Re: Preventing a REALLY expensive mistake.

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Christopher Boden by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com>

>Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" 
><jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>
>
> >
> > 1. The building is fed with 1-P 240VAC, and will be upgraded to 3-P 
>480VAC
> > (for the elevator of doom), should I keep the 1P service as well? or 
>just
> > have the landlord upgrade from one to the other?
>
>Presumably, when they bring in the 480, they provide local transforming
>down to standard 240/120?  Otherwise you'll have to do it yourself.
>
>If it doesn't cost anything, I'd leave the existing service in.

Cool.

>
> >
> > 2. Will a system of 10 seperate 8-10' ground rods driven vertically 
>around
> > the buildings exterior and all laced together for a massive ground 
>system be
> > an good enough protection for the computers and other electronics? Is 
>there
> > a better way?
>Not necessarily...
>The key is to keep your electronics grounds separate from the power grounds
>(hence the prevalence of those orange Isolated Ground receptacles) until
>you get back to the common panel ground.

WOAH!

Ok, at the common panel ground I can bring them TOGETHER? THIS is a part 
that had me wondering because even if I run them to completely seperate 
grounds outside, won't they connect to each other THROUGH the ground? But 
since this is all happening IN the Earth wouldn't the voltage be so low as 
to not be a concern?


If you don't make loops, you're
>less likely to pick up noise.
> >

Ok...-dot-coming from an audio background I know that a Ground-Loop is one of 2 
things.

1. Some sort of connection that will result in injecting a nasty 60hz hum 
into your mix that is a pain to get rid of. This is why we buy things like 
rubber washers for rack gear, direct-boxes and a million other goodies with 
Ground Lift switches...etc. But noone ever explained to me EXACTLY just what 
a Ground Loop actually IS, lol. Help?

2 The act of flipping (pitch axis) a plane, on (or very close to) the 
ground. This happens when you catch the landing gear on a small power line 
while landing, etc..

> > 3. What are all the steps I CAN take to ensure the safety of our 
>computer
> > systems? I have to assume that the computers will be operating at the 
>same
> > time as the coils (and other HV gear), since as we all know, all 
>Micro$oft
> > NT-5 systems maintain 99.999% uptime and are virtually error free.....at
> > least that's what the slicks tell us. 'Course, if you believe that I've 
>got
> > a great deal on some property in Florida for you, the everglades, 
>perhaprs
> > you've heard of them?
>
>Run the sensitive loads off an isolation transformer.

Where do I get one big enough? Can I just run the HVL on an Iso-Transformer?


>
> >
> > 4. I remember reading about garage coilers who have had discharges 
>through
> > the roof, can this happen on a solid concrete structure? (There will be
> > classrooms under the H.V.L.)
>Concrete may or may not be a good conductor.
>
> >
> > 5. I've heard of coils being mounted inverted from the ceiling. How is 
>this
> > done? Why? What are the advantages of this setup? Can it be used to make
> > near vertical discharges to the floor?
>
>Talk to Jeff Parisse..

> >
> > 6. Will the operation of large amounts of HV gear cause a signifigant 
>rise
> > in the static electricity of the entire building? I'm worried about the
> > hardware labs, static and CMOS devices aren't exactly friendly with each
> > other.
>
>Nope.. you're basically worried about EMP type things, not ESD.
>
>Take a look at literature from the various lightning protection folks, like
>PolyPhaser.

Cool, I'll look into that.




Christopher A. Boden Geek#1
President / C.E.O. / Alpha Geek
The Geek Group
www.thegeekgroup-dot-org
Because the Geek shall inherit the Earth!



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