Load shedding..

[tvtech]

Hi Guys

ESKOM our State Controlled parastatal electricity provider has successfully implemented the words above. So what happens is that Electricity dissapears now and again.

Sometimes 3 times in a 24 Hour period for up to 3 Hours at a time. The public is told that "maintenance" is being done and "unforeseen" Technical problems have occurred. The gullible or voting masses believe this. They don't know better.

The fact that our infrastructure is falling apart is of no concern to them. The words : maintenance, job skills, qualified to do the job, certified capable etc,etc are words that the ANC dislike. They will have none of it. It's loyal cadres first and kick the capable people out to make place for BEE (Black Economic Empowerment). At any cost. Power stations do not like ignorant fools in charge that don't know what they are doing.

The reason why we are in the dwang now is because of years of incompetency, no maintenance (things last forever) kinds of attitudes.

ANC BEE policy has now got to a point where all that was working properly in 1994....is breaking fast.

Even brand new things fall down. Or get destroyed by the natural curse that everything thing these people touch turns to crap.

And two more known incidents:

https://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2...ower-station-coal-silo-crack-and-disintegrate

https://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2014/11/27/eskom-ashes-to-ashes

 

[4pyros]

Wow reminds me of the power situation in the movie, City of Ember as there infrastructure crumbles.

 

[JonSea]

Naval turbine generators have a mechanical over speed trip mechanism. After overhaul, the exact trip speed is adjusted by adding shims in the mechanism. The trip mechanism will trip at too low of speed with no shims installed; the unit is tested without shims to determine the trip speed, and shims are added to increase the speed to the right range. Typically, the total thickness of shims required in about 0.125".

A team was adjusting the trip mechanism on a recently overhauled turbine. One guy was reading the speed using a strobo-tach – a high-intensity light flashing synchronously with the shaft will make the shaft appear to stand still. If you've ever used a strobe, you'll know that if it's flashing at 1/2 the shaft speed, the shaft will also appear to freeze. There are procedures to follow to make sure you're reading the actual speed and not a sub-multiple.

The team is inserting additional shims to reach the right trip speed, but they were having a difficult time getting the trip speed high enough. Instead of ~0.125" of shims, they had over an inch, and the speed wasn't high enough yet. To make a long story short, the guy reading the strobe was reading 1/2 shaft speed! The generator was running at almost twice the rated speed when the generator rotor expanded so much that it hit the stator, causing it to jam solid! Parts of the turbine exploded out of the casing and bounced around the engine room. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt but the turbine generator was destroyed!

Analysis of the problem was pretty simple. Eight times the normal shim thickness in the over speed trip mechanism and a generator rotor expanded by over 1/4". The team that was doing the work doesn't believe this actually happened – it was the quietest turbine they had ever seen. In fact, all the turbine blade-pass frequencies that are the noisiest part of the turbine were beyond the range of human hearing when the turbine was at nearly twice the rated speed.

The procedure has been changed, requiring the use of optical tachometers that can't be fooled the way a strobo-tach can. A very expensive lesson learned.

 

[tvtech]

Thank you Jon for the explanation.

However our problems are bigger here if you follow the two links under the photo's.

This is the first time since Friday last week I have been able to post.

Regards,
tvtech

 

[Ian Rogers]

Hey!! I used to work at Duhva..... I worked for Evkom for about 3 years.... from 82 ~ 85..

Duhva didn't look like that when I was there...

 

[tvtech]

And I know I had a thread deleted.

And I thank you all. I am just so angry though that South Africa has come to this.

I strive to not be useless...and then because I am maybe not...I have to carry the lot.
Over it in my simple way.

Regards,
tvtech

 

[Ian Rogers]

I tried to moderate the thread, so the younger members could read it, but it was nonsense after removing all the "non" swearing....

Its a shame to see South Africa reduced to this...

 

[tvtech]

I tried to moderate the thread, so the younger members could read it, but it was nonsense after removing all the "non" swearing....

Its a shame to see South Africa reduced to this...

Hi Ian

Moderation is a hard job. And I always respect decisions. Be it Members reporting or just Mods doing their stuff.
Important thing for me is to say it like it is. I for the life of me canno't be subtle about things.

It's all or nothing. Thank God you all know me that way

At least I got it out.

I feel better and love you all even more for understanding me.

Regards,
tvtech

 

[JoeJester]

There once was an emergency generator on Nantucket ...

In the late 80s, the electric company wanted to test their backup turbines at the airport and needed a suitable load. They choose the to feed the town of Siasconset and of course, the Loran Station. Naturally the over voltage and wildly fluctuating frequency was wrecking havoc on the equipment. Once we identified there was a problem with the incoming power, we shifted to generators and stabilized our transmissions.

We called the electric company to find out what happened and they told us they were testing the turbines and used Siasconset at the load which included the Loran Station. I told them the next time they decide to go testing, they had to call me first so I can have people ready to shift sooner than this time.

At my second station in western oklahoma, we had automated detection of loss of cycle, wrong frequency, over-voltage and under-voltage triggers to autostart and shift the unit to generator power.

 

[tvtech]

Anyway, for those wondering, the thread was about ducks.

Yes ducks. Yes duck this or duck that.

No F's involved. Strictly aquatic.

And no Politics were meant or mentioned. Except references to ducks. Especially over payed useless ducks. The ones that quack all day and do nothing.

Outta here,
tvtech

 

[tvtech]

There once was an emergency generator on Nantucket ...

In the late 80s, the electric company wanted to test their backup turbines at the airport and needed a suitable load. They choose the to feed the town of Siasconset and of course, the Loran Station. Naturally the over voltage and wildly fluctuating frequency was wrecking havoc on the equipment. Once we identified there was a problem with the incoming power, we shifted to generators and stabilized our transmissions.

