# When Switchgear Fails



## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Timing is often the difference between living and being burned to a crisp. 


Think about that next time you are working around that kind of gear.


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## Bbsound (Dec 16, 2011)

Wow, what WAS that?


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

We call those OCB's widowmakers for a reason.


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## Legion (Oct 19, 2010)

Bbsound said:


> Wow, what WAS that?


4800v oil circuit breaker, likely from the fifties, possibly earlier.


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## Awg-Dawg (Jan 23, 2007)

BBQ said:


> Think about that next time you are working around that kind of gear.


 
My two sons were working in this room about a month before this meltdown.


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## Legion (Oct 19, 2010)

Zog said:


> We call those OCB's widowmakers for a reason.


Honestly, I've never heard anyone call them that before. Although when you consider the blast doors frequently found on that vintage switch gear along with no plenum, they could easily be called that.

Personally I've always been more concerned with operating old vertical drawout 15kv GE Magna-Blast Breakers. Although I understand their are retrofit blast curtains that can be installed now, along with a remote Chicken Switch that can hold be connected to the portable lifting motor. We never had them though, just stood to the side with the blast door open, reaching in to hold/operate the lift motor.


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

We use this for all Magneblasts, the RRS-3MB II. It also checks operation of all the cell switches and has tilt sensors so it dosent raise off center if there are elevator problems. Wireless remote so we stand 150 ft away.


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## circuitman1 (Mar 14, 2013)

that's scary! glad no one was hurt!


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

I'd take a faulty Magnablast any day of the week over _anything _oil filled. When oil-insulated equipment faults out hard enough then it's just a bomb.


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## Legion (Oct 19, 2010)

Big John said:


> I'd take a faulty Magnablast any day of the week over _anything _oil filled. *When oil-insulated equipment faults out hard enough then it's just a bomb.*


Very true. My greater concern of the vertical Magnablast was based on our proximity when operating, as we didn't utilize the robots or remote operation controls. While almost all of the OCB's we had could be operated remotely on a panel board, at a _reasonably_ safe distance away. Than again, we still still performed energized jumpering of oil circuit breakers at some locales, which is about as risky as can be IME.


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