labeled. Parts were added later. Parts were removed later. Nothing can be traced out, as everything is in a tight bundle or knotted beyond belief. Can't really touch anything, as this is monitoring a live system. To boot, it's about 110dB in this room.

A power supply went bad and nobody could fix it for two days, as they couldnt locate it. It was in the ceiling. May I stress the importance of ELECTRICAL DRAWINGS and LOGICAL LAYOUTS?

Anyways, here's my system:

The CAT-5 running out of place was not mine.

Anyways, I'd drawn up blueprints in Excel (faster that way, dont ask) after going online and downloading all the product information for the temperature sensors, particle sniffers, the D/A-I/O converter and USB module, the stacklights (with unknown controllers in the prefab boxes) even the cabling to make sure it was compatible with the MODBUS runs.

There was cable pulling of all sorts and near-impossible ways to access it, working around the Utility guys and constant interruptions by Journeymen that needed "help" with this or that. The cabinet pictured here had to be modified to accept power and be portable; it was quite a bit of work making it acceptable, and make the removable cabinet side possible to be removed. A bit of slack in particular places below the reinforcement rails, using a quad receptacle box as a junction box also, power was run in to the terminal blocks and the additional fused rail-mounted convenience receptacle.

From there, a 24v supply powers the components. The stacklights are  powered by 24v and also controlled completely by MODBUS.

Here's a JPEG of my Excel blueprints. I made them pictoral, so even the least-skilled onlooker can decipher how it works. All b'prints and system files, documentation, even a training video on the particle counter...everything, was burned onto DVD-R supplied by me. The department leader got a copy and one was left in the cabinet.

It was a great project. Everyone was impressed. 

When the vendor/contractor came out to install the software, he turned it on and everything worked.

Perfectly.

I don't think people realized how much work went into this.

I was recognized by an engineer and put in for my second company award. 

The Bronze "Expertise" award.

Expertise

Dear TS,

Thanks for your dedication and expertise in getting the SGB equipment installed quickly and accurately, which allows the Perenna program to stay on track.

From TM

Of course, this wasn't good enough three months later according to the two people not involved with this project AT ALL, other than checking up on me on the third day of the project, in the middle of figuring out how the system is supposed to work, as I was pulling some of the communication cables. 

[Critic]"You should have mounted the stack lights first, so it at least looks like you're doing something!"

[Myself] "Well, then lets say I mount them on day one. Then it looks like I'm not doing anything later on"

That apparently wasn't logical to him. The Engineer and the Department leader checked in on me EVERY SINGLE DAY and saw the progress. They didn't seem to have a problem with it.

And the other system? It went down recently, it took over a day to fix it, as there are no drawings nor blueprints, so that add-on power supply in the ceiling that failed was hard to find. Nobody knew it existed.

I took three weeks to do this, did it all by myself, minus a couple hours help at the end from [Someone]. According to [Critic] and what he tried to convince my boss, was that "Nothing was done until we sent [Someone] to help you, and suddenly it was done".

I'm just an Apprentice, so I have to deal with this crap.

Maintaining batteries today in the fork lifts. Running all over the place with a water container on wheels with an electric pump inside.

Many of the batteries are  6v and wired in series to increase the voltage to 24v or 36v depending on the vehicle.

Instead of the batteries having the typical snap-off covers on the cell fill points, a special connector is pressed into each cell with a hose running through them. The portable container has a special quick-connect device on the nozzle; that connects to the hose to fill the batteries quickly. Often a forklift will take a gallon or two every month.

A nice little circuit http://www.aaroncake.net/circuits/charger1.asp

Lead-acid batteries give off hydrogen gas; don't be dumb. I had one blow up in my face from a faulty charger once, one spark was all it needed. Enough force to knock you down and stun you a moment, and the acid doesn't feel too good either.

More Switches/Receptacles

In the back of the same room, a receptacle had disintegrated (a worker had shown me). The bottom receptacle had fallen apart, and the top had a blade stuck in the neutral, ripped off of who-knows-what.

Shown with Fluke pocket voltage tester.

