Thank you everyone for your comments and feedback. As you can see I get involved in all kind of situations, that are in themselves learning experiences. In my business if you do not learn something new every day, you better get out of it and retire. Technology is moving at an ever increasing pace. That's why we need to be ever more careful in how we go about our daily life.
Hopefully after reading my posts and rants you will find them useful in your daily work.
Like my late electric shop teacher Al Rudock said ." Listen to me today and learn something ignore me and some day you will say to your self dam I should have paid attention in class" . Boy was he ever so right.
In the mean time Thank You and enjoy.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Bright idea or dead wrong?
What this Radio Station Engineer designed
To remotely reset a transmitter
Never should have been lauded
In a Trade Publication?
As the Contract Broadcast Engineer for a 5000 watt Class (A ) AM Radio Station I receive a number of different Trade magazines including those dedicated to radio and TV broadcast Engineers, which goes to a number of broadcast outlets thru out the country.
To my horror in one of its columns the author showed how a Broadcast Engineer had rigged up a remotely resettable breaker using an externally mounted solenoid set up for his transmitter so he did not have to run up to the station if the breaker tripped due to power sags etc. because he was maintaining several station sites and did not have enough time to run around doing resets which is typical in today’s broadcast world. He just used his remote phone call up system to reset it. Although the author warned it was not a good idea to do so
He lauded this engineer’s ingenuity in coming up with a well thought out ideal how to deal with a situation even thou it was not a good idea.
This remotely resetable set up is in fact not ingenuity at all but an extremely dangerous
Practice, which could easily result in the destruction of the station transmitter and buildings
If something goes wrong like a dead short of the breaker to the metal case of the transmitter or line to line voltage can result in fault currents as high as 200,00 amps.
If the breaker would stick on and not trip out which I have seen many times and had I not been there to perform an emergency shut down a runaway electrical short would destroy everything in its path.
What this engineer did borders on extreme negligence because he totally and completely disregarded all safety rules of the National Electrical Code.
Besides jeopardizing his stations equiptment and building he is putting you the first responder lives in jeopardy as well who has to respond and put out the fire.
But all to often what one mans designs, as ingenuity is another mans tragedy. IE The Titanic
One of the big problems again is that if you took a poll of Broadcast Engineers and asked How many of them know they have to follow the NEC and other various codes besides the FCC rules they must follow you will once again get blank stares.
How many times in how many different trade magazines have I seen in print that NEC and building codes do not play a rule in what a tradesman or technician does in his line of work and they do not have to follow them? Only to have to call the editor of these articles on the carpet for it.
As long as there is a mind set that I do not have to follow NEC because what I am doing is not what an Electrician does exists will dangerous wiring practices be condoned and tolerated.
But this story has many more considerations as well.
What happens to this station after the fire? Besides losing thousands of dollars an hour in advertising revenue, this station could very well loose its insurance coverage and have its claim denied because of an act of negligence on the part of the station engineer.
Plus depending where this station is located which most times are remote wooded areas you could also end up dealing with the adjacent woods on fire and this has happened.
A terrible fire in a transmission facility on the fabled Mt. Washington in New Hampshire
Burned out of control due to its extreme remoteness and high winds which totally destroyed multiple transmitters and structures .It caused millions to be lost, as well as a broadcast technicians life as well who was babysitting the site.
Ok so you are saying to your self-wait a minute don’t Broadcast Engineers have to take tests and be licensed shouldn’t they know they have to follow NEC.
Surprisingly the answer is NO. Several years ago the FCC changed the rules and regulations for Broadcast Engineers and the General Class Radiotelephone license is no longer required which means you have Engineers like my self with extensive background and schooling and one or more FCC license such as amateur Radio to all the way down the end of the scale with no formal training maintaining stations.
So what happens if the FCC inspector comes by? You better have your station with in the rules and be able to show you understand them and can show you properly maintain a station or your in trouble. But like any thing there are only so many inspectors for thousands of stations.
Ok so why are the local AHJ not doing proper fire and building inspections of stations and there structures.
Many believe the FCC rules trump their authority. That answer depends on what is to be inspected. The FCC sets rules for Equiptment and towers etc but the buildings still must follow local building codes. But of course if you are out in the middle of no where like my station is who is going to enforce the rules other than the FCC That’s why I inherited a mess from the old retired engineer who rigged in a capacitor or wire here and there and made a mess in general instead of getting to the source of the problem.
To my knowledge in all the years we have been in business since 1938 and numerous renovations additions, deletions etc. to our building there has never ever been an inspection by either a state or local inspector other than a 3rd party electrical inspector and this goes for most stations and industrial facilities I have worked in as well.
Unless OSHA happens to show up or the Insurance Company sends a compliance inspector around.
So you have an entire culture of individuals who think because they can wire there radio or TV station or Mill or factory they can also wire there home or social club who have never once ever had there work inspected. And we wonder why Pa. Leads the country in fire deaths and the UCC and ICC regulations are totally ignored.
Plus there are how many people who read my articles and consider me @#$%^ because I dare question there work and how they do it. Because they have been doing it for many years and never had a problem . But they never get to see the consequences down the road like I do years later when I have to repair it or investigate it because what they did then has directly contributed to what has happened now.
To remotely reset a transmitter
Never should have been lauded
In a Trade Publication?
As the Contract Broadcast Engineer for a 5000 watt Class (A ) AM Radio Station I receive a number of different Trade magazines including those dedicated to radio and TV broadcast Engineers, which goes to a number of broadcast outlets thru out the country.
To my horror in one of its columns the author showed how a Broadcast Engineer had rigged up a remotely resettable breaker using an externally mounted solenoid set up for his transmitter so he did not have to run up to the station if the breaker tripped due to power sags etc. because he was maintaining several station sites and did not have enough time to run around doing resets which is typical in today’s broadcast world. He just used his remote phone call up system to reset it. Although the author warned it was not a good idea to do so
He lauded this engineer’s ingenuity in coming up with a well thought out ideal how to deal with a situation even thou it was not a good idea.
This remotely resetable set up is in fact not ingenuity at all but an extremely dangerous
Practice, which could easily result in the destruction of the station transmitter and buildings
If something goes wrong like a dead short of the breaker to the metal case of the transmitter or line to line voltage can result in fault currents as high as 200,00 amps.
If the breaker would stick on and not trip out which I have seen many times and had I not been there to perform an emergency shut down a runaway electrical short would destroy everything in its path.
What this engineer did borders on extreme negligence because he totally and completely disregarded all safety rules of the National Electrical Code.
Besides jeopardizing his stations equiptment and building he is putting you the first responder lives in jeopardy as well who has to respond and put out the fire.
But all to often what one mans designs, as ingenuity is another mans tragedy. IE The Titanic
One of the big problems again is that if you took a poll of Broadcast Engineers and asked How many of them know they have to follow the NEC and other various codes besides the FCC rules they must follow you will once again get blank stares.
How many times in how many different trade magazines have I seen in print that NEC and building codes do not play a rule in what a tradesman or technician does in his line of work and they do not have to follow them? Only to have to call the editor of these articles on the carpet for it.
As long as there is a mind set that I do not have to follow NEC because what I am doing is not what an Electrician does exists will dangerous wiring practices be condoned and tolerated.
But this story has many more considerations as well.
What happens to this station after the fire? Besides losing thousands of dollars an hour in advertising revenue, this station could very well loose its insurance coverage and have its claim denied because of an act of negligence on the part of the station engineer.
Plus depending where this station is located which most times are remote wooded areas you could also end up dealing with the adjacent woods on fire and this has happened.
A terrible fire in a transmission facility on the fabled Mt. Washington in New Hampshire
Burned out of control due to its extreme remoteness and high winds which totally destroyed multiple transmitters and structures .It caused millions to be lost, as well as a broadcast technicians life as well who was babysitting the site.
Ok so you are saying to your self-wait a minute don’t Broadcast Engineers have to take tests and be licensed shouldn’t they know they have to follow NEC.
Surprisingly the answer is NO. Several years ago the FCC changed the rules and regulations for Broadcast Engineers and the General Class Radiotelephone license is no longer required which means you have Engineers like my self with extensive background and schooling and one or more FCC license such as amateur Radio to all the way down the end of the scale with no formal training maintaining stations.
So what happens if the FCC inspector comes by? You better have your station with in the rules and be able to show you understand them and can show you properly maintain a station or your in trouble. But like any thing there are only so many inspectors for thousands of stations.
Ok so why are the local AHJ not doing proper fire and building inspections of stations and there structures.
Many believe the FCC rules trump their authority. That answer depends on what is to be inspected. The FCC sets rules for Equiptment and towers etc but the buildings still must follow local building codes. But of course if you are out in the middle of no where like my station is who is going to enforce the rules other than the FCC That’s why I inherited a mess from the old retired engineer who rigged in a capacitor or wire here and there and made a mess in general instead of getting to the source of the problem.
To my knowledge in all the years we have been in business since 1938 and numerous renovations additions, deletions etc. to our building there has never ever been an inspection by either a state or local inspector other than a 3rd party electrical inspector and this goes for most stations and industrial facilities I have worked in as well.
Unless OSHA happens to show up or the Insurance Company sends a compliance inspector around.
So you have an entire culture of individuals who think because they can wire there radio or TV station or Mill or factory they can also wire there home or social club who have never once ever had there work inspected. And we wonder why Pa. Leads the country in fire deaths and the UCC and ICC regulations are totally ignored.
Plus there are how many people who read my articles and consider me @#$%^ because I dare question there work and how they do it. Because they have been doing it for many years and never had a problem . But they never get to see the consequences down the road like I do years later when I have to repair it or investigate it because what they did then has directly contributed to what has happened now.
Who is watching you
Video Analytic s
A dangerous new frontier
In the war on terrorism
Video analytic s are being hailed as a great new way to help combat terrorism and crime and is seen as a way to help prevent accidents, help keep vehicle traffic moving at intersections and stream line assembly line errors and any kind of process where a watchful set of eyes can be put to good use.
Video analytic s uses advanced computer technology along with mathematical algorithms
To analyze captured video images of anything out side of a set pattern of behaviors.
Take a video analytic s system being used at an airport.
And it is trained on a line of people walking towards a ticket counter. Suddenly one person stops in the line and turns back heading the opposite direction. While this action might be considered abnormal but not unusual while a guard might miss this potential security problem the camera does not and alerts the staff there is an anomaly in the line which needs further investigation .This same line of people might have an individual carrying a weapon again video analytic s can be programmed to detect unusual bulges and other anomalies that an individual is intent on causing harm.
All of this is fine and well but the problem is the Analytic s programs also produce plenty of false positives which can greatly interfere with individuals who have no intentions of causing harm and in fact might be disabled and have other physical problems which allow for the anomaly to be detected if they are wearing a pump for chemotherapy drugs or a colostomy bag or other medical device. The person who got out of line all of a sudden might have problems with there legs or sudden mussel spasm or other medical condition and responding guards have no ideal what they are dealing with till they arrive and question the individual and this is where serious incidents could happen when a guard is too gung ho to do there job and thinks they are dealing with some one carrying a weapon instead of a medical device and an innocent individual could end up at a minimum detained temporarily or at worse opened fire on.
Because Video analytic s has such a huge learning curve and the high potential for false positives this type of equipment must be carefully used and security and police fully and properly trained in how to respond to a computer hit to insure that intrusions into a citizens personnel business and rights are not trampled upon .George Orwell’s future is well upon us and we must take care not to give up individual liberty’s and freedoms for the sake of security and Video analytic s is leading down this path if we are not careful.
A dangerous new frontier
In the war on terrorism
Video analytic s are being hailed as a great new way to help combat terrorism and crime and is seen as a way to help prevent accidents, help keep vehicle traffic moving at intersections and stream line assembly line errors and any kind of process where a watchful set of eyes can be put to good use.
Video analytic s uses advanced computer technology along with mathematical algorithms
To analyze captured video images of anything out side of a set pattern of behaviors.
Take a video analytic s system being used at an airport.
And it is trained on a line of people walking towards a ticket counter. Suddenly one person stops in the line and turns back heading the opposite direction. While this action might be considered abnormal but not unusual while a guard might miss this potential security problem the camera does not and alerts the staff there is an anomaly in the line which needs further investigation .This same line of people might have an individual carrying a weapon again video analytic s can be programmed to detect unusual bulges and other anomalies that an individual is intent on causing harm.
