[ On Tue, October 20, 1998 at 09:29:47 (-0400), David Lesher wrote: ]
Subject: Re: Wired News on Backhoe Troubles
Unnamed Administration sources reported that Sean Donelan said:
LessonsLearned: Did you know standby generator makers have a universal key for the maintenance hatches on your generator sitting outside your building. All 'authorized' service people all over the country have it. How many folks knew there was a black market for generator starting batteries? ..........
In many places, the generator is inside a 8' chainlink fence -- sometimes with razor ribbon on top.
Even if it's in a locked room it won't be doing you any good if the contacts or cables have corroded, or it's gone dead. Do you have alarms on the voltage level and do you regularly perform the normal maintenance required by such systems? Are your alarms actually tested and working?
BTW, this is one reason why old hands have regular generator tests. Not "oh, I suppose we should.." but "Every Thursday at 2pm, for 30 minutes...." We always knew it was Thursday when the Army next door cranked up.
Even monthly tests wouldn't hurt -- just don't do it until after payroll runs the cheques! ;-) -- Greg A. Woods +1 416 218-0098 VE3TCP <gwoods@acm.org> <robohack!woods> Planix, Inc. <woods@planix.com>; Secrets of the Weird <woods@weird.com>