Further examination shows the switch above this for the lamps in the old shower room were as old as the broken ones from yesterday, I'd decided to replace the remaining two in the area.

First, as always, LOCKOUT TAGOUT (LOTO).

With description, location, name, date, phone number in ink.

Cover removed, quite nasty. No ground.

Cover removed, top had the blade stuck in the neutral (left).

Rewired, grounded, taped for safety.

Done. Used the correct size cover, too. Previous was too small.

Done. 

Done.

Again, not the most challenging thing...but very important when it comes to protecting life and property.

Done and tested by 9:30. Time for my 9:00 break!

Safety Repair - Old Wiring/Broken Switch

TT and I had spent four days taking down and replacing 7 luminares with fluorescent fixtures (4N ballasts, eight T8 lamps, 4100k). I'd wanted to replace the old broken bakelite(?) switch, and either upgrade or remove the receptacle near the ceiling (ungrounded 2-prong). We'd traced the circuit to the correct breakers, and performed "Lockout-Tagout". Only I have a key to the locks placed on the circuit breakers, both locked in the "off" position.

Mold, spiderwebs, and just old gunk was packed in this rigid metal box. When I'd taken the cover off, I'd instantly had that old radioactive metallic factory dust taste in my mouth. UGH, I hate that.

Old cloth-coated wiring. This could have been here from the 1930s. The fixtures were from the early 60s, late 50s. I'll add new pigtails to the wiring (not required under NEC code except on neutrals when running to a component jumped to another device, but I've found out "that's the way we do things here" - only being told after a two-week wiring job, which everyone saw me wire to code. Had to re-do it and got bitched at for it, because one or more electricians believe somehow the circuit is in SERIES if you use the receptacle as a splicing device. NOT TRUE. http://www.ecmweb.com/nec/code_qa/code_qa_031110/index.html

Anyways, here's another problem. Melted screw! 

The switches also do not have a ground. I'll fix that as well. The replacements have a grounding screw.

Here's the view of the wall, with the ungrounded receptacle.

Sure, not the most technical thing in the world, but this could prevent someone from getting killed.

I've sand-blasted and cleaned the switchplate cover, as no replacements were on-hand. It took a coat

of white paint quite fine. I was lucky to find a spraycan with an unclogged nozzle.

Now to install the switches, break off the "Mickey Mouse" ears for a better fit.

And finally,

And now the receptacle. Note the green dot: "Hospital Grade". In case we turn the building into a hospital. 

Add a cover, and voila'.

Probably the easiest thing one could do electrically. Not a challenging day at all, so I'd just started doing math in my head, squaring numbers (without the 'Mathemagician' tricks I have yet to learn. The book is on my broken-screened Kindle) and trying to remember the capital of Assyria. Blue. No, green! AAAaaaahhh..."

Jan 24th, 2012

Ran some CAT-5 cables to various parts of the R&D lab today.

Uneventful, but kept me busy.

Got an email to turn in my apprentice hours, despite doing it at least twice since December/November, and got another asking me (still cant get clarification how I am responsible for the actions of another adult) to turn in the Precious Apprentice Evaluations.

I've decided I won't email him back, seeing as when he'd asked me FIVE different times in emails if I had my 2011 NEC codebook already (each time I'd replied "YES"), he doesnt remember me showing him I had an electronic version as well - the 5th time, he sends a crummy insecure Outlook voting form asking if I had a codebook. But, I am the one with the communication problem he says. I passively said I'd told him I had one  already, but was emailing him the written non-voting message because I check my email with my browser,  Outlook is insecure and I dont want to download all my messages by using it...and therefore cannot see these voting buttons.

I was blasted with a ridiculous email about how I am "hacking" company property by not using Outlook.

This is the same guy that tried unsuccessfully to send me an attachment a dozen times, sent an empty outlook template every time, blamed it on me. I'm the "hacker".

We'd needed these fiberglass "fish sticks" to help us run the CAT-5 cables; he had taken them home, was asked TWO WEEKS AGO to return them. "Oh, they're still in my garage".  We needed them, and didn't have them. They are company property. Did he get a Gate Pass? Probably not. What if I had done this?
Bet you I'd have gotten an ass-reaming for it, as well as another "communication skills" lecture.

