[BC] Transmitter Safety

[Dale Adkins- WINI AM]

Ok....one more story, then I have to get some work done.

Have you ever been called about a transmitter that won't go off. !?
On a station that had one of the Gates 500 watt transmitters (500GY I
think).  I received a call from the
announcer who signed off the daytime station.  He said, " The transmitter
won't turn off".
These transmitter had a Square D  high voltage contactor that released with
the Plaate Off switch or the
door interlocks.  The contact points would arc and weld themselves together
even though
it was mounted vertically.   Push the Plate Off button....nothing happened.
Even when you opened
the door, nothing happened.  It's a strange feeling to open the door to the
cabinet and find all the
high voltage still on with the mercury vapor rectifiers glowing.  I would
have to pop the circuit breakers                              and  use a
broom handle to
break open the high voltage contracts.
Hard to justify a service call to turn a transmitter"off"..  (laugh)

DA


>
> Never, NEVER, NEVER trust interlocks.  I have seen them fail and when
> you pop a door open with 18Kv inside, it really gets your attention.
> Thankfully, I have never been hit on these rigs.

> John @ VOA Washington