All of this is fine and well but the problem is the Analytic s programs also produce plenty of false positives which can greatly interfere with individuals who have no intentions of causing harm and in fact might be disabled and have other physical problems which allow for the anomaly to be detected if they are wearing a pump for chemotherapy drugs or a colostomy bag or other medical device. The person who got out of line all of a sudden might have problems with there legs or sudden mussel spasm or other medical condition and responding guards have no ideal what they are dealing with till they arrive and question the individual and this is where serious incidents could happen when a guard is too gung ho to do there job and thinks they are dealing with some one carrying a weapon instead of a medical device and an innocent individual could end up at a minimum detained temporarily or at worse opened fire on.
Because Video analytic s has such a huge learning curve and the high potential for false positives this type of equipment must be carefully used and security and police fully and properly trained in how to respond to a computer hit to insure that intrusions into a citizens personnel business and rights are not trampled upon .George Orwell’s future is well upon us and we must take care not to give up individual liberty’s and freedoms for the sake of security and Video analytic s is leading down this path if we are not careful.
Radios and cancer
Are 2 way Portable and Cellular Radios
A possible cause of Colorectal Cancer?
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Contract Broadcast Engineer
Many of you who regularly read my articles may not be aware that I was diagnosed in July 2007 at age 47 with Stage IV Colorectal Cancer.
I underwent Radiation, Chemo and Surgery to remove the Cancer from my colon and also lost part of my Liver, Gall bladder and Appendix as well in the process.
The doctors tell me I was genetically predestined to it, which is why I got it before age 50 when it is more common occurrence.
Knowing we had a family history of it I limited my risk factors.
By Not Smoking and Drinking and keeping myself in best physical shape I could despite several disabilities. It was a good thing I did as it helped me fight back and I am currently in remission and hope to stay that way for a long time despite the fact that average stage IV survivor has a 5 year life expectancy of 8% .
So now that I have the fight of my life on my hands to make sure Im in that 8% that makes it past 5 years .So I have been doing all kinds of research, which is all I can do some days and one of the main questions is. Ok I was destined to get this but where there any other factors in my life which may have helped conspire that I did get it.
The one question keeps coming back to the 2 way radio and cell phones I often carried on my hip.
After talking to a number of Firefighters, Construction Workers , Amateur (Ham) Radio Operators and others who also have gotten Colon Cancer young like I did almost every one of us has had tumors diagnosed almost directly across from where we kept our 2 way radios on our hips.
I have brought this issue up with numerous Oncologists and Cancer researchers and there all saying NO. You were going to get cancer regardless if not now later. Yet there have never been any studies on this subject of 2 way radios despite some more than coincidental evidence with
all the noise going on about Cell phones which use a average ¼ watt of power compared to 1-5 watt 2 way radios and lets face it what is a cell phone nothing more than a fancy 2 way radio.
Now I am not condemning the Radio or Cellular Industry but we need answers. It is well known in the Ham Radio and General broadcasting Communities the dangers of Radio Frequency waves on the body in high doses but what about continuous low doses.
Many early radio pioneers just like those who developed Uranium died of Cancer
Because of inadequate shielding.
Some studies are suggesting there is something there including recent studies by UPMC
Researchers on cell phones . If this is the case we then need to do more studies and then develop a plan for better shielding if this is the case , so we are not putting others at risk.
Just like with Fire Codes they are developed as we learn thru tragedy and yes we all know there are dangers to any occupation we go into and we try to limit them.
Any time we bring a new product into the market place there are always unknowns.
But if every time we wanted to bring a new product or procedure into this world we had to do a 30 year long term study first where would we be.
So OK im bringing up the question is the radio industry ready to run with it and either prove or disprove it and take corrective action if needed or is everyone going to just hide there head in the sand like we normally do.
In particular cell phones operate at a much higher frequency 900 MHz to just in the Microwave range. Plus new style cordless phones operate well into the microwave band at 2.9 and 5.8 GHz plus all the wireless routers and everything else around us are we getting harmed by all this electronic pollution. Maybe, Maybe not.
But there are some people who claim the Wi-FI internet Routers at 2.9 GHz causes them problems .Have you ever had a Sprint / Nextel 2way walkie talkie phone like I did when it was on my hip you could feel a small buzz sometimes when it was getting ready to beep. I leave my cell phone on top of my multi band radio and like to listen and fall a sleep to a talk radio station and often time’s right before I get a late night text message
There is a surging noise in my multi band shortwave radio from the phone as it gets the wake up call from the cell tower.
Unfortunately as long as the radio industry keeps hiding its head in the sand we may not know till it is too late for many of us. They keep saying no yet studies suggest something else. Lets get correct answers and settle this now once and for all.
A possible cause of Colorectal Cancer?
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Contract Broadcast Engineer
Many of you who regularly read my articles may not be aware that I was diagnosed in July 2007 at age 47 with Stage IV Colorectal Cancer.
I underwent Radiation, Chemo and Surgery to remove the Cancer from my colon and also lost part of my Liver, Gall bladder and Appendix as well in the process.
The doctors tell me I was genetically predestined to it, which is why I got it before age 50 when it is more common occurrence.
Knowing we had a family history of it I limited my risk factors.
By Not Smoking and Drinking and keeping myself in best physical shape I could despite several disabilities. It was a good thing I did as it helped me fight back and I am currently in remission and hope to stay that way for a long time despite the fact that average stage IV survivor has a 5 year life expectancy of 8% .
So now that I have the fight of my life on my hands to make sure Im in that 8% that makes it past 5 years .So I have been doing all kinds of research, which is all I can do some days and one of the main questions is. Ok I was destined to get this but where there any other factors in my life which may have helped conspire that I did get it.
The one question keeps coming back to the 2 way radio and cell phones I often carried on my hip.
After talking to a number of Firefighters, Construction Workers , Amateur (Ham) Radio Operators and others who also have gotten Colon Cancer young like I did almost every one of us has had tumors diagnosed almost directly across from where we kept our 2 way radios on our hips.
I have brought this issue up with numerous Oncologists and Cancer researchers and there all saying NO. You were going to get cancer regardless if not now later. Yet there have never been any studies on this subject of 2 way radios despite some more than coincidental evidence with
all the noise going on about Cell phones which use a average ¼ watt of power compared to 1-5 watt 2 way radios and lets face it what is a cell phone nothing more than a fancy 2 way radio.
Now I am not condemning the Radio or Cellular Industry but we need answers. It is well known in the Ham Radio and General broadcasting Communities the dangers of Radio Frequency waves on the body in high doses but what about continuous low doses.
Many early radio pioneers just like those who developed Uranium died of Cancer
Because of inadequate shielding.
Some studies are suggesting there is something there including recent studies by UPMC
Researchers on cell phones . If this is the case we then need to do more studies and then develop a plan for better shielding if this is the case , so we are not putting others at risk.
Just like with Fire Codes they are developed as we learn thru tragedy and yes we all know there are dangers to any occupation we go into and we try to limit them.
Any time we bring a new product into the market place there are always unknowns.
But if every time we wanted to bring a new product or procedure into this world we had to do a 30 year long term study first where would we be.
So OK im bringing up the question is the radio industry ready to run with it and either prove or disprove it and take corrective action if needed or is everyone going to just hide there head in the sand like we normally do.
In particular cell phones operate at a much higher frequency 900 MHz to just in the Microwave range. Plus new style cordless phones operate well into the microwave band at 2.9 and 5.8 GHz plus all the wireless routers and everything else around us are we getting harmed by all this electronic pollution. Maybe, Maybe not.
But there are some people who claim the Wi-FI internet Routers at 2.9 GHz causes them problems .Have you ever had a Sprint / Nextel 2way walkie talkie phone like I did when it was on my hip you could feel a small buzz sometimes when it was getting ready to beep. I leave my cell phone on top of my multi band radio and like to listen and fall a sleep to a talk radio station and often time’s right before I get a late night text message
There is a surging noise in my multi band shortwave radio from the phone as it gets the wake up call from the cell tower.
Unfortunately as long as the radio industry keeps hiding its head in the sand we may not know till it is too late for many of us. They keep saying no yet studies suggest something else. Lets get correct answers and settle this now once and for all.
What do you mean tear it out?
What the Electrical inspector passed
The Fire Marshal Failed?
I was talking to a Fire Marshal the other day who told me about a Commercial building being built in his community where he had just turned down permission on because the Electrician had mounted plastic electrical boxes back to back in the same opening in a 2 hour rated fire wall and also used them in the fire rated ceiling to mount light fixtures. The problem being the plastic boxes are not rated to be used in fire rated walls .Of course the building owner and General Contractor seemed confused.
The 3rd Party Electrical Inspector had just put an approved install sticker on the main box. So who was right The Fire Marshal of course and now the electrician is looking at pulling out a dozen plus boxes and replacing them with proper rated boxes or with steel boxes with putty pads .The electrician also failed to seal around all the drill holes in the 2 hour rated assembly as well.
Of course when the Electrician was contacted the old line I never have to do that in other communities came out of his mouth. But code is code and either the electrician is lying or code officials are not catching the flaws in other communities, which is a well-known problem. Either way the Electrician and Electrical Inspector are both at fault because it is very well spelled out in the Electrical and Fire Codes about what has to be done when installing electrical wiring in fire rated assemblies .I personally know of Electrical Inspectors who check to make sure the proper boxes are used so this inspector either is green or does not care to do his job properly. I often here stories about shady electrical and code inspectors so I hope the Fire Marshal follows up on this Inspector and puts him on notice. If he did it in this community he has done it in others as well.
Properly constructed and maintained fire walls stop fires from spreading and save lives and property otherwise they would not be required by code but this is often an area where
Integrity should be present but sadly is not. A customer of mine is having built a custom condominium for him and his wife to be there retirement residence in a community in Northern Allegheny County and already we have caught the contractor not following codes including the proper amount and thickness of drywall in the garage and the local code enforcement officer is useless and lets any thing fly. It is a shame all the damage from fires and lost homes and possibly lives there will be in the next 20-30 years as these structures age because code enforcement is lacking. But look at all the tax money being generated in this growing bedroom community. Problem is taxes and home values are extremely high to point many volunteer fireman can not afford to live in the community any more and when the lawsuits start getting filed the people responsible will be dead or long since retired. Now you would think the insurance company's writing in this community would require proper code following since they are going to bear the brunt of grief in claims but nothing from them either.
The Fire Marshal Failed?
I was talking to a Fire Marshal the other day who told me about a Commercial building being built in his community where he had just turned down permission on because the Electrician had mounted plastic electrical boxes back to back in the same opening in a 2 hour rated fire wall and also used them in the fire rated ceiling to mount light fixtures. The problem being the plastic boxes are not rated to be used in fire rated walls .Of course the building owner and General Contractor seemed confused.
The 3rd Party Electrical Inspector had just put an approved install sticker on the main box. So who was right The Fire Marshal of course and now the electrician is looking at pulling out a dozen plus boxes and replacing them with proper rated boxes or with steel boxes with putty pads .The electrician also failed to seal around all the drill holes in the 2 hour rated assembly as well.
Of course when the Electrician was contacted the old line I never have to do that in other communities came out of his mouth. But code is code and either the electrician is lying or code officials are not catching the flaws in other communities, which is a well-known problem. Either way the Electrician and Electrical Inspector are both at fault because it is very well spelled out in the Electrical and Fire Codes about what has to be done when installing electrical wiring in fire rated assemblies .I personally know of Electrical Inspectors who check to make sure the proper boxes are used so this inspector either is green or does not care to do his job properly. I often here stories about shady electrical and code inspectors so I hope the Fire Marshal follows up on this Inspector and puts him on notice. If he did it in this community he has done it in others as well.
Properly constructed and maintained fire walls stop fires from spreading and save lives and property otherwise they would not be required by code but this is often an area where
Integrity should be present but sadly is not. A customer of mine is having built a custom condominium for him and his wife to be there retirement residence in a community in Northern Allegheny County and already we have caught the contractor not following codes including the proper amount and thickness of drywall in the garage and the local code enforcement officer is useless and lets any thing fly. It is a shame all the damage from fires and lost homes and possibly lives there will be in the next 20-30 years as these structures age because code enforcement is lacking. But look at all the tax money being generated in this growing bedroom community. Problem is taxes and home values are extremely high to point many volunteer fireman can not afford to live in the community any more and when the lawsuits start getting filed the people responsible will be dead or long since retired. Now you would think the insurance company's writing in this community would require proper code following since they are going to bear the brunt of grief in claims but nothing from them either.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Arson fire from 40's solved?