So many things to show an attorney (or just my boss) if this gets bad. Not much time left until it won't matter any more. Do I continue to do nothing, and wait it out? It hasn't worked so far...but when you have a tiny Union with a "good ol boys" network, there isnt much you can do.

Combination Safety Cabinet, E-Stop and Fiberoptic

Over the last couple of weeks (just before and after New Year's), I worked with TT on a neat little project.

One test bay in Coolidge lab was being split into two. Two 100-amp feeds were needed along with a start/e-stop system outside each door, and an e-stop inside. We were given a couple of used NEMA enclosures and a 24VDC power supply. They'd also needed power outside the bays for 2 computers, a wireless router for each system (to connect to the bay), among other things. 

The almost-finished cabinet, "left" bay.

A simple little design I'd added to the new radiation-protected test bay. It uses mains power for a duplex receptacle (mounted on the left side, behind the door from PANEL 1 (Marked Panel N for some reason) off a 15 amp breaker. Not ideal, but I'm not running the job. They wanted the power to the external red warning lights to be "ON" whenever it is possible to shoot x-rays, also only have the ability to do this with the door physically closed. 

Enter BANNER.

This device runs off +24v and can use up to 4 fiber channels. Simply run 2 lengths of fiber to a 4"x4" box, mount the fiber ends in a transmit and receive end in the box, then mount another box on the door, with

the fiber "jumper" in the box. With the door closed, the BANNER device emits a beam from E1, to the

transmit coupler, through the "jumper" in the door box, back through the receive coupler, then back to the

BANNER device at R1. 

With this, I added the output control (pin 17) to control a relay (pictured lower right). This controls both the red door warning light and another "fail-if-opened" circuit from the PDU.

Still not as fail-safe as I'd like it, but that's how the others are done.

A little mishap today; since I was bitched at by a journeyman for actually taking the time to draw out a

blueprint for a complex project I had engineered recently (and gotten a company EXPERTISE award for), I didn't want to waste ANY company time by doing something so "trivial". You know, so if anything goes wrong, or the FDA would like to document our process, they wouldnt have to GUESS. So, it's been two weeks since I've seen this project (the BANNER controls just came in today), so I'd forgotten exactly how I'd wired it, and confused the 110v out to the light with the 110v in to the receptacle. "Oh, this needs a jumper in the terminal block". I'd put one in and accidentally shorted something. Hmm? Was it wired wrong? Nope, I'd just grazed the jumper on the neutral terminal block; they mount on the top and screw down, facing you. They are rather close. I'd 'flipped' the jumper bar end to the other side to keep it a few mm away from the neutral, but must have grazed it anyways.

Still waiting for said journeyman to deliver a set of insulated screwdrivers. A set of terminal block drivers were delivered second-hand instead last year. Funny, they don't say INSULATED anywhere on them.

When the Apprenticeship Committee asked "You need any tools?" I asked for insulated screwdrivers.

"You arent supposed to be working on live stuff!"

"Everything we do is live, or next to something live"

"But still, you shouldn't"

"I'm asking for them to be used as my PRIMARY tools, because you never KNOW if something is live or could BECOME live"

They must not like it when I use logic and assertiveness, as four years later, I still dont have any tat I did not buy.

Here's another one;

We are to not trust our "pocket voltage detectors", but instead use our voltmeters. I always use both of them.

I'd asked;

"Because of FDA compliance, we need calibrated voltmeters, can we get the Apprentices voltmeters on the cal(ibration) list?"

"You arent supposed to use them on production things, use your journeyman's meter"

"What about if I'm supposed to check for voltage, and my meter doesn't work. That could be fatal. How will I know if it's 'hot' at all?"

"Use your pocket ticker."

This is the Union/Apprenticeship Committee saying this, not the company. You'd think it was being paid for by the Apprenticeship Committee members, the way they fight us on the most logical things.

I'm ranting again. That's another topic.