Your last generator Maintenance Run

[grsthegreat]

4

Genny's kind of cozy with Tank, isn't she?

i thought so also, but 2 feet from the tank is a steep dropoff. Its been like this since installed 9 years ago. I didn't install it. And its permitted. I didnt measure it myself.

 

[WinterDeere]

A local guy I know had his house burn down from a generator close to the tank, when the tank fitting began to leak during a power outage. Whole rig was located under his deck, which went up first and then took the house with it. Wife and kids made a narrow escape, while he was at work, because the fire being entirely on the exterior of the house never set off any of their smoke detectors. House was cedar shake siding, if I recall.

But grs's site looks like a cell tower... commercial application with little risk to life and limb.

 

[ultrarunner]

Expensive home here was lost to a generator fire…

The generator was inning for days while the family was away during an extended outage…

The exhaust was a through port to daylight and best guess is a rodent nest caught fire from the exhaust.

 

[3930dave]

Murphy never sleeps.

Old COs had battery banks for days (supporting landlines). Given how most people today have zero other communication options, keeping those cell sites up is critical.

Young lady I work with, just lost a 2 y/o Mazda - engine fire, likely caused by mice. I wouldn't mind waving a magic wand, and disappearing rodents.... predators up the chain might get a bit leaner, but they'd adapt....

Rgds, D.

 

[grsthegreat]

Also, the wind up there never stops…never. No way for gas to accumulate anywheres. Inspectors all passed it.

About 8 miles up the side of a mountain…..i have no idea how they top off the propane tank. I was in 4x4 low range most of the way up.

 

[WinterDeere]

About 8 miles up the side of a mountain…..i have no idea how they top off the propane tank. I was in 4x4 low range most of the way up.

Very gassy mountain goats. They keep them on a strict diet of hot dogs and Bush's baked beans for a week prior to deployment.

 

[3930dave]

Also, the wind up there never stops…never. No way for gas to accumulate anywheres. Inspectors all passed it.

About 8 miles up the side of a mountain…..i have no idea how they top off the propane tank. I was in 4x4 low range most of the way up.

I was thinking about the delivery issue, seeing the pic...... there are amazing all wheel drive oil-field trucks, but can't say I've seen a propane delivery truck set up that way.....

Winter's plan would work.... but I'm also surprised they don't use solar/wind for backup too, if for no other reason than to stretch out the propane deliveries....

Rgds, D.

 

[grsthegreat]

Ya, with all the wind up there youd think so. Also…..how the heck did they get electric power all the way up there. I saw a transformer by the tower. Entire way underground.

Im hitting another tower later today.

 

[WinterDeere]

Wind and solar are probably poor choices up there, due to the cost of getting someone up there for maintenance undoing any potential savings, after installation costs. In addition to sun or wind, you need sufficiently high usage and sufficiently low maintenance costs, to make it worth the effort.

The name of the game in cell towers is reliability, 100% up time. The reputational cost of even a short or infrequent outage probably makes them uninterested in anything that has any chance of reducing reliability or increasing maintenance costs.

I've worked on satellite hardware, and the mentality there is the same. When travel costs for the service technician are measured in $Billions, your willingness to try anything with even a remote risk, goes way down.

 

[3930dave]

Ya, with all the wind up there youd think so. Also…..how the heck did they get electric power all the way up there. I saw a transformer by the tower. Entire way underground.

Im hitting another tower later today.

Most jurisdictions, just a line-in cost (1/2 mile or less) is now sky-high..... obviously, that huge cost @ that site/others is easy to jam-out across millions of customers.

(Edit - costs I usually hear, are for poles, not underground.....)

Rgds, D.