Late 1940’s Arson Fire
At Carrick Gas Station
Solved
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Former Carrick Resident
A few years back while meeting with one of my long time clients I do fire alarm and electrical work for I got to meet his elderly father and while I was waiting for my client to finish his business matters before meeting with me I got to talking with his father in the lobby over a hot cup of coffee
He had gotten me ,The elderly Irish Gentleman asked where I was from and I told him Carrick. Just so happens this is where he was from also and after reminiscing about times and places all over Carrick it ends up we were both in the same Scout troop as well .He then told me a story of when he was a young man in Carrick and was on his way home from a Boy Scout Troop 224 meeting at St Basil Church. With some Boy Scout friends when they got into some very serious trouble one cold fall night. At the time he did not know I do fire investigation on the side . As the story goes
One of the boys in the group whose family owned an appliance business now long closed in Carrick, was a Braggart show off type always getting in trouble and decided on a dare from the group to throw a lighted cigarette into some gas which was spilled at the pumps of the local AMOCO Gas station at Agnew and Brownsville Rd. currently a BP Now you have to remember back then Oil was kept in refillable glass jars at the pumps and where filled from a bulk tank in the gas station bays.
At Carrick Gas Station
Solved
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Former Carrick Resident
A few years back while meeting with one of my long time clients I do fire alarm and electrical work for I got to meet his elderly father and while I was waiting for my client to finish his business matters before meeting with me I got to talking with his father in the lobby over a hot cup of coffee
He had gotten me ,The elderly Irish Gentleman asked where I was from and I told him Carrick. Just so happens this is where he was from also and after reminiscing about times and places all over Carrick it ends up we were both in the same Scout troop as well .He then told me a story of when he was a young man in Carrick and was on his way home from a Boy Scout Troop 224 meeting at St Basil Church. With some Boy Scout friends when they got into some very serious trouble one cold fall night. At the time he did not know I do fire investigation on the side . As the story goes
One of the boys in the group whose family owned an appliance business now long closed in Carrick, was a Braggart show off type always getting in trouble and decided on a dare from the group to throw a lighted cigarette into some gas which was spilled at the pumps of the local AMOCO Gas station at Agnew and Brownsville Rd. currently a BP Now you have to remember back then Oil was kept in refillable glass jars at the pumps and where filled from a bulk tank in the gas station bays.
And fuel pumps back then did not have all the safety features they do today. So when this young boy threw the cigarette into the gas he caused a very big commotion from the fire and explosion. Needless to say the group took off in a big hurray as they all realized they where going to end up at the Morganza School for Boys the Juvenile Detention school which was rough and tough place they all knew from stories told to them by other boys who had been in there. The school was located where the now closed Western Center for Mentally Disabled Youth in Canonsburg Pa. was located. They thought they got away by the skin on there teeth and where several blocks away when all of a sudden Big Jim the neighborhood beat cop stopped them .Big Jim was nobody to play games with but the boys where able to convince him they had been at a scout meeting and where not involved. Big Jim either bought it or thought better of not letting them become hard core juveniles as others had and they were released. Needless to say my friends dad learned his lesson that night as did most of his friends who were equally scared to death with there confrontation with Big Jim and they went on to become successful business men and Steel Workers who raised there families in and around Carrick and Baldwin and lived as model citizens the rest of there lives except for the boy who threw the cigarette who seemed to always have trouble in his life . There all dead now except for my friends dad and as far as I have been able to research it actually happened .Maybe it was a case of an old man wanting to get something off his chest but at this point it was so long ago memories fade as do times and dates. But it does make for a good story. I do not even think my friend knows what his dad did all those many years ago as well.
His father has now passed and I told him the story and he was surprised his dad never told him it.
Are you violating FCC rules on Jammers
Cell Phone Jammers
They are illegal to posses in the USA
But are available over Internet and causing
Very serious consequences
There is a growing problem across the country where people are buying over the Internet
Illegal to posses Cell Phone Jammers from small limited reach to high end expensive units which can block all cell phone traffic for several blocks To posses such a device you can be subject to Fines by the FCC in excess of $11,000.00 and up to 1 year in jail
But it appears like all other rules people just ignore them until they get caught and start crying like a baby I did not know it was illegal.
The problem with these jammers is they can and do cause many problems to other radio services such as AM/FM Radio broadcasters which use 900 MHz to transmit the radios stations signal from there studios to the tower as well as disturbing sensitive Hospital Equiptment and these high power jammers could stop an individuals pace maker from working. The other more sinister use of these jammers is done by those in the criminal community who are trying to jam back up wireless alarm communications or a sick individual just jamming signals at the scene of an emergency so emergency personnel would not be able to use there cell phones to communicate with 911centers and emergency providers like private Hazmat contractors .The only group permitted to posses a cell phone jammer in the USA is our Military forces not even the FBI is permitted.
And web sites which sell the units clearly state not for use in USA but people buy them anyways. We have the same problem going on with in the fire service where individual firefighters as well as whole depts. have been busted by the FCC for going out and buying Dual band UHF/VHF amateur radio service radios ( Ham) which require a special license and using them in there personal vehicles and in Fire Trucks and this is also highly illegal as well because they are not for use where Type Accepted radios are required and because amateur radios are not built to the tighter specs Type accepted radios are they can cause all kinds of radio spectrum interference when used outside of the amateur band. The only time an amateur radio operator is permitted to operate out of band is when no other means of communication is available and it is a dire life threatening emergency .But as usual I know of several rural Depts. which have been busted for using the radios out of band .The FCC now has very sophisticated vehicles for tracking radio signals and they no longer need to triangulate they were at the recent big broadcasters radio show in Harrisburg showing one of these vehicles off . When they get a complaint from an amateur radio operator or broadcast engineer like my self they will investigate .The FCC rules are there for a reason to prevent interference and possible injury and failure to follow them is inexcusable .Especially if your a firefighter.
They are illegal to posses in the USA
But are available over Internet and causing
Very serious consequences
There is a growing problem across the country where people are buying over the Internet
Illegal to posses Cell Phone Jammers from small limited reach to high end expensive units which can block all cell phone traffic for several blocks To posses such a device you can be subject to Fines by the FCC in excess of $11,000.00 and up to 1 year in jail
But it appears like all other rules people just ignore them until they get caught and start crying like a baby I did not know it was illegal.
The problem with these jammers is they can and do cause many problems to other radio services such as AM/FM Radio broadcasters which use 900 MHz to transmit the radios stations signal from there studios to the tower as well as disturbing sensitive Hospital Equiptment and these high power jammers could stop an individuals pace maker from working. The other more sinister use of these jammers is done by those in the criminal community who are trying to jam back up wireless alarm communications or a sick individual just jamming signals at the scene of an emergency so emergency personnel would not be able to use there cell phones to communicate with 911centers and emergency providers like private Hazmat contractors .The only group permitted to posses a cell phone jammer in the USA is our Military forces not even the FBI is permitted.
And web sites which sell the units clearly state not for use in USA but people buy them anyways. We have the same problem going on with in the fire service where individual firefighters as well as whole depts. have been busted by the FCC for going out and buying Dual band UHF/VHF amateur radio service radios ( Ham) which require a special license and using them in there personal vehicles and in Fire Trucks and this is also highly illegal as well because they are not for use where Type Accepted radios are required and because amateur radios are not built to the tighter specs Type accepted radios are they can cause all kinds of radio spectrum interference when used outside of the amateur band. The only time an amateur radio operator is permitted to operate out of band is when no other means of communication is available and it is a dire life threatening emergency .But as usual I know of several rural Depts. which have been busted for using the radios out of band .The FCC now has very sophisticated vehicles for tracking radio signals and they no longer need to triangulate they were at the recent big broadcasters radio show in Harrisburg showing one of these vehicles off . When they get a complaint from an amateur radio operator or broadcast engineer like my self they will investigate .The FCC rules are there for a reason to prevent interference and possible injury and failure to follow them is inexcusable .Especially if your a firefighter.
Hot Stuff
How did this Heat Detector Design
Get past the approving agencies?
Walk into almost any commercial building in fact many homes with a professionally installed hard wired Fire or combo Fire / Burglar system and you will find round white disks from 1 to 3 inches in diameter being used in the system for the detection of heat
From a fire were traditional Smoke Detectors can not be used with out going into constant false alarm There are well over several million plus of these disks made by many different manufacturers being used in the field they are not intended for use as Life safety Protection but they still serve a very important role of detecting a fire as early as possible. Some heat detectors are fixed temp like the 190o units used in a attic or kitchen or they also combine a rate of rise unit to detect a fast change of temperature in a room generally 15o in 5 minutes time.
But recently while servicing a number of fire systems I have taken the contract over on and recently even finding brand new detectors were the terminal strip has popped off the heat detector and a trouble signal has never sounded at the panel, which it should to warn the heat detector has malfunctioned. The only way you would find this problem is with the annual inspection in which many cases if a system ever gets checked after it is installed you are lucky.
The problem is the way the terminal strip is attached to the heat detector both the incoming and out going wires are on the same brass strip which is attached by way of a rivet and when either the rivet is not properly spread when the unit is made which I found on several brand new units or when the installer puts too big a wire or too much torque the strip pops off and the in coming and outgoing wire strip terminal is left dangling off the detector and no signal is sent because electrical circuit is still being maintained.
I have also seen this design on some older smoke detectors as well, which is bad news.
There could be thousands of heat detectors all over the country not providing protection.
Some Fire Professionals will tell you heats serve no real purpose they take to long to trigger but I have seen them operate and activate fire alarms several times now in industrial environments and in residential and commercial garages after all do not most sprinkler heads operate by heat.
So here’s the problem this is a known problem with in the industry it has been brought to the attention of those who design and approve yet nothing has been done. Some company's have come out with a new heat design but you can still walk into any supply house and for around $10.00 buy as many of these units with a design flaw as you like.
With all of the code changes now in the works this simple flaw has still yet to be addressed and is still an on going concern.
How many deaths and how many lawsuits is it going to take against all involved till they get it right. With codes. Iam afraid it is still going to be a long time since the new UCC is still receiving a D- for implementation and enforcement.
Once again Pa will lead in firefighter and civilian deaths this year. I am getting tired of it what about you.
Get past the approving agencies?
Walk into almost any commercial building in fact many homes with a professionally installed hard wired Fire or combo Fire / Burglar system and you will find round white disks from 1 to 3 inches in diameter being used in the system for the detection of heat
From a fire were traditional Smoke Detectors can not be used with out going into constant false alarm There are well over several million plus of these disks made by many different manufacturers being used in the field they are not intended for use as Life safety Protection but they still serve a very important role of detecting a fire as early as possible. Some heat detectors are fixed temp like the 190o units used in a attic or kitchen or they also combine a rate of rise unit to detect a fast change of temperature in a room generally 15o in 5 minutes time.
But recently while servicing a number of fire systems I have taken the contract over on and recently even finding brand new detectors were the terminal strip has popped off the heat detector and a trouble signal has never sounded at the panel, which it should to warn the heat detector has malfunctioned. The only way you would find this problem is with the annual inspection in which many cases if a system ever gets checked after it is installed you are lucky.
The problem is the way the terminal strip is attached to the heat detector both the incoming and out going wires are on the same brass strip which is attached by way of a rivet and when either the rivet is not properly spread when the unit is made which I found on several brand new units or when the installer puts too big a wire or too much torque the strip pops off and the in coming and outgoing wire strip terminal is left dangling off the detector and no signal is sent because electrical circuit is still being maintained.
I have also seen this design on some older smoke detectors as well, which is bad news.
There could be thousands of heat detectors all over the country not providing protection.
Some Fire Professionals will tell you heats serve no real purpose they take to long to trigger but I have seen them operate and activate fire alarms several times now in industrial environments and in residential and commercial garages after all do not most sprinkler heads operate by heat.
So here’s the problem this is a known problem with in the industry it has been brought to the attention of those who design and approve yet nothing has been done. Some company's have come out with a new heat design but you can still walk into any supply house and for around $10.00 buy as many of these units with a design flaw as you like.
With all of the code changes now in the works this simple flaw has still yet to be addressed and is still an on going concern.
How many deaths and how many lawsuits is it going to take against all involved till they get it right. With codes. Iam afraid it is still going to be a long time since the new UCC is still receiving a D- for implementation and enforcement.
Once again Pa will lead in firefighter and civilian deaths this year. I am getting tired of it what about you.
Where is the Hold Up?
nly a Fire alarm?
The alarm monitoring company sent you for no reason?
I do work for a chain of stores were I install the Fire Alarm when the store is put in and it is monitored and maintained by a National Accounts division of a large Alarm company.
