Re: Avalon, and Lockout for Safety

["Mark Broker" <broker-at-uwplatt.edu> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

I went out for the Lightning Demo (it was MY coil being demoed, but I don't
want to talk about that night for a while....) and also got a nickle tour
of the place.

This place has MANY problems which haven't been mentioned.  Much of the
wood substructures in two (or was it one?) of the buildings was rotting
(and therefore still settling) and in very poor condition.  Many of the
wooden roofs will need replacing, too. Plus, there are VERY few working
lights in the places it's needed most (the basements, where, IMO, the most
work needs to be done).

However, I do have confidence that (once Chris gets a little more organized
after his recent move) this place will eventuallly become, at least
partially, an excellent site for all sorts of "Scientific and technology
education and research."  I also think it would help to stop thinking about
what to place IN the labs, but rather decide which "labs" go in which
buildings, which buildings are renovated first, how the buildings are going
to be heated, cooled, insulated.....


> That way, when you walk in and find
> yourself standing in a foot of "odd liquids", you don't have to worry about
> being electrocuted...

Or when you walk (in near total darkness) into the shoddy, exposed AND
RUNNING power lines hanging from the ceilings.  *I* almost had a kitten
when you pointed the flashlight down so I could see the sub-basement
throught the holes in the floor....


> >Consumers (the power company) came out with 3 guys who spent a lot of time
> >telling me "That's not our responsibility" and "I have no idea"....I fail to
> >be impressed. They couldn't find out why anything was working the way it
> >was, and claimed no rsponsibility for ANYTHING. They also were a little
> >upset when, while walking OUT of the gas pit (the fenced in area where the
> >main gas valves are) I was the last one out and spotted 2 seperate leaks
> >(small ones, but this is a 200psi 6" line) in the fittings. They left
> >without doing anything about it saying "We'll call it in" I thought the city
> >building inspector was going to have kittens. :)

Bob almost had kittens?  I wish I'd have stayed the extra day to see
that.....


> Have the gas service shut off...  If this place is as unkept as it sounds,
> just have all these electrical and gas hazards removed for the time being.
> Get a generator and lights...

That's probably THE BEST advise I've heard or read about this project so
far.  Forget the Lockout systems until there's a system to lock out!  Focus
on $$$, and cleaning out the 1,000,000 tons of scrap steel and stainless
(and the unpleasant PCBs, Asbestos, etc).

Speaking of which, quantifying ANYTHING at this place to within even an
order of magnitude is at best a guess, to even the VERY experienced
building inspector.



> >hmmmmm...perhaps I'll start breeding lab rats. Then I'll put them in
> >rat-wheels, with belts and pullies spinning a long shaft to a
> >generator....we'll be off the grid :) I wonder how many rats = 1KVA?

Depends.... do you mean produced by them running in wheels, incinerating
their dead carcasses, or using their matter in a fission or fusion
reactor.....

If you mean the first, then I'd go for about 200 rats per 1kVA.


> A big 1MVA generator is a real option here!!

And an expensive one, too.  But, I tend to agree.  Perhaps start with a
small generator - enough to run a lot of lights, and all sorts of power
tools for "the big clean."  Then hook back up to the grid when enough safe
wiring has been installed to run lights and power tools for the
remodelling.  This will certainly make the entire operation more safe.


> BTW - Be sure to get a good picture of yourself in front of the Avalon
> "now".  That way, we will know what you "used" to look like! :-))  Sort of
> like what president look like before taking office.  Dark hair, no
> ulcers,... :-)))

We could hike up to the roof of the Power Lab, and I'll snap a picture of
you overlooking your "dream-to-be."  Then in 10 years (or whatever),
myself, or some other person, can snap a picture of you in the same
spot....  "Before and After...." :-)


Mark