T Shadow wrote:

Frost, ice, snow and freezing rain keeps mine in the garage most of the time
& his two wheeled buddies all the time. Most around here do the same. I'm
sure it's a battle for everyone though. I'd be happy if I could keep my
"driveway" from drifting shut.


Frost, ice, snow and freezing rain? What a sad way to have to live.

Down here its sunny over 300 days out of the year, and my four car
garage is full of electronics.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Hi!

The output is way too unstable for a UPS. Big telecom
installations power everything with DC.

How big? I've noticed the telephone company's local switching office has a
plug for a generator on it.

I've never seen them actually use it and have no idea what it might keep
powered. Maybe it's just for the climate control stuff.

William

Hi!

Frost, ice, snow and freezing rain? What a sad way to have to live.

Down here its sunny over 300 days out of the year, and my four car
garage is full of electronics.

I disagree. :-) Hurricanes are something I think I can live without.
Tornadoes are quite destructive enough.

Besides, there is just something cool (and no, it isn't the temperature!
;-) ) when ice forms on power lines, shorts them out and the whole town goes
dark for a while, especially at night. The silence is deafening, and I
really enjoy it. Of course I don't want the power to stay out for days. So
far it hasn't ever done that. It's usually back on in a few hours.

William

"William R. Walsh" m
wrote in message news:hBjlh.332105$1i1.275680@attbi_s72...

How big? I've noticed the telephone company's local switching office has a
plug for a generator on it.

I've never seen them actually use it and have no idea what it might keep
powered. Maybe it's just for the climate control stuff.

We had an extended power cut here and the Telco had to haul a generator
around to recharge the batteries to keep exchanges and cell towers working.

Telco switching offices rectify commercial power to charge their DC storage
batteries (-48VDC nominal, typically -52VDC). All high availability
equipment runs on the -48VDC. These are typically sized to power all of the
critical equipment in that office for ~24 hours. They also usually have
diesel generators to handle longer outages.

Cellular base stations also usually have battery backups to power the cell's
equipment and handle HVAC as well. They usually do not have their own
generators and rely on the Telco to provide a mobile generator to recharge
the batteries.


"Homer J Simpson" wrote in message
news:JJklh.108425$hn.22742@edtnps82...

"William R. Walsh" m
wrote in message news:hBjlh.332105$1i1.275680@attbi_s72...

How big? I've noticed the telephone company's local switching office has
a
plug for a generator on it.

I've never seen them actually use it and have no idea what it might keep
powered. Maybe it's just for the climate control stuff.

We had an extended power cut here and the Telco had to haul a generator
around to recharge the batteries to keep exchanges and cell towers
working.

William R. Walsh wrote:
Hi!


Frost, ice, snow and freezing rain? What a sad way to have to live.

Down here its sunny over 300 days out of the year, and my four car
garage is full of electronics.


I disagree. :-) Hurricanes are something I think I can live without.
Tornadoes are quite destructive enough.

Besides, there is just something cool (and no, it isn't the temperature!
;-) ) when ice forms on power lines, shorts them out and the whole town goes
dark for a while, especially at night. The silence is deafening, and I
really enjoy it. Of course I don't want the power to stay out for days. So
far it hasn't ever done that. It's usually back on in a few hours.

William




Yes, I'll take the few days of snow a year we have here over hurricanes
any day. I like all four seasons and wish it'd snow a bit more actually,
but too much and it could get old quick.

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
...
T Shadow wrote:

Frost, ice, snow and freezing rain keeps mine in the garage most of the
time
& his two wheeled buddies all the time. Most around here do the same.
I'm
sure it's a battle for everyone though. I'd be happy if I could keep my
"driveway" from drifting shut.


Frost, ice, snow and freezing rain? What a sad way to have to live.

Down here its sunny over 300 days out of the year, and my four car
garage is full of electronics.


--
Sure but it probably rains 300 afternoons a year too. Alligators,
hurricanes,
year round bugs, mold, forest fires, sink holes and over crowding. OK to
visit but no desire to live there. Would appreciate a warmer climate though.

James Sweet wrote:

Yes, I'll take the few days of snow a year we have here over hurricanes
any day. I like all four seasons and wish it'd snow a bit more actually,
but too much and it could get old quick.


I have only had problems form Hurricanes three years out of 18. I
was only without electricity for two of those seasons.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

"William R. Walsh" wrote:

Hi!

Frost, ice, snow and freezing rain? What a sad way to have to live.

Down here its sunny over 300 days out of the year, and my four car
garage is full of electronics.

I disagree. :-) Hurricanes are something I think I can live without.
Tornadoes are quite destructive enough.