They give me the information to program into the panel as to receiver phone number to call. Account number, format and codes etc.
Normally no big deal. But this was not the case recently in Uniontown Pa.
Where “Yes Virginia technicians and employees at alarm company's really are this stupid.”
The panel I use is a top of the line fire panel manufactured by Silent Knight and every Silent Knight panel is pre-programmed at the factory as to what code comes into the central station. It is standard for all there panels. This has never been a problem I send the panel specifications and pre-programmed codes sheet to the central station data entry people which programs there automation software for the store what the individual codes coming in mean in this case they are using 4/2 format example 63 1234 comes in this means zone 63 retail area fire alarm trouble at account 1234. But because the personel at this particular large alarm company are so incompetent instead of setting the Silent Knight defaults into the automation software like every other company seems to be able to do with out problem they use there regular defaults and 63 1234 means a hold up alarm. Result the Uniontown Police respond quickly and quietly expecting a hold up in progress.
Putting these fine officers lives in danger responding to get there and every motorist they must pass on the way to every one in the store in danger because the police are responding thinking they have a potential armed robber in the store.
Instead of responding the fire company's for duct detector trouble activation due to a furnace spewing dust and smoke when it was first turned on. Just imagine the opposite happening because these idiots could just have easily dispatched a fire company to a fire alarm call when in fact it was a hold up in progress and yes it has happened due to incompetent employees at an alarm company.
I get called by the Uniontown fire dept about the problem as they can not get hold of any one at the monitoring company to solve the problem which is another on going complaint they do not answer there phones in the evening and if they do the people at the central station can not help them. And I respond down to the store in the morning to try and figure out what is going on and now for the 4th time send written instructions to the monitoring company they have there data base screwed up there is no burglar or hold up system in the store. I arrive at the store call the monitoring company to put the system on hold and do not dispatch and I explain what the problem is I start working on the system and suddenly
3 police cars show up with officers to respond to a hold up alarm.
Needless to say the officers are not happy I explain to them the problem give them the 800 numbers for the monitoring company and when they call all they keep getting is voice mail for the supervisors .At this point I would not blame the city of Uniontown for filing criminal complaints of false reporting against the monitoring company for fooling around and acting like idiots. Luckily I find and temporarily disable the duct detector to stop the immediate problem and the heating contractor was due in later in the day to correct the furnace problem. And I file reports with the store management and Uniontown fire and police depts. . Who at this point have gone beyond the call of duty dealing with this out of state monitoring company? Then once again I send written certified letter what is wrong at this store and what needs done to correct it to the monitoring company who will get around to it in a couple of weeks.
Needless to say this is once again a case were codes need serious looking at I have written in previous articles were these central stations are getting to big and alarms going out of state lines are bad news. To compound the problem as phone lines are going digital 4/2 is becoming an obsolete format they should be using Contact ID, SIA or similar digital compatible format to prevent signals from clashing and not coming thru and the newer formats clearly define what they are so a fire is a fire not mistaken as a hold up.
But once again money rules the day these large retail chains use these large national accounts division company's so everything is the same every where in the country but the problem is these alarm company's are to big to properly get the job done do not properly train there people and UL who’s listing service is not doing its job making sure signals are properly being handled and rules to stay a UL listed facility like response times are followed. and there is no oversight of these company's who operate with impunity out of state and out of reach.
The alarm monitoring company sent you for no reason?
I do work for a chain of stores were I install the Fire Alarm when the store is put in and it is monitored and maintained by a National Accounts division of a large Alarm company.
They give me the information to program into the panel as to receiver phone number to call. Account number, format and codes etc.
Normally no big deal. But this was not the case recently in Uniontown Pa.
Where “Yes Virginia technicians and employees at alarm company's really are this stupid.”
The panel I use is a top of the line fire panel manufactured by Silent Knight and every Silent Knight panel is pre-programmed at the factory as to what code comes into the central station. It is standard for all there panels. This has never been a problem I send the panel specifications and pre-programmed codes sheet to the central station data entry people which programs there automation software for the store what the individual codes coming in mean in this case they are using 4/2 format example 63 1234 comes in this means zone 63 retail area fire alarm trouble at account 1234. But because the personel at this particular large alarm company are so incompetent instead of setting the Silent Knight defaults into the automation software like every other company seems to be able to do with out problem they use there regular defaults and 63 1234 means a hold up alarm. Result the Uniontown Police respond quickly and quietly expecting a hold up in progress.
Putting these fine officers lives in danger responding to get there and every motorist they must pass on the way to every one in the store in danger because the police are responding thinking they have a potential armed robber in the store.
Instead of responding the fire company's for duct detector trouble activation due to a furnace spewing dust and smoke when it was first turned on. Just imagine the opposite happening because these idiots could just have easily dispatched a fire company to a fire alarm call when in fact it was a hold up in progress and yes it has happened due to incompetent employees at an alarm company.
I get called by the Uniontown fire dept about the problem as they can not get hold of any one at the monitoring company to solve the problem which is another on going complaint they do not answer there phones in the evening and if they do the people at the central station can not help them. And I respond down to the store in the morning to try and figure out what is going on and now for the 4th time send written instructions to the monitoring company they have there data base screwed up there is no burglar or hold up system in the store. I arrive at the store call the monitoring company to put the system on hold and do not dispatch and I explain what the problem is I start working on the system and suddenly
3 police cars show up with officers to respond to a hold up alarm.
Needless to say the officers are not happy I explain to them the problem give them the 800 numbers for the monitoring company and when they call all they keep getting is voice mail for the supervisors .At this point I would not blame the city of Uniontown for filing criminal complaints of false reporting against the monitoring company for fooling around and acting like idiots. Luckily I find and temporarily disable the duct detector to stop the immediate problem and the heating contractor was due in later in the day to correct the furnace problem. And I file reports with the store management and Uniontown fire and police depts. . Who at this point have gone beyond the call of duty dealing with this out of state monitoring company? Then once again I send written certified letter what is wrong at this store and what needs done to correct it to the monitoring company who will get around to it in a couple of weeks.
Needless to say this is once again a case were codes need serious looking at I have written in previous articles were these central stations are getting to big and alarms going out of state lines are bad news. To compound the problem as phone lines are going digital 4/2 is becoming an obsolete format they should be using Contact ID, SIA or similar digital compatible format to prevent signals from clashing and not coming thru and the newer formats clearly define what they are so a fire is a fire not mistaken as a hold up.
But once again money rules the day these large retail chains use these large national accounts division company's so everything is the same every where in the country but the problem is these alarm company's are to big to properly get the job done do not properly train there people and UL who’s listing service is not doing its job making sure signals are properly being handled and rules to stay a UL listed facility like response times are followed. and there is no oversight of these company's who operate with impunity out of state and out of reach.
We thought we where doing the right thing
How the Boy scouts of America thought they were doing good
When they really helped to create an environmental nightmare?
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
When I was a scout in the mid 1970’s there was a big environmental initiative with in Scouting called S.O.A.R. Save our American Resources and as part of the Silver Tip district my dad 2 brothers plus my self and aprox 250 other scouts in the Silver Tip District of Allegheny Trails Council were involved in several projects which helped to save local fishing streams . One stream was Bull Run Creek in Tarentum Pa. where we cleared debris and installed diverters to help the fish propagate . A different project which everyone wants to conveniently go away from memory occurred in Hampton Township and Allison Park Pa. along the Pine Creek which was suffering from heavy erosion to its steep banks. The Allison Park Fishing Assoc. along with a couple of Pa. Fish Commission Officers decided to try and save the creek bed which has been a favorite of trout fisherman for many decades.
It starts at North Park Lake and eventually winds it way down to Etna Pa. where it dumps into the Allegheny River which then flows into the Ohio River.
The plan to stop the erosion was to install several walls of used tires along the banks and then fill the tires with heavy rocks. One of the largest walls was behind the old swimming pool near the dam where aprox 1500 old tires were used. A weekend camporee where everyone camped in a section of North Park was arranged and over 500 people showed up to help including a Navy Reserve Construction Battalion also known as CB’s with heavy equiptment for the larger wall project a local contractor also supplied large Tri Axle trucks to help pick up and transport the tires to different sites. This was seen as a win win situation the discarded tires where being used to help protect the environment or so it was thought so back then . But one thing was never considered tires float and eventually these walls would fall apart and become a bigger problem no one ever consulted a soils or stream engineer who would have told them this was a bad idea despite the fact they looked solidly built ,and this is exactly what happened when a terrible storm spun off by Hurricane Ivan came to visit Western Pa. in 2004 when 4 inches of rain was dumped into Pine Creek and the tire walls already deteriorated after 35 years of constant abuse from the annual spring flooding let loose and thousands of tires clogged the creek bed which resulted in several miles of the creek bed flooding over and causing millions of dollars in damage .Local TV news coverage showed all the damage from the tires which accumulated in the creek bed .But despite all the news coverage and damage no one ever inquired as to how the disaster happened. Probably because they realized many big name organizations including the BSA would get hurt. As well as the very state agency responsible for protecting the stream allowing it to happen.
Much has been learned from this but of course many want to forget it ever happened.
Either way a lot of questions should have been asked and answered before it was allowed to be commenced and it was not. 5 years later damage is still being corrected .
It makes me sick to think the boy scouts got involved because one of the scoutmasters was a fish commission officer and no one asked any questions about it. Before starting
This is just one of many situations the BSA has allowed its self to get into and brought shame to the organization and will not be the last.
When they really helped to create an environmental nightmare?
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
When I was a scout in the mid 1970’s there was a big environmental initiative with in Scouting called S.O.A.R. Save our American Resources and as part of the Silver Tip district my dad 2 brothers plus my self and aprox 250 other scouts in the Silver Tip District of Allegheny Trails Council were involved in several projects which helped to save local fishing streams . One stream was Bull Run Creek in Tarentum Pa. where we cleared debris and installed diverters to help the fish propagate . A different project which everyone wants to conveniently go away from memory occurred in Hampton Township and Allison Park Pa. along the Pine Creek which was suffering from heavy erosion to its steep banks. The Allison Park Fishing Assoc. along with a couple of Pa. Fish Commission Officers decided to try and save the creek bed which has been a favorite of trout fisherman for many decades.
It starts at North Park Lake and eventually winds it way down to Etna Pa. where it dumps into the Allegheny River which then flows into the Ohio River.
The plan to stop the erosion was to install several walls of used tires along the banks and then fill the tires with heavy rocks. One of the largest walls was behind the old swimming pool near the dam where aprox 1500 old tires were used. A weekend camporee where everyone camped in a section of North Park was arranged and over 500 people showed up to help including a Navy Reserve Construction Battalion also known as CB’s with heavy equiptment for the larger wall project a local contractor also supplied large Tri Axle trucks to help pick up and transport the tires to different sites. This was seen as a win win situation the discarded tires where being used to help protect the environment or so it was thought so back then . But one thing was never considered tires float and eventually these walls would fall apart and become a bigger problem no one ever consulted a soils or stream engineer who would have told them this was a bad idea despite the fact they looked solidly built ,and this is exactly what happened when a terrible storm spun off by Hurricane Ivan came to visit Western Pa. in 2004 when 4 inches of rain was dumped into Pine Creek and the tire walls already deteriorated after 35 years of constant abuse from the annual spring flooding let loose and thousands of tires clogged the creek bed which resulted in several miles of the creek bed flooding over and causing millions of dollars in damage .Local TV news coverage showed all the damage from the tires which accumulated in the creek bed .But despite all the news coverage and damage no one ever inquired as to how the disaster happened. Probably because they realized many big name organizations including the BSA would get hurt. As well as the very state agency responsible for protecting the stream allowing it to happen.
Much has been learned from this but of course many want to forget it ever happened.
Either way a lot of questions should have been asked and answered before it was allowed to be commenced and it was not. 5 years later damage is still being corrected .
It makes me sick to think the boy scouts got involved because one of the scoutmasters was a fish commission officer and no one asked any questions about it. Before starting
This is just one of many situations the BSA has allowed its self to get into and brought shame to the organization and will not be the last.
Friday, February 25, 2011
I hunt Vampires?
I am a Real Vampire Hunter?
Electrical Energy Wasting Vampires that is
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
I have been actively engaged in the hunting down and killing of Energy Wasting Vampires for many years now you find them everyday in almost ever business I go into and service there equiptment. There tricky to find because the steal power with little sips at a time. A few watts here and there but in the long run they can add up to hundreds of dollars in wasted electrical usage for absolutely no purpose.
