Okay Easyfox, I'll bash the saga in again, but if it mucks up this time the World won't end but my computer will!!!
Two man job installing a load of electric heating in offices requiring new db fed off busbar chamber in attached warehouses. Cables being run in roof and ceiling voids of attached offices and in trunking in office extension at front. Power down booked for lunchtime in order to couple to busbar. Time confirmed with customer's head office as computer link would be non operational.
Driving to the site got telephone call from the wife of the guy I was due to be working with, he would not be in, he had been throwing up all night. Realised he had some of the parts we needed today in his van so had to make a detour to the yard to pick up duplicate parts,
that made me late on site.
Cable being used 25mm2 4 core swa, started getting everything ready realised my mate had put the crimps in his van
(great) got that sorted and finished getting cable ready for the connection. Had 45 mins booked for power down.
Heaters being operated through time clock and contactor control, housed in cu type box with DIN rail in it. Clipped contactors and time clock etc into this boc, having coupled it to db with coupler and bushes
and the DIN rail fell out,
the self tapping screws (3/8th long) had given up the ghost. Refitted it with orbits - no problem all ok now.
Came to time for power down, nice big Bill beast as main incomer, switched it off with a nice loud clunk, the end of the swa, which had been resting on the busbar chamber fell and hit me on the head.
(Ouch!)
Took the cover off the busbar chamber and tested the busbars with trusty meter
(never trust anyone or anything) found that L1 was still live. Opened up Bill and found that someone had put a 10mm2 link had been put in shorting the in and out terminals
(PRAT).
Luckily the office manager walked out at that moment. I told him what the score was and that power was likely to be down longer than planned as I had to find out why the link had been put in
(was Bill beast defective?). He was not a happy bunny, no power in the unit, no computers phones etc no work being done etc etc.
First bit of good luck, no seals on the fuses
(honest)
Removed the link and tested Bill. All seemed to work ok just L1 fuse open circuit. Got replacement fuse and fitted it. Back to original job.
Busbar chamber a rats nest, cables everywhere. Cleared some space between cables and realised I would either have to double lug or drill out busbar
(how much copper can you remove before you start derating the busbar).
Eventually got coupled in and put the cover back on the busbar chamber. The lid of the trunking above the bbc fell off and that hit me on the head
(someone had it in for me). Switched off all the outgoing feeds and switched the main incomer back on - so far so good.
One outgoing way not in use so opened it up as a test point for phase voltage. Switched on each outgoing way individually and tested my voltages (see if any of them were responsible for L1 fuse failure) all ok.
Powered unit and offices up, lights back on and work resumes. Fire alarm bleeping and showing fault, customer could not find the key to enable a reset
(bleep, bleep).
"what have you done to our computers, we can't get the link operating?" Here we go it's the electricians fault. Go to the cabinet see that there are no green lights flashing on the incoming side. Ask customer if the link has been re established by head office. He checks, no it hadn't. They had tried after 45 mins but were unable to do so, so shut down link.
Decided to make myself a coffee,
no milk!
Short break, decide to ring my mother in Bristol, it's her birthday. She's not impressed, her birthday card hadn't arrived. It was posted in Coventry last Friday first class. I'm in the doghouse.
(post script to this it was delivered, with the rest of the post at twenty past four this afternoon).
Get as far as I can with the cable laying etc but two men needed for one section in roof owing to firebreaks and support wall so decide to clear off another little job there, installing an isolator in the warehouse.
TP&N 100 amp isolator onto the end of another piece of 4 core 25mm2 swa. No problem
(ha).
Boss had got the bits in for this job before he went on holiday a doepke 100 amp isolator. Have used doepke before up to 63 amps- no problem. Problem wit 100amp isolator is it is in the same size box as the 63 and 32 amp isolators and not a lot of room to work 25mm2. For the first time I am grateful that I snapped the small bone in the top of my finger a few months ago, The ability for it to bend slightly the wrong way meant I was able to get it behind the cable to get it into the terminal, still took a chunk out of my knuckle though.
Make Note Next time boss gets one of these isolators for 25mm2 he fits it himself.
Back to the offices (bleep, bleep) he's found the key, reset the alarm all ok now. Load kit into van and head home.
Driving along, happily minding my own business, a stone flies up hits the bonnet of the van and then the windscreen.
Crack goes the windscreen!
That's when I got home and found out the World was going to end and decided to post my wonderful day on the forum.
That's when the computer failed.
That's when I'd had enough.
Can't even say tomorrow's going to be another day, it might not be.
Still if the World is to end at midday tomorrow will tomorrow be a day of mourning (morning)?