Besides, there is just something cool (and no, it isn't the temperature!
;-) ) when ice forms on power lines, shorts them out and the whole town goes
dark for a while, especially at night. The silence is deafening, and I
really enjoy it. Of course I don't want the power to stay out for days. So
far it hasn't ever done that. It's usually back on in a few hours.

William


A year at the US Army cold weather test site would cure you of
thinking "Snow and Ice are nice". Have you ever had to sleep outdoors
when it was below 20 below? Walked to work at even colder temperatures
every day for months at a time? Been in a place where you can freeze to
death in less than five minutes if you stop moving?


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
"William R. Walsh" wrote:
Hi!

Frost, ice, snow and freezing rain? What a sad way to have to live.

Down here its sunny over 300 days out of the year, and my four car
garage is full of electronics.
I disagree. :-) Hurricanes are something I think I can live without.
Tornadoes are quite destructive enough.

Besides, there is just something cool (and no, it isn't the temperature!
;-) ) when ice forms on power lines, shorts them out and the whole town goes
dark for a while, especially at night. The silence is deafening, and I
really enjoy it. Of course I don't want the power to stay out for days. So
far it hasn't ever done that. It's usually back on in a few hours.

William


A year at the US Army cold weather test site would cure you of
thinking "Snow and Ice are nice". Have you ever had to sleep outdoors
when it was below 20 below? Walked to work at even colder temperatures
every day for months at a time? Been in a place where you can freeze to
death in less than five minutes if you stop moving?

Hi...

With the exception of the "months at a time" part, I'm here now. (and
I'm retired, so don't walk to work)

And I'm happy right where I am, we can quite easily protect ourselves
from the dangers involved. From what I've seen so far, there appears to
be no sure protection from hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, etc.

That's without mentioning the enjoyment of the changing seasons.

And I did in my younger years visit Florida occasionally during the
winter. Until the low life's there decided visitors (u-drive plates)
were always in open season, and started shooting us.

Take care.

Ken

Bob Shuman wrote:

Telco switching offices rectify commercial power to charge their DC storage
batteries (-48VDC nominal, typically -52VDC). All high availability
equipment runs on the -48VDC. These are typically sized to power all of the
critical equipment in that office for ~24 hours. They also usually have
diesel generators to handle longer outages.

Cellular base stations also usually have battery backups to power the cell's
equipment and handle HVAC as well. They usually do not have their own
generators and rely on the Telco to provide a mobile generator to recharge
the batteries.


Then those locomotive sized generator/diesel tanks at some cell sites
around here are mirages? They claim to hold a full week's worth of
fuel. I was going to post a link with a sat photo, but they have built
a roof over them.
http://www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&rls=GWYA,GWYA:2006-31,GWYA:en&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wl&q=
The site is one building top the right of the one Google points to, but
you can see the tower in the center of the complex. The two gensets were
behind, and slightly to the left. They were installed about 10 years
ago. Other cell sites in Florida made it three weeks without going
down, because of generators. They were badly overloaded, but they were
up and running.

Around here, its is the other way around. They usually HAVE a
generator because they need one . Gas stations are starting to either
install a generator, or at least a transfer switch and connector for a
large portable generator. 98% of the stations had fuel they couldn't
pump.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

T Shadow wrote:

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
...
T Shadow wrote:

Frost, ice, snow and freezing rain keeps mine in the garage most of the
time
& his two wheeled buddies all the time. Most around here do the same.
I'm
sure it's a battle for everyone though. I'd be happy if I could keep my
"driveway" from drifting shut.


Frost, ice, snow and freezing rain? What a sad way to have to live.

Down here its sunny over 300 days out of the year, and my four car
garage is full of electronics.


--
Sure but it probably rains 300 afternoons a year too. Alligators,
hurricanes,
year round bugs, mold, forest fires, sink holes and over crowding. OK to
visit but no desire to live there. Would appreciate a warmer climate though.


I have only seen a gator in Marion Countyat the Silver Springs Water
park, where most of the old "Tarzan" movies were filmed. OTOH, there
are monkeys, giraffes, an elephant and other animals in the SS Nature
Park. There are a pair of glass bottom boats to look down though the
clear spring water to see the fish.

There are plenty of wild gators 30 miles south of here in Lake
County, but we have actual dirt here instead of sand. It does not rain
every day. In fact, it needs to rain more often. Like I said, about
300 days a year with clear, sunny skies. Sink holes are more common in
sandy areas, south of here. One forest fire in 19 years. Bugs are almost
anywhere you go, and so is mold. A guy in another electronics newsgroup
was complaining about mold in Michigan. Some areas are crowded, others
are wide open.

http://www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&rls=GWYA,GWYA:2006-31,GWYA:en&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wl&q=
The arrow is one house south of where it should be. As you can see, i
don't have a lot of neighbors. The forest you see is part of the
"Florida Green Belt", and is protected from any new construction.