Take the Telephone room in a building how many times have I found plugged in and still drawing electrical power Old style Telephone Power Supplies and Key System Units
That where no longer being used and wiring disconnected many years ago some as far back as the 1980’s I have even found old telephone automated attendant units plugged in as well and not being used. All these years these units have been drawing power and wasting valuable resources into the air.
But telephone rooms are just one area I find these vampires lurking. Often times you find them hiding in electrical and utility rooms and even above suspended ceilings.
Where remodeling has been done. I often find old Emergency lighting units above ceilings’ and no longer being used but sill active and drawing power the same goes with burglar alarms and old weather station and other energy saving devices as well ,which never really worked right and where cut off but the main controls are still powered up and
Stealing Power. In one case I found an entire computer server setup in a closet sitting and using power and hooked up to nothing. It happens all too often because contractors come in and replace phones etc but never remove the old equiptment which is something by National Electrical Code they should be doing. The average customer I go looking for these vampires save $10.00 to $50.00 a month which adds up to hundreds of dollars in the long run every year.
How many old homes have I worked in there basements and found a small gray transformer plugged in drawing power for old style Princess Telephones which where thrown out and replaced in the 1980’s yet the little transformer is still there stealing power .Sure its only 5 watts but over 30 years it has stolen half a kilowatt of electricity.
You too can be a vampire hunter too with a little investigation and it can often payoff when you scrap items for all the copper etc in them and hard to find adapters etc which are hard and expensive to get .I stripped out an old mainframe computer system the other day and made over $300.00 in scrap for half a days work plus there are many parts I can reuse and sell plus I got paid by the owner of the junk to remove it what a deal.
Are there vampires lurking in your customers structures I be willing to bet so and when you find them and unplug and kill them you not only look like a hero to your customer who you are saving money, but your helping the environment as well.
Electrical Energy Wasting Vampires that is
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
I have been actively engaged in the hunting down and killing of Energy Wasting Vampires for many years now you find them everyday in almost ever business I go into and service there equiptment. There tricky to find because the steal power with little sips at a time. A few watts here and there but in the long run they can add up to hundreds of dollars in wasted electrical usage for absolutely no purpose.
Take the Telephone room in a building how many times have I found plugged in and still drawing electrical power Old style Telephone Power Supplies and Key System Units
That where no longer being used and wiring disconnected many years ago some as far back as the 1980’s I have even found old telephone automated attendant units plugged in as well and not being used. All these years these units have been drawing power and wasting valuable resources into the air.
But telephone rooms are just one area I find these vampires lurking. Often times you find them hiding in electrical and utility rooms and even above suspended ceilings.
Where remodeling has been done. I often find old Emergency lighting units above ceilings’ and no longer being used but sill active and drawing power the same goes with burglar alarms and old weather station and other energy saving devices as well ,which never really worked right and where cut off but the main controls are still powered up and
Stealing Power. In one case I found an entire computer server setup in a closet sitting and using power and hooked up to nothing. It happens all too often because contractors come in and replace phones etc but never remove the old equiptment which is something by National Electrical Code they should be doing. The average customer I go looking for these vampires save $10.00 to $50.00 a month which adds up to hundreds of dollars in the long run every year.
How many old homes have I worked in there basements and found a small gray transformer plugged in drawing power for old style Princess Telephones which where thrown out and replaced in the 1980’s yet the little transformer is still there stealing power .Sure its only 5 watts but over 30 years it has stolen half a kilowatt of electricity.
You too can be a vampire hunter too with a little investigation and it can often payoff when you scrap items for all the copper etc in them and hard to find adapters etc which are hard and expensive to get .I stripped out an old mainframe computer system the other day and made over $300.00 in scrap for half a days work plus there are many parts I can reuse and sell plus I got paid by the owner of the junk to remove it what a deal.
Are there vampires lurking in your customers structures I be willing to bet so and when you find them and unplug and kill them you not only look like a hero to your customer who you are saving money, but your helping the environment as well.
I see you
Employee Theft & How to Fight It
Shoplifting, check fraud, employee theft, burglaries, vandalism, holdups,
Purse snatching s, slip-and-fall scams, Workman’s Compensation, and insurance fraud.
It is not a small wonder how anyone can stay in business and make a profit?
You know some days I just shake my head and wonder why any one would even bother to try and open up and run any type of retail business, especially a grocery store.
Recently I worked in an affluent neighborhood where I installed anti-shoplifting cameras.
The owner of the store wanted them in the meat and health/cosmetics aisle where he was experiencing an unusual amount of theft. To my surprise, in the health aisle a young white male was picked up and arrested by the store detective for stealing hemorrhoid cream! What in the world would someone be stealing hemorrhoid cream for?
Well, it turned out that the young man was from the neighborhood and he was a heroin junky, a thief /burglar known to the police. He was stealing the hemorrhoid cream to cover and heal the needle track marks on his arms.
“Heroin in this neighborhood,” I thought to myself; but, like the police who responded and took the young man to jail, they told me that because it was an affluent neighborhood, the kids have more money available so they can afford the more expensive heroin over crack cocaine. In fact, Heroin is a major drug problem in affluent neighborhoods. It, in fact, accounts for 70% of the crimes that occur in these areas.
Now, had this thief gotten away with the goods, it would have cost the store a lot more than $1.85, as stores work on a 1-2% profit margin. Thus, the store would have to sell 184 more tubes of cream to make up for what was stolen.
Shoplifting costs millions annually and accounts for 15/25% shrinkage costs when running a business. Yes there is only a 1-2% profit margin in the grocery business because even though you pay $2.00 for a bag of chips, the store pays $.20. After you figure in wages, rent or mortgage, employees benefits, electric, phone, gas bills, taxes, insurance etc., plus all the money lost to thieves, broken and discarded items, etc, there is only 1-2% left.
I was then working at this same business a month later adding more cameras in the back stock room and store front to help stop groceries from going out the back door. No, not by shoppers, but instead by the employees themselves. Another thing we look for are employees who under price items for their friends as they ring them up on the cash register, such as a $20.00 steak for $0.45—which is the approximate price of a can of soup. The other thing that cameras will do in a retail store setting is to stop the slip-and-fall lawsuit scams.
I heard the screams and protests by store employees who were angry with the owner as well as myself. They said they would damage the cameras I put up, and the owner in writing responded by warning each and every one of them that the consequences of their actions would be termination and prosecution--and there would be no tolerance.
I put the cameras up and several employees, including a manager, almost immediately quit. Amazingly enough, the inside employee theft problem came to an end along with boxes getting damaged and machines breaking and money and groceries disappearing.
Also, there have been no more slip-and-fall problems either.
In another case, I had a restaurant owner ask to upgrade his camera system. He had one in the bar area to record fights and people trying to help themselves to free drinks. He also wanted one outside in a small walkway were he has walk-in coolers to hold extra goods. The problems to solve were 1) he had a situation where employees were loafing, and 2) they were stealing food from the kitchen.
Three weeks after I installed these cameras, I got a horrifying phone call. The owner informed me that he came to work that very morning and found a large pile of dog dodo
outside one of the cooler doors. At first he thought a dog had done it until he cleaned it up. What he found was that it was human waste, napkins and all, which the perpetrator had used to clean him or herself.
The owner went in and rolled back the tape and found that at 7:30 in the morning his bread deliveryman walked down the walkway, dropped his pants, and relieved himself. Even though you could clearly see that the back door of the restaurant was open and he could have used the toilet inside he chose to do his business outside the coolers.
The owner of the restaurant called the bread company, whose owner came and saw the tape and then did nothing to the driver because he was in the Teamster Union. The man should have been terminated and criminally charged, but he wasn’t. He put his unclean hands on the bread delivery bags of every one he delivered to that morning—quite possibly spreading infection with it.
I still remember the day in the 80s I put a hidden camera in a supermarket to catch an employee in the office who was ringing up soda bottle return receipts, putting the money in her pocket. It ended up that she was the Union Steward, so the owners wanted hard evidence against her. She ended up on probation and she had to pay restitution
But she did not lose her job, I was later told, she was sent to a different store and not allowed to work in the office area. Is it any wonder why that grocery chain left town?
Recently I installed another hidden camera in a large school cafeteria were someone was pocketing the cash employees put in a cup under a counter after they bought breakfast. It was only two to three dollars that was missing each day, but over a year’s time this amounted to nearly a thousand dollars. So, enough was enough, and I was hired to come in at 3:00 a.m. and install a covert camera. That very next morning they caught a 73-year-old woman, who was receiving a good pension I might add, besides the excellent money she was making at the school.
Then there is the case of an executive at a Nuclear Power station who I met at one of the Eagle Scout dinners who lost his $150,000.00 a year job when it was discovered he had embezzled $700.00 from an employee benefit fund.
The Thievery Goes On And On
I had a customer of a now defunct, large hardware store who suspected that his own brother was ripping him off. Indeed, as it turned out, he was. What we did was set the alarm system at the warehouse he owned so the brothers code would not work. Instead it would trip a silent alarm so the police, who were aware of what we had done, would respond. They arrived to find that the brother with several appliances loaded into a truck ready to steal them.
I have used this and the trick of recording alarm activations and deactivations to catch many inside theft problems. For example, in a dark room facility I had set up the alarm so all codes etc. would be recorded, as well as all out-going phone calls. We suspected things were gong on in the business and, as it turned out, we were correct.
We caught employees coming back after work and using film and darkroom supplies and running the lab for personal work. They also were making personal long distance phone calls on the lab’s telephones. Of course, after they were caught they could not figure out why they were being prosecuted. After all, everyone steals from their employer, so they told me. What was the problem? Also, they stole because they were not being paid what they were worth, and this is how they justified it in their own minds. The court did not agree, however.
I had a distant relative of mine tell me the same thing when I saw all the stuff he had taken from a now-closed steel mill where he worked. Over the years, millions of dollars have been stolen from such steel mills, not only by the workers, but also by their bosses. They were able to do this because they had ready access--they were able to their vehicles into the mill. I have had customers who had large, expensive multi-gang electric meters stolen off the side walls of apartment complexes, as well as air conditioner condenser’s, taken while these projects were in construction.
I had one of my customers who bought an old pizza shop in the north side of Pittsburgh decide to tear it down and build a new building. When we called Duquesne Light to come and disconnect the electric meter, we were surprised to find that the meter continued to run the shop while it sat half empty. This must have gone on for five years with only a few lights left on and an occasional workman. Evidently a business near the same location had been illegally stealing power all those years after there own electric meter was shut off and removed.
I remember the time with the fire department and the police rolled up to a natural gas leak at an apartment complex. The occupants told us how one of the tenants rigged up an illegal power tap to steal electricity. He had taken an un-fused extension cord and attached it to the power line coming into the building. Many fatal fires have started this way and many firefighters have been injured over such people stealing power. Then, of course, there’s my neighbor who thought it was okay to steal HBO from the cable company--until he was busted--twice, in fact.
And of course look at all the music CDs being copied and stolen along with DVD movies. All in all, it adds up to billions of dollars lost. This is why all of us pay higher prices for these commodities. There needs to be a clear message to all thieves, petty or otherwise, that this is wrong and must stop. Otherwise, society will continue to degrade to the point where lawlessness will rule our everyday lives.
Often times the thief who steals from his or her employer is also likely stealing elsewhere. Many criminals are habitual by nature and are involved in constant crimes of all kinds. For example, the thief who steals cars and shoplifts may also be doing illegal drugs. He may also be stealing from his or her neighbors.
When a crime spree hits a business district, there are almost always one to two gangs involved. The worst part is, many times those we trust are involved. The state constable and his son in my community are now under arrest, charged with receiving stolen property and several other charges. The son also is facing cocaine dealing charges as they were both supposedly involved in a 40+ smash-and-grab burglary ring in the community as well as neighboring towns for over four years. It infuriates me because I have done work at several of the properties this man owns.
As the situation continues to worsen, poor economic conditions is being blamed for the brunt of these crimes in Pennsylvania. It has been said that if people had good-paying jobs, we would not see all of these crimes. Somehow the officials continue to get it wrong for this is not the case Good times or bad, you will always have crime. However, the more that a community tolerates this crime, using "social problems" as the cause, the worse it will get.
We need to take a strong stand against criminals. But, it appears that many in positions of responsibility are content to sit back and do nothing, other than complain. The next time you get ripped off, or you want to complain about the high prices you pay in the retail stores you shop at, remember this. Shoplifters need jail time and rehabilitation with meaning, as well as all other criminals. If they come out and start their criminal ways again, then off to prison they go for life, as they are no longer contributing to society--just taking from honest people and hurting all concerned.