We called the electric company to find out what happened and they told us they were testing the turbines and used Siasconset at the load which included the Loran Station. I told them the next time they decide to go testing, they had to call me first so I can have people ready to shift sooner than this time.

At my second station in western oklahoma, we had automated detection of loss of cycle, wrong frequency, over-voltage and under-voltage triggers to autostart and shift the unit to generator power.

Hi Joe

I am supposed to be out of here by now. BUT I am like a little kid with a new toy. It's 1AM in the Morning here....and we still have that magical thing called Electricity powering my computer.

Anyway, nevermind the ducks...the turbine that was broken through sheer "stupidity/carelessness/not mine=taxpayer expense" is but a drop in the ocean.

It's all falling apart. Thank God Koeberg (Nuclear) has managed to retain staff that know what the hell they are doing. Just imagine these types of "mistakes" happening there?

Sleep well Buddy.

See you next time Electricity is good

tvtech

 

[Cicero]

Haha, this place sometimes.

What really gets to me is how much profit they've made the past few years, but still can't manage to use it for anything of real use. Or so it seems anyway.

A few weeks ago my company was looking into buying a thermal imager, from Fluke. We asked how sturdy they were, and durable as you do when purchasing these high price items. The rep responded saying the only problems they've ever seen is if you point it at the sun. It just burns out the sensor completely. He went on to explain that Eskom buys regularly from them, sometimes 50 units at a time, and they get several returns with burnt out sensors - meaning these idiots are pointing it at the sun and bricking them. At R60k-90k a pop, thats one hell of a waste of money. Similarly, they provide Eskom with training on how to use the imagers, and the failure rate on that course is obscene. I could carry on, but I wont.

 

[Reloadron]

Sometimes when things go wrong, they really go wrong. While I have become spoiled living where I do I have not become complacent. Our power is generally very reliable but on occasion does simple go away. Being fond of electricity, especially in the dead cold of winter I installed our own emergency backup generator. The power grid here in the US has become very fragile in addition to being very vulnerable.

Ron

 

[tvtech]

Hi Cicero

You are amongst friends here that like the truth. Be it Technical stuff or maybe Political. Does not matter.

ETO has been my "outlet" for want of a better word about all the crap happening right here in South Africa. This wonderful ETO Forum has been very patient with me and saved my sanity many times in the past.

For me, it's like "just have to tell some good people out there what is happening here to our beautiful South Africa".

So, if you want, you could carry on and tell us more. I know I am all ears to learn what is really happening in the "Corporate" South Africa. As you know I am slap bang in the middle of ANC voter fodder. The people I help are the same useless/clueless ones that put the likes of the ones busy destroying our country into power. Time and time again.

Hell, they don't care if ESKOM implodes. They will simply shake their heads....and vote ANC next election anyway.

They pitch up here with their broken stuff...this Whitey must feel sorry for them and help them.....

Luckily, very luckily, I do not own a Shotgun or any firearms. I just swear and curse at them in the privacy of the Workshop whilst trying to fix the TV's they never stop bringing here. These same people hate Whiteys....but will not take their things to their own kind to be repaired. Because they know their own kind are as useless as they are.....

It is the most moronic situation you have ever seen. Money to be made. But why bother???

To be honest I just feel like telling them to take their sets and throw them in the sea or nearest river. Because this dude is over helping stupids.

They can throw their money at me. I will simply turn my back and walk away.

Regards
tvtech

 

[tvtech]

Sometimes when things go wrong, they really go wrong. While I have become spoiled living where I do I have not become complacent. Our power is generally very reliable but on occasion does simple go away. Being fond of electricity, especially in the dead cold of winter I installed our own emergency backup generator. The power grid here in the US has become very fragile in addition to being very vulnerable.

Ron

Hi Ron

At one time Years ago our little South Africa was regarded as energy efficient. We had way more capability than needed...and did what we did well
Remember, we do not have extreme temperature conditions like you do in the USA. Here mainly warm weather.

For me, too many things going wrong here.....never mind the exploding turbine...what about ash everywhere that conveyor belts were supposed to have carried away, or collapsing coal silos....meant/designed for a 50 Year lifespan...and do not even make 20 Years...

It's a sad story.

Maintenance is a very big word in any African language. Because their Dictionary has no definition of it...
These are big new words that make no sense to the cadres that the ANC puts in highly Technical/trained/capable positions...

The money they earn is exceptional for being useless...all in the name of fixing the "injustices of the past". Yawn.

I see this kind of attitude of general carelessness every day here in the sticks....

I have been fixing CRT for around 25 Years. In all my time the last 8 Years has been a real eye opener...
These "beings" for want of a better term...seem to have that natural ability to drop or break things with ease

It is just so easy for them to do what comes naturally to them.

The roots of this kind of Mentality is right here amongst the voting fodder. I work on sets that I can see have had an arcing problem for ages.
The customer will wait until the set dies completely. And then has to pay extra to fix things that are now stuffed because of the arcing..

They will literally wait until a thing is ******

Maintenance = BIG word.

And so this mentality of using anything till it is completely broken has affected ESKOM too.

Let me stop now. I also have lot's to say about this too.

Sorry Ron

Regards,
tvtech

 

[tvtech]

https://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2014/12/16/four-generators-down-power-cut-risk-high-eskom

 

[RODALCO]

Pretty bad situation out there in S.A. Pure incompetency to overspeed that generator. The builders of that silo should be held responsible for poor design or workmanship. No doubt they will be hiding.
To remedie these problems will take years as a power station is not an off the shelf item and the load on the system goes up all the time. Might be an idea to invest in a generator to get you through the power outages.