John Summerfield wrote: > > And he was on hand to adjudge it safe. I was thinking more of when > buildings fall over (as happened in the quake I mentioned, but that was > Tammin, quite a small place). At least one building in Perth did crack > and the crack was visible from the street. > > If there's nobody on had to decide it's safe, I would rather no volts. > B'sides, if there's serious building damage, who cares about the average > server? > Unless your wiring standards are a lot different them what I am used to, anything that causes that much damage is also going to stop power from getting very far from the generator. Depending on the damage, it may also prevent the generator from starting in the first place. Remember, there needs to be a signal from the transfer switch to the generator before the generator auto-starts. It is also standard on auto-start generators to have a selector switch that will prevent auto-starting, as well as allowing manual starting. (On-Off-Auto selector switch.) This is necessary so that you can safely service the generator, as well as prevent the generator from starting. Another feature is that there is a disconnect and over current protection on the generator itself. It is still not without risk, but it is an acceptable level. After all, the battery leads going to the UPS when using external batteries is a bigger danger, unless you put a fuse at the battery. At the currents involved when you short the battery output, a breaker is not a practical option. DC current at that level tends to weld contacts, or cause breakers to self-destruct. Mikkel -- Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with Ketchup!
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