What we need is to start the process of teaching our children honesty in our public schools, as well as the home. We need to show our children the result of stealing and vandalism and all the other crimes that occur in and about society. Thievery is wrong and our children must be taught that there are penalties for doing so.
Shoplifting, check fraud, employee theft, burglaries, vandalism, holdups,
Purse snatching s, slip-and-fall scams, Workman’s Compensation, and insurance fraud.
It is not a small wonder how anyone can stay in business and make a profit?
You know some days I just shake my head and wonder why any one would even bother to try and open up and run any type of retail business, especially a grocery store.
Recently I worked in an affluent neighborhood where I installed anti-shoplifting cameras.
The owner of the store wanted them in the meat and health/cosmetics aisle where he was experiencing an unusual amount of theft. To my surprise, in the health aisle a young white male was picked up and arrested by the store detective for stealing hemorrhoid cream! What in the world would someone be stealing hemorrhoid cream for?
Well, it turned out that the young man was from the neighborhood and he was a heroin junky, a thief /burglar known to the police. He was stealing the hemorrhoid cream to cover and heal the needle track marks on his arms.
“Heroin in this neighborhood,” I thought to myself; but, like the police who responded and took the young man to jail, they told me that because it was an affluent neighborhood, the kids have more money available so they can afford the more expensive heroin over crack cocaine. In fact, Heroin is a major drug problem in affluent neighborhoods. It, in fact, accounts for 70% of the crimes that occur in these areas.
Now, had this thief gotten away with the goods, it would have cost the store a lot more than $1.85, as stores work on a 1-2% profit margin. Thus, the store would have to sell 184 more tubes of cream to make up for what was stolen.
Shoplifting costs millions annually and accounts for 15/25% shrinkage costs when running a business. Yes there is only a 1-2% profit margin in the grocery business because even though you pay $2.00 for a bag of chips, the store pays $.20. After you figure in wages, rent or mortgage, employees benefits, electric, phone, gas bills, taxes, insurance etc., plus all the money lost to thieves, broken and discarded items, etc, there is only 1-2% left.
I was then working at this same business a month later adding more cameras in the back stock room and store front to help stop groceries from going out the back door. No, not by shoppers, but instead by the employees themselves. Another thing we look for are employees who under price items for their friends as they ring them up on the cash register, such as a $20.00 steak for $0.45—which is the approximate price of a can of soup. The other thing that cameras will do in a retail store setting is to stop the slip-and-fall lawsuit scams.
I heard the screams and protests by store employees who were angry with the owner as well as myself. They said they would damage the cameras I put up, and the owner in writing responded by warning each and every one of them that the consequences of their actions would be termination and prosecution--and there would be no tolerance.
I put the cameras up and several employees, including a manager, almost immediately quit. Amazingly enough, the inside employee theft problem came to an end along with boxes getting damaged and machines breaking and money and groceries disappearing.
Also, there have been no more slip-and-fall problems either.
In another case, I had a restaurant owner ask to upgrade his camera system. He had one in the bar area to record fights and people trying to help themselves to free drinks. He also wanted one outside in a small walkway were he has walk-in coolers to hold extra goods. The problems to solve were 1) he had a situation where employees were loafing, and 2) they were stealing food from the kitchen.
Three weeks after I installed these cameras, I got a horrifying phone call. The owner informed me that he came to work that very morning and found a large pile of dog dodo
outside one of the cooler doors. At first he thought a dog had done it until he cleaned it up. What he found was that it was human waste, napkins and all, which the perpetrator had used to clean him or herself.
The owner went in and rolled back the tape and found that at 7:30 in the morning his bread deliveryman walked down the walkway, dropped his pants, and relieved himself. Even though you could clearly see that the back door of the restaurant was open and he could have used the toilet inside he chose to do his business outside the coolers.
The owner of the restaurant called the bread company, whose owner came and saw the tape and then did nothing to the driver because he was in the Teamster Union. The man should have been terminated and criminally charged, but he wasn’t. He put his unclean hands on the bread delivery bags of every one he delivered to that morning—quite possibly spreading infection with it.
I still remember the day in the 80s I put a hidden camera in a supermarket to catch an employee in the office who was ringing up soda bottle return receipts, putting the money in her pocket. It ended up that she was the Union Steward, so the owners wanted hard evidence against her. She ended up on probation and she had to pay restitution
But she did not lose her job, I was later told, she was sent to a different store and not allowed to work in the office area. Is it any wonder why that grocery chain left town?
Recently I installed another hidden camera in a large school cafeteria were someone was pocketing the cash employees put in a cup under a counter after they bought breakfast. It was only two to three dollars that was missing each day, but over a year’s time this amounted to nearly a thousand dollars. So, enough was enough, and I was hired to come in at 3:00 a.m. and install a covert camera. That very next morning they caught a 73-year-old woman, who was receiving a good pension I might add, besides the excellent money she was making at the school.
Then there is the case of an executive at a Nuclear Power station who I met at one of the Eagle Scout dinners who lost his $150,000.00 a year job when it was discovered he had embezzled $700.00 from an employee benefit fund.
The Thievery Goes On And On
I had a customer of a now defunct, large hardware store who suspected that his own brother was ripping him off. Indeed, as it turned out, he was. What we did was set the alarm system at the warehouse he owned so the brothers code would not work. Instead it would trip a silent alarm so the police, who were aware of what we had done, would respond. They arrived to find that the brother with several appliances loaded into a truck ready to steal them.
I have used this and the trick of recording alarm activations and deactivations to catch many inside theft problems. For example, in a dark room facility I had set up the alarm so all codes etc. would be recorded, as well as all out-going phone calls. We suspected things were gong on in the business and, as it turned out, we were correct.
We caught employees coming back after work and using film and darkroom supplies and running the lab for personal work. They also were making personal long distance phone calls on the lab’s telephones. Of course, after they were caught they could not figure out why they were being prosecuted. After all, everyone steals from their employer, so they told me. What was the problem? Also, they stole because they were not being paid what they were worth, and this is how they justified it in their own minds. The court did not agree, however.
I had a distant relative of mine tell me the same thing when I saw all the stuff he had taken from a now-closed steel mill where he worked. Over the years, millions of dollars have been stolen from such steel mills, not only by the workers, but also by their bosses. They were able to do this because they had ready access--they were able to their vehicles into the mill. I have had customers who had large, expensive multi-gang electric meters stolen off the side walls of apartment complexes, as well as air conditioner condenser’s, taken while these projects were in construction.
I had one of my customers who bought an old pizza shop in the north side of Pittsburgh decide to tear it down and build a new building. When we called Duquesne Light to come and disconnect the electric meter, we were surprised to find that the meter continued to run the shop while it sat half empty. This must have gone on for five years with only a few lights left on and an occasional workman. Evidently a business near the same location had been illegally stealing power all those years after there own electric meter was shut off and removed.
I remember the time with the fire department and the police rolled up to a natural gas leak at an apartment complex. The occupants told us how one of the tenants rigged up an illegal power tap to steal electricity. He had taken an un-fused extension cord and attached it to the power line coming into the building. Many fatal fires have started this way and many firefighters have been injured over such people stealing power. Then, of course, there’s my neighbor who thought it was okay to steal HBO from the cable company--until he was busted--twice, in fact.
And of course look at all the music CDs being copied and stolen along with DVD movies. All in all, it adds up to billions of dollars lost. This is why all of us pay higher prices for these commodities. There needs to be a clear message to all thieves, petty or otherwise, that this is wrong and must stop. Otherwise, society will continue to degrade to the point where lawlessness will rule our everyday lives.
Often times the thief who steals from his or her employer is also likely stealing elsewhere. Many criminals are habitual by nature and are involved in constant crimes of all kinds. For example, the thief who steals cars and shoplifts may also be doing illegal drugs. He may also be stealing from his or her neighbors.
When a crime spree hits a business district, there are almost always one to two gangs involved. The worst part is, many times those we trust are involved. The state constable and his son in my community are now under arrest, charged with receiving stolen property and several other charges. The son also is facing cocaine dealing charges as they were both supposedly involved in a 40+ smash-and-grab burglary ring in the community as well as neighboring towns for over four years. It infuriates me because I have done work at several of the properties this man owns.
As the situation continues to worsen, poor economic conditions is being blamed for the brunt of these crimes in Pennsylvania. It has been said that if people had good-paying jobs, we would not see all of these crimes. Somehow the officials continue to get it wrong for this is not the case Good times or bad, you will always have crime. However, the more that a community tolerates this crime, using "social problems" as the cause, the worse it will get.
We need to take a strong stand against criminals. But, it appears that many in positions of responsibility are content to sit back and do nothing, other than complain. The next time you get ripped off, or you want to complain about the high prices you pay in the retail stores you shop at, remember this. Shoplifters need jail time and rehabilitation with meaning, as well as all other criminals. If they come out and start their criminal ways again, then off to prison they go for life, as they are no longer contributing to society--just taking from honest people and hurting all concerned.
What we need is to start the process of teaching our children honesty in our public schools, as well as the home. We need to show our children the result of stealing and vandalism and all the other crimes that occur in and about society. Thievery is wrong and our children must be taught that there are penalties for doing so.
5 cents between sucess or disaster
A Simple 5 Cent Plastic Bushing
In Electrical Installations can make the difference
Between Life and Death?
Every day Electricians and Fire Alarm Technicians regularly violate a section of the NEC when they fail to put a simple 5 cent Plastic or older style Bakelite bushing or even pot metal bushing on the end of metallic pipe stubs
Which are feeding low voltage and High Voltage AC and DC devices.
The pipe stubs are typically used where low or high voltage plastic jacketed wires are brought down a wall and then when they get below 7 feet the NEC requires Physical Protection of the wires from damage and this is where the violation occurs. The wires as they enter the pipe are to be protected from abrasions by a simple plastic bushing fitting which either slips directly over the Metal pipe or Wiremold Type metal race way or an end fitting is installed and a bushing screws onto the fitting which provides the abrasion protection .But typically all to often the bushing is not placed on the pipe stub and this is where problems can begin .Building vibrations along with heat build up as high amperage equiptment is used especially in the case of higher voltage wires can cause the wiring to wiggle back and forth in the piping stub and In the case of a Fire Alarm System the wiring can become bruised and the jacket on the wire can be pierced and a Negative or Positive ground fault develops in the Fire Alarm System when the inner copper conductors make contact with the edge of the metal stub pipe .Which if not corrected can prevent a smoke detector or other fire device from properly operating and reporting a fire .This same ground fault condition can occur in the Bell /Horn /Strobe loop as well and could result in the sounder circuit not coming on and notifying which can result in serious injury or death and massive destruction of property. In the case of Higher voltage 120 or higher VAC wiring a ground can develop that does not trip the over current protection because it is slightly there or there is no grounded return path the metal stub is fastened to and an individual could receive a deadly electrical shock when they make contact between any metal surface and the pipe missing the bushing. Additionally a Fire can easily result when a hot conductor that gets scrapped or bruised at the end of the pipe creates an arc fault which fails to clear the protective device and heats the near by surfaces and a fire results.
Such a simple little fitting can cause this and many other problems in electrical systems because a simple 5 cent bushing was not used.
The answers why they are not used varies from tech thinking there not being needed because the wire seems loose in the pipe .To sheer greed in not spending the couple dollars in parts and labor it would take to properly do the job.
In any case many ground faults and electrical accidents and trouble shooting gremlin issues can be directly traced to a missing 5 cent plastic or Bakelite bushing.
In Electrical Installations can make the difference
Between Life and Death?
Every day Electricians and Fire Alarm Technicians regularly violate a section of the NEC when they fail to put a simple 5 cent Plastic or older style Bakelite bushing or even pot metal bushing on the end of metallic pipe stubs
Which are feeding low voltage and High Voltage AC and DC devices.