Don't want to live here? That's ok, too.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Ken Weitzel wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
"William R. Walsh" wrote:
Hi!

Frost, ice, snow and freezing rain? What a sad way to have to live.

Down here its sunny over 300 days out of the year, and my four car
garage is full of electronics.
I disagree. :-) Hurricanes are something I think I can live without.
Tornadoes are quite destructive enough.

Besides, there is just something cool (and no, it isn't the temperature!
;-) ) when ice forms on power lines, shorts them out and the whole town goes
dark for a while, especially at night. The silence is deafening, and I
really enjoy it. Of course I don't want the power to stay out for days. So
far it hasn't ever done that. It's usually back on in a few hours.

William


A year at the US Army cold weather test site would cure you of
thinking "Snow and Ice are nice". Have you ever had to sleep outdoors
when it was below 20 below? Walked to work at even colder temperatures
every day for months at a time? Been in a place where you can freeze to
death in less than five minutes if you stop moving?

Hi...

With the exception of the "months at a time" part, I'm here now. (and
I'm retired, so don't walk to work)

And I'm happy right where I am, we can quite easily protect ourselves
from the dangers involved. From what I've seen so far, there appears to
be no sure protection from hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, etc.

That's without mentioning the enjoyment of the changing seasons.

And I did in my younger years visit Florida occasionally during the
winter. Until the low life's there decided visitors (u-drive plates)
were always in open season, and started shooting us.

Take care.

Ken


You must have been way down south of here. Open season on tourists is
from Christmas to New years around here, and you're only allowed one per
season. ;-) Seriously, this are is full of retirees, and they are in
too big of a hurry to get to their favorite restaurant to tie up a table
for five hours with a single cup of cold coffee.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Note that I used the words "usually do not have their own generators" for
cell sites. The decision usually depends on where the cell is located, the
reliability/history of the local power company (Florida Power and Light had
one of the worst records in the country due to mostly to lightning strikes
and given that the entire state is flat and pretty much just above sea
level), the volume and nature of the user traffic that the cell serves.

The bottom line here is usually money. There are hundreds of cell sites for
each major metropolitan area and equipping all with generators gets very
expensive. These generators affect both CAPEX and OPEX for the Telco since
they need regular maintenance to keep them operational, even if they never
get used. These costs then get handed down to consumers via the operator's
rates. In the competitive cellular phone industry, it is all about
retaining and attracting new customers, so unlike the old monopolistic Telco
days where everything was overengineered, some carriers of today are willing
to take these risks.

Bob

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
...
Then those locomotive sized generator/diesel tanks at some cell sites
around here are mirages? They claim to hold a full week's worth of
fuel. I was going to post a link with a sat photo, but they have built
a roof over them.
http://www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&rls=GWYA,GWYA:2006-31,GWYA:en&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wl&q=
The site is one building top the right of the one Google points to, but
you can see the tower in the center of the complex. The two gensets were
behind, and slightly to the left. They were installed about 10 years
ago. Other cell sites in Florida made it three weeks without going
down, because of generators. They were badly overloaded, but they were
up and running.

Around here, its is the other way around. They usually HAVE a
generator because they need one . Gas stations are starting to either
install a generator, or at least a transfer switch and connector for a
large portable generator. 98% of the stations had fuel they couldn't
pump.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Michael A. Terrell wrote:

Have you ever had to sleep outdoors
when it was below 20 below? Walked to work at even colder temperatures
every day for months at a time? Been in a place where you can freeze to
death in less than five minutes if you stop moving?

Why, sure! No sweat, Mike. I grew up in central Maine. In high school,
I slept out in an open shelter at 30 below with the Boy Scouts once. In
college, I took a buddy from Anchorage home with me one weekend - we
hitchhiked up the Maine Turnpike from Boston at night. He said he had
never been so cold.

Bill (who no longer even THINKS about central Maine in the wintertime!)

Bill Jeffrey wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:

Have you ever had to sleep outdoors
when it was below 20 below? Walked to work at even colder temperatures
every day for months at a time? Been in a place where you can freeze to
death in less than five minutes if you stop moving?

Why, sure! No sweat, Mike. I grew up in central Maine. In high school,
I slept out in an open shelter at 30 below with the Boy Scouts once. In
college, I took a buddy from Anchorage home with me one weekend - we
hitchhiked up the Maine Turnpike from Boston at night. He said he had
never been so cold.

Bill (who no longer even THINKS about central Maine in the wintertime!)


Anchorage was tropical, compared to Ft. Greely. It was usually 30 to
40 degrees warmer than Ft. Greely all winter long.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida