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Proper generator grounding

155mm

Chief and Indian
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Guymon, OK
he is about 7 hours ahead of us, so he will fix it when he gets out of bed
 

csheath

Active member
714
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43
Location
FL
They need to scrape a little more paint off the railing to get it to ground properly. ;)
 

Guyfang

Moderator
Staff member
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Location
Burgkunstadt, Germany
Ground rod is too short!
This actually happened to me. I was on a NATO inspection team, and we were grading an American HAWK Unit. I was walking around checking things on the generator row, when I kicked a ground rod, to see if the cable was tight, Tight it was. BUT, the rod moved. I reached down and gave it a tug. Out it popped! About 18-20 inches long!! I pulled on the next gen sets ground rod, and had it in my hand also. Not good.

At the time, (1990) the U.S. units were constantly taking a beating. They could not pass an AAFCE, (Allied Forces Central Europe) evaluation, to save their lives. Just what we needed. ANOTHER failing unit. A young Caption could not only lose his job, but ruin his carrier. There were only 4-5 Americans on the team, and 25 NATO cousins.

I stuck the rods back into the ground and went in search of the Power Generation Section Chief. A young Acting Sergeant. I snatched him up, drug him behind a truck and we chatted a while. I told him that I would be back in 1 hour. The F****ng ground rods WOULD magically grow to 6 feet in the next 59 minutes, and then I WOULD be back to stare in wonder at this act of Divine Intervention.

Low and behold! Before my eyes, rock solid ground rods, 59 minuits later.
 

Guyfang

Moderator
Staff member
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I almost started a new thread, but feared the wrath of Administrators falling on my head for wasting space.

These pictures are real. I took them. It's not often I back away from a job, and say, "not no, but hel* no!" But this time, I told the boss, cant do it. The owners of this pig stall, (300-400 pigs) wanted us to hook up PV, (photo Voltaic) to this distribution box. My partner, (who has a REAL problem with mice and rats) vomited on my foot, and three times before he got out the door. The mice didnt bother me, but the safety hazard. This is like a nothing I have ever seen here before. And the owners would not let us turn it off! It was summer, and the pigs would have overheated in their stalls, without the air intake fans running non stop. The only way I would have repaired this box, would be to cut each cable out, graft a new end on to it, and hook it back up. We walked, the boss backed me, and I bet it still looks like this, 2 years later.

IMG_4278.jpgIMG_4279.jpgIMG_4280.jpgIMG_4281.jpgIMG_4282.jpg
 

strycnine

Member
223
8
18
Location
Claxton, GA
I almost started a new thread, but feared the wrath of Administrators falling on my head for wasting space.

These pictures are real. I took them. It's not often I back away from a job, and say, "not no, but hel* no!" But this time, I told the boss, cant do it. The owners of this pig stall, (300-400 pigs) wanted us to hook up PV, (photo Voltaic) to this distribution box. My partner, (who has a REAL problem with mice and rats) vomited on my foot, and three times before he got out the door. The mice didnt bother me, but the safety hazard. This is like a nothing I have ever seen here before. And the owners would not let us turn it off! It was summer, and the pigs would have overheated in their stalls, without the air intake fans running non stop. The only way I would have repaired this box, would be to cut each cable out, graft a new end on to it, and hook it back up. We walked, the boss backed me, and I bet it still looks like this, 2 years later.

View attachment 704431View attachment 704432View attachment 704433View attachment 704434View attachment 704435

WOW!:eek::eek::eek:
 

Hard Head

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
540
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18
Location
Greenville SC
Mice and many insects love electrical equipment. That is why I put in fine screen in my generator intakes and I put a filter in the bottom of the skid to keep them out of the drain holes. I hate to open a door and have wasps attack! Rodents, what are they really good for?
 
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