The pipe stubs are typically used where low or high voltage plastic jacketed wires are brought down a wall and then when they get below 7 feet the NEC requires Physical Protection of the wires from damage and this is where the violation occurs. The wires as they enter the pipe are to be protected from abrasions by a simple plastic bushing fitting which either slips directly over the Metal pipe or Wiremold Type metal race way or an end fitting is installed and a bushing screws onto the fitting which provides the abrasion protection .But typically all to often the bushing is not placed on the pipe stub and this is where problems can begin .Building vibrations along with heat build up as high amperage equiptment is used especially in the case of higher voltage wires can cause the wiring to wiggle back and forth in the piping stub and In the case of a Fire Alarm System the wiring can become bruised and the jacket on the wire can be pierced and a Negative or Positive ground fault develops in the Fire Alarm System when the inner copper conductors make contact with the edge of the metal stub pipe .Which if not corrected can prevent a smoke detector or other fire device from properly operating and reporting a fire .This same ground fault condition can occur in the Bell /Horn /Strobe loop as well and could result in the sounder circuit not coming on and notifying which can result in serious injury or death and massive destruction of property. In the case of Higher voltage 120 or higher VAC wiring a ground can develop that does not trip the over current protection because it is slightly there or there is no grounded return path the metal stub is fastened to and an individual could receive a deadly electrical shock when they make contact between any metal surface and the pipe missing the bushing. Additionally a Fire can easily result when a hot conductor that gets scrapped or bruised at the end of the pipe creates an arc fault which fails to clear the protective device and heats the near by surfaces and a fire results.
Such a simple little fitting can cause this and many other problems in electrical systems because a simple 5 cent bushing was not used.
The answers why they are not used varies from tech thinking there not being needed because the wire seems loose in the pipe .To sheer greed in not spending the couple dollars in parts and labor it would take to properly do the job.
In any case many ground faults and electrical accidents and trouble shooting gremlin issues can be directly traced to a missing 5 cent plastic or Bakelite bushing.
How come Grandma can not use here new TV
Manufacturers of Technological devices
Do not get it
When it comes to selling to our older population
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
I am in a bit of a quandary when it comes to helping my mother -in -law transition to Digital TV
Her analog TV will no longer receive TV reception after February 2009 because all analog TV transmissions will be discontinued across the US.
And go to Digital Technology.
This means she will have to get a digital converter box from her cable company to allow for the reception of signals. Even though the TV will still work with old the analog cable the cable company will still provide it will be very limited on content and channels like Court TV and Hallmark which my mother-in-law likes will no longer be available
And this is where the problem begins. We bought her SONY TV specifically because it has a very simple to use remote control with out a lot of buttons because she gets easily confused and even a simple remote can confuse her. Every remote coming out for digital is extremely complex to operate.
This means we will have to tape off buttons etc to prevent problems from happening and
Have to retrain her how to use the new remote.
Now why is it that manufacturers of gadgets do not get it that we have an older population in the US that is getting grayer and larger every day that need simpler to operate TV Remotes, Cell and conventional corded and cordless Phones ,Microwave ovens etc.
Everything you go to buy today has to be loaded with many features 85% of the population never uses. And 95% of the sales people have no ideal what there selling and how it really works to begin with .I walked into a Best Buy the other day to ask about a new HD radio and they had no idea what I was asking for and that went for the local Radio Shack as well. It is a total waste of time and production. OF course some do get it and have a nice profitable niche making and selling devices to our senior and disabled community I only whish there were more of them. If manufacturers actually took the time
And sat and listened to there customers and heard what we want instead of producing what they think we want there sales would go thru the roof but as usual they just do not get it and those that do profit from there endeavors.
Do not get it
When it comes to selling to our older population
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
I am in a bit of a quandary when it comes to helping my mother -in -law transition to Digital TV
Her analog TV will no longer receive TV reception after February 2009 because all analog TV transmissions will be discontinued across the US.
And go to Digital Technology.
This means she will have to get a digital converter box from her cable company to allow for the reception of signals. Even though the TV will still work with old the analog cable the cable company will still provide it will be very limited on content and channels like Court TV and Hallmark which my mother-in-law likes will no longer be available
And this is where the problem begins. We bought her SONY TV specifically because it has a very simple to use remote control with out a lot of buttons because she gets easily confused and even a simple remote can confuse her. Every remote coming out for digital is extremely complex to operate.
This means we will have to tape off buttons etc to prevent problems from happening and
Have to retrain her how to use the new remote.
Now why is it that manufacturers of gadgets do not get it that we have an older population in the US that is getting grayer and larger every day that need simpler to operate TV Remotes, Cell and conventional corded and cordless Phones ,Microwave ovens etc.
Everything you go to buy today has to be loaded with many features 85% of the population never uses. And 95% of the sales people have no ideal what there selling and how it really works to begin with .I walked into a Best Buy the other day to ask about a new HD radio and they had no idea what I was asking for and that went for the local Radio Shack as well. It is a total waste of time and production. OF course some do get it and have a nice profitable niche making and selling devices to our senior and disabled community I only whish there were more of them. If manufacturers actually took the time
And sat and listened to there customers and heard what we want instead of producing what they think we want there sales would go thru the roof but as usual they just do not get it and those that do profit from there endeavors.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Fire Alarm Boosters
Fire Alarm
Signal Booster Panels
They help to comply with ADA requirements but they present there own danger when not properly installed?
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
With the introduction of the Americans With Disabilities Act ADA in 1991 it became a requirement to put Strobe lights all thru any public accessible structure.
But with the legislation came some undesired consequences.
Most fire panels unless it is a small fire system do not have enough power to activate all of the strobe lights.
So the industry responded by producing signal booster panels that can be remotely located from the fire panel to give the extra boost needed to operate the strobe lights, which have a high current, draw on start up.
The problem is the panels have to be properly wired and supervised to work. This is where there is much confusion among alarm installers who do not keep up with there education as we are finding out with the new ICC codes in place which enforce thru NFPA 72 what a qualified Alarm installer is. I figure roughly 70% of installers in this state fail to meet the requirements. Many installers have never attended classes and have only learned how to put in systems from somebody else who was never properly trained
How the hell do we allow such an important occupation just as we do with Electrician’s go on like this?
1st off the panel must have either the appropriate smoke or heat detector located with in 20 ft of it to protect it from a fire so it will operate, when needed.
Many installers do not believe this is a requirement when in fact it is but hey who reads codebooks.
2nd
There are a set of supervising contacts in the booster panel, which must be hooked up to the fire panel that warns if there is an AC power loss or Low battery and that the booster is properly functioning.
Many installers fail to hook up theses contacts they automatically assume since the supervised signal loop is going thru the panel that if there is a problems with the booster panel it will signal at the panel. Wrong.
This problem has proven its self several times were not one signal has gone off when a system has been tested because the power was accidentally turned off the battery went dead and no trouble signal was received.
Also installers are suppose to mark inside the fire panel the fact there is a booster on the circuit and were it is located again this is a code regularly disregarded. I had a School system I took over and they had a problem were not all horns and strobes were coming on.
I knew I had to have a booster somewhere but no one knew. It was finally found after we crawled all over the building and found it in a ceiling. Again this whole problem could have been avoided had the code been followed.
The breaker the Booster is attached to is to also be clearly marked as well warning it is part of the Fire System again hardly ever done.
But to make this whole situation even more interesting is the fact that many times boosters are not even needed. In many cases all that has to be done is to increase the size of the wire from 18 gauge typical to 14 gauge which allows the strobes and horns to work but the 14 gauge wire is more money and the Girlymen installers complain about how hard it is to work with. When in fact money wise you actually come out ahead when you figure the cost of the booster and battery’s it needs. And the batteries for the booster also have to be properly sized for 24-60 hours of back up something again that is not done.
I have even seen installers try to build there own boosters with off the shelf power supplies all of which is wrong and illegal but
Once again we have a situation were Technology has been both beneficial and dangerous at the same time. Until they come out with a goof proof unit or inspectors actually know what’s going on Ad do a internal physical inspection of the fire alarms it will be business as usual. Even with ICC
Signal Booster Panels
They help to comply with ADA requirements but they present there own danger when not properly installed?
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
With the introduction of the Americans With Disabilities Act ADA in 1991 it became a requirement to put Strobe lights all thru any public accessible structure.
But with the legislation came some undesired consequences.
Most fire panels unless it is a small fire system do not have enough power to activate all of the strobe lights.
So the industry responded by producing signal booster panels that can be remotely located from the fire panel to give the extra boost needed to operate the strobe lights, which have a high current, draw on start up.
The problem is the panels have to be properly wired and supervised to work. This is where there is much confusion among alarm installers who do not keep up with there education as we are finding out with the new ICC codes in place which enforce thru NFPA 72 what a qualified Alarm installer is. I figure roughly 70% of installers in this state fail to meet the requirements. Many installers have never attended classes and have only learned how to put in systems from somebody else who was never properly trained
How the hell do we allow such an important occupation just as we do with Electrician’s go on like this?
1st off the panel must have either the appropriate smoke or heat detector located with in 20 ft of it to protect it from a fire so it will operate, when needed.
Many installers do not believe this is a requirement when in fact it is but hey who reads codebooks.
2nd
There are a set of supervising contacts in the booster panel, which must be hooked up to the fire panel that warns if there is an AC power loss or Low battery and that the booster is properly functioning.
Many installers fail to hook up theses contacts they automatically assume since the supervised signal loop is going thru the panel that if there is a problems with the booster panel it will signal at the panel. Wrong.
This problem has proven its self several times were not one signal has gone off when a system has been tested because the power was accidentally turned off the battery went dead and no trouble signal was received.
Also installers are suppose to mark inside the fire panel the fact there is a booster on the circuit and were it is located again this is a code regularly disregarded. I had a School system I took over and they had a problem were not all horns and strobes were coming on.
I knew I had to have a booster somewhere but no one knew. It was finally found after we crawled all over the building and found it in a ceiling. Again this whole problem could have been avoided had the code been followed.
The breaker the Booster is attached to is to also be clearly marked as well warning it is part of the Fire System again hardly ever done.
But to make this whole situation even more interesting is the fact that many times boosters are not even needed. In many cases all that has to be done is to increase the size of the wire from 18 gauge typical to 14 gauge which allows the strobes and horns to work but the 14 gauge wire is more money and the Girlymen installers complain about how hard it is to work with. When in fact money wise you actually come out ahead when you figure the cost of the booster and battery’s it needs. And the batteries for the booster also have to be properly sized for 24-60 hours of back up something again that is not done.
I have even seen installers try to build there own boosters with off the shelf power supplies all of which is wrong and illegal but
Once again we have a situation were Technology has been both beneficial and dangerous at the same time. Until they come out with a goof proof unit or inspectors actually know what’s going on Ad do a internal physical inspection of the fire alarms it will be business as usual. Even with ICC
Its only a story
I bring you a Bed Time story of
“Arson for Fun and Profit”
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire Investigator
Real Estate Development is like a big Chess Game there are winners and losers and downright criminal activities sometimes involved. Arson being the Checkmate plays in some cases by those who have no conscious or scruples when it comes to developing.
For it is these individuals who give a bad name to honest and hard working developers.
Our fictional story begins in the 1950’s in the back room of an exclusive men’s club in a big city along a winding river valley filled with industrial factory’s and steel mills all going great guns in this room are the heads of government, business and organized crime they are there to hatch a plan to split up this valleys territory into sections for when the day that casino gambling comes to town so that not only will everyone get a cut but that they will all get very rich including there family’s and there children’s children with the taxpayer footing the bill .They make sure every one involved gets cut into the plan one way or another including judges ,lawyers and legislators if needed to make sure that no outside competition even has a chance to bid on the property.
Their plan is to slowly, quietly and completely buy up complete acreage around riverfronts were the land is flat and easily developable and they would have complete control of all development. They would do it buy having straw buyers buy portfolios of property who would then sell it to the developer it got to the point
No one knew for sure who owned exactly what And thru the 50’, 60’ and 70’s this is exactly what they do with most people paying no attention as to who owns what as companys and community’s come and go ,and every one is employed and happy .But still no gambling has come thru because the economy is still to good and there would be strong opposition to gambling in the strong church going towns.
But this was not to be in the late 1970’s the steel industry started declining and with it the entire manufacturing base and thousands were out of work and governments could not afford essential services like police and fire. Many people picked up and left for other states leaving behind many abandoned property’s which fell into a state of disrepair Fast forward to late 80s were long decaying steel and manufacturing facilities now line the river and railroad towns and homes and business are mostly boarded up and gone.
Except for the mystical town called River Stone This town is one of the few survivors
Of the rust belt. Its clean streets and friendly shopkeepers and well kept homes gives you that old town feel this is an old money town.
Compared to its neighbor town Broken Stone
Which still had many little shops but whose population was older and on the decline
Times have been much harder here boarded up buildings have deteriorated to the point they fall into the street. It is a no mans land down in the flats compared to the up town side, which still has most of its residents.
And once again the cry goes out from local governments and citizens we need riverboat gambling like other states to help with our tax base. The time is now right for our developers to strike and start buying up the final parcels they need to complete their plans .River boat gambling is not far off or so they thought . But they know they will never be able to buy up the property they need in River Stone and besides the educated and well to do of River Stone would never allow it.
But this does not stop the developers plans they’re plenty of ripe land right over in broken stone and other depressed towns. Plus the bonus is the blue-collar population is exactly who they want to target these are the people who will gamble and not ask questions , not like the majority in River Stone who would not. The problem is though how to acquire those properties cheaply because even thou many were eager to sell to the straw buyers and take the money and run the original families and others were just not going to leave. Plus what politician in his right mind would commit suicide recommending taking peoples property
By eminent domain for a casino.
And so the developers put forth a brilliant yet devious plan to get the property’s they wanted and get paid by the government the whole time there dirty deeds were done.
It would take several years but by then people would become so desperate gambling would be seen as a way to rescue the community’s from crushing property and other taxes. With all the tax revenue and jobs they would create.
So they set forth there plans with there straw buyers buying from the surviving children the homes of those whose parents have died the kids no longer want the homes they live out of town and the fast cash they make is tempting because the property values have slid on the flats. So with the homes they have bought the plan now comes full circle as these straw buyers do the minimal repairs needed and turn them into section 8 housing with now absentee landlords and the section 8 tenants and there reputation for trouble is quickly exploited as even more elderly people and families move out .the plan is succeeding as they slowly take over the flats and with the section 8 housing comes the crimes the burglary’s the hold ups, assaults and the vandalism which drives even more out of the town. But as they make there play for the flats they make sure some other developer does not come in and scoop them by giving parcels of land to town planning and state officials even the state governor who will all get rich when the land is sold to the right gambling group. There plan is going like clock work But yet there are the hold outs this is were the plan for “Arson for fun and Profit is hatched” the villains in our story find the perfect patsy to work there plan as they get a young mentally disturbed man to do there bidding when they fill his head with the thoughts that every one in the town is trying to get him. So late one evening the fires start. First in abandoned buildings and homes .As the young man exacts his revenge on imaginary enemies. And besides he is insane who would believe him even if he does talk. Every week it seems the fire dept is putting out a suspicious fire. No one has gotten hurt so far but then one evening a local business goes up a lumberyard and a night watchman is seriously hurt.
Then more unoccupied homes till finally occupied homes start catching fire along with other business. The town folks begin to panic and set up a block watch but the fires continue and get bolder even a church is set a blaze Up to this point most of the fires are hardly investigated there’s no insurance so those involved do not have to worry private insurance investigators showing up and in fact a couple of the business that went up were deliberately set by the owners. Trying to cover their tracks by making it look like the unknown serial arsonist did it. The town Fire Marshal is old and ready to retire so he is in no position to track down the criminal so he calls in outside help from the county, state and feds,who have there own man power and jurisdictional issues along with investigators and detectives from hired political hacks to true professionals. But the fires continue as the various agencies’ point fingers at each other.
The young man who was having his fun is caught and convicted but not before over 75 fires in the town and surrounding area have occurred .All during the rampage some try to get to the bottom of what is going on an try to get the investigators and town officials o listen to them but they are ignored or driven to nervous break down because they are constantly ignored .The damage now done and so many people have now left town with complete blocks burned down there is little hope for the town. Some companys come and propose factories and jobs but their plans are always foiled by constant union demands and town demands for taxes, permits etc. they pull out of their proposals and build elsewhere. But then a shiny knight arrives a casino gaming group wants to build a new magnificent shopping and gaming complex complete with hotels, and restaurants and other forms of entertainment. The town approves it with out problem and gives them all kind of tax breaks because the towns so desperate for funds have finally got gambling legalized in the state all those involved in owning the property are well paid off
In the end .
A nice neat little package for all involved in the dirty deeds. They have there Casino and there control .
There is no happy ending just a lot of graft and corruption continuing as the casinos are shaken down property values continue to decline ,crime and prostitution is rampart as is embezzlement the promised development and jobs the casino was to bring never happens
Just another sad little river town in a dying valley.
Now not that I hate gambling and think it should not be If you want to gamble or you want casinos so be it.. But my little story has more painful truth to it than many of us want to admit.
Just keep repeating to your self “this is just a fictional story” this is just a fictional story.
“Arson for Fun and Profit”
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire Investigator
Real Estate Development is like a big Chess Game there are winners and losers and downright criminal activities sometimes involved. Arson being the Checkmate plays in some cases by those who have no conscious or scruples when it comes to developing.
For it is these individuals who give a bad name to honest and hard working developers.
Our fictional story begins in the 1950’s in the back room of an exclusive men’s club in a big city along a winding river valley filled with industrial factory’s and steel mills all going great guns in this room are the heads of government, business and organized crime they are there to hatch a plan to split up this valleys territory into sections for when the day that casino gambling comes to town so that not only will everyone get a cut but that they will all get very rich including there family’s and there children’s children with the taxpayer footing the bill .They make sure every one involved gets cut into the plan one way or another including judges ,lawyers and legislators if needed to make sure that no outside competition even has a chance to bid on the property.
Their plan is to slowly, quietly and completely buy up complete acreage around riverfronts were the land is flat and easily developable and they would have complete control of all development. They would do it buy having straw buyers buy portfolios of property who would then sell it to the developer it got to the point
No one knew for sure who owned exactly what And thru the 50’, 60’ and 70’s this is exactly what they do with most people paying no attention as to who owns what as companys and community’s come and go ,and every one is employed and happy .But still no gambling has come thru because the economy is still to good and there would be strong opposition to gambling in the strong church going towns.
But this was not to be in the late 1970’s the steel industry started declining and with it the entire manufacturing base and thousands were out of work and governments could not afford essential services like police and fire. Many people picked up and left for other states leaving behind many abandoned property’s which fell into a state of disrepair Fast forward to late 80s were long decaying steel and manufacturing facilities now line the river and railroad towns and homes and business are mostly boarded up and gone.
Except for the mystical town called River Stone This town is one of the few survivors
Of the rust belt. Its clean streets and friendly shopkeepers and well kept homes gives you that old town feel this is an old money town.
Compared to its neighbor town Broken Stone
Which still had many little shops but whose population was older and on the decline
Times have been much harder here boarded up buildings have deteriorated to the point they fall into the street. It is a no mans land down in the flats compared to the up town side, which still has most of its residents.
And once again the cry goes out from local governments and citizens we need riverboat gambling like other states to help with our tax base. The time is now right for our developers to strike and start buying up the final parcels they need to complete their plans .River boat gambling is not far off or so they thought . But they know they will never be able to buy up the property they need in River Stone and besides the educated and well to do of River Stone would never allow it.
But this does not stop the developers plans they’re plenty of ripe land right over in broken stone and other depressed towns. Plus the bonus is the blue-collar population is exactly who they want to target these are the people who will gamble and not ask questions , not like the majority in River Stone who would not. The problem is though how to acquire those properties cheaply because even thou many were eager to sell to the straw buyers and take the money and run the original families and others were just not going to leave. Plus what politician in his right mind would commit suicide recommending taking peoples property
By eminent domain for a casino.
And so the developers put forth a brilliant yet devious plan to get the property’s they wanted and get paid by the government the whole time there dirty deeds were done.
It would take several years but by then people would become so desperate gambling would be seen as a way to rescue the community’s from crushing property and other taxes. With all the tax revenue and jobs they would create.
So they set forth there plans with there straw buyers buying from the surviving children the homes of those whose parents have died the kids no longer want the homes they live out of town and the fast cash they make is tempting because the property values have slid on the flats. So with the homes they have bought the plan now comes full circle as these straw buyers do the minimal repairs needed and turn them into section 8 housing with now absentee landlords and the section 8 tenants and there reputation for trouble is quickly exploited as even more elderly people and families move out .the plan is succeeding as they slowly take over the flats and with the section 8 housing comes the crimes the burglary’s the hold ups, assaults and the vandalism which drives even more out of the town. But as they make there play for the flats they make sure some other developer does not come in and scoop them by giving parcels of land to town planning and state officials even the state governor who will all get rich when the land is sold to the right gambling group. There plan is going like clock work But yet there are the hold outs this is were the plan for “Arson for fun and Profit is hatched” the villains in our story find the perfect patsy to work there plan as they get a young mentally disturbed man to do there bidding when they fill his head with the thoughts that every one in the town is trying to get him. So late one evening the fires start. First in abandoned buildings and homes .As the young man exacts his revenge on imaginary enemies. And besides he is insane who would believe him even if he does talk. Every week it seems the fire dept is putting out a suspicious fire. No one has gotten hurt so far but then one evening a local business goes up a lumberyard and a night watchman is seriously hurt.
Then more unoccupied homes till finally occupied homes start catching fire along with other business. The town folks begin to panic and set up a block watch but the fires continue and get bolder even a church is set a blaze Up to this point most of the fires are hardly investigated there’s no insurance so those involved do not have to worry private insurance investigators showing up and in fact a couple of the business that went up were deliberately set by the owners. Trying to cover their tracks by making it look like the unknown serial arsonist did it. The town Fire Marshal is old and ready to retire so he is in no position to track down the criminal so he calls in outside help from the county, state and feds,who have there own man power and jurisdictional issues along with investigators and detectives from hired political hacks to true professionals. But the fires continue as the various agencies’ point fingers at each other.
The young man who was having his fun is caught and convicted but not before over 75 fires in the town and surrounding area have occurred .All during the rampage some try to get to the bottom of what is going on an try to get the investigators and town officials o listen to them but they are ignored or driven to nervous break down because they are constantly ignored .The damage now done and so many people have now left town with complete blocks burned down there is little hope for the town. Some companys come and propose factories and jobs but their plans are always foiled by constant union demands and town demands for taxes, permits etc. they pull out of their proposals and build elsewhere. But then a shiny knight arrives a casino gaming group wants to build a new magnificent shopping and gaming complex complete with hotels, and restaurants and other forms of entertainment. The town approves it with out problem and gives them all kind of tax breaks because the towns so desperate for funds have finally got gambling legalized in the state all those involved in owning the property are well paid off
In the end .
A nice neat little package for all involved in the dirty deeds. They have there Casino and there control .
There is no happy ending just a lot of graft and corruption continuing as the casinos are shaken down property values continue to decline ,crime and prostitution is rampart as is embezzlement the promised development and jobs the casino was to bring never happens
Just another sad little river town in a dying valley.
Now not that I hate gambling and think it should not be If you want to gamble or you want casinos so be it.. But my little story has more painful truth to it than many of us want to admit.
Just keep repeating to your self “this is just a fictional story” this is just a fictional story.
Good things come in small packages?
Small Lithium Batteries
Even when there charge is low
They pose a fire hazard ?
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire Investigator
I was working on a Burglar Alarm system the other day where I had changed out the Lithium Batteries on several of the wireless transmitters and put the used batteries in my pocket. With normal alkaline batteries this is usually never a problem but in this case combine the Lithium batteries with some loose change in my pocket and what a mistake.
Several minutes later all of a sudden I smell something burning and that’s when I realized
There was smoke coming out of my pocket . Because it was a cold day out and I had on heavy weight sweat pants on under my jeans I did not immediately feel the heat being generated in my pocket until I put my hand in to pull out the battery and received a small burn on my hand.
Talk about stupid things to do but it was then when I realized the amount of power these small lithium batteries pack even when they have been drained down.
The reason is first off these batteries pack 5-10 times the amount of output power
Than a traditional alkaline battery because they have a much longer run time than a traditional dry cell or alkaline type battery.
Lithium batteries can supply power in residential type smoke detectors up to 10 years
Without having to be changed.
Now in my case even thou the 3 volt batteries were not strong enough to properly run the wireless transmitters they were still more than strong enough to run a small light bulb for several minutes .
This is why all small batteries need to be handled carefully even the traditional dry cell Alkaline batteries.
Just because a device is showing the batteries in it are weak this does not mean the batteries are dead and if you throw them into a trash can and they make contact across the
Positive + and Negative- terminals they can start to heat up and catch fire.
Take 2 fresh or even weak -9 volt batteries put them together and the amount of heat generated is significant enough to catch adjacent materials on fire .I have registered as much as 600 degrees of heat off even small batteries.
Of course this potential danger also makes it the perfect tool for an arsonist as well
As 2- 9 volt batteries put together or 1 lithium battery shorting out against it positive and negative terminal makes for the perfect time delay fuse for setting trash cans and dumpsters etc on fire and usually the fire is hot enough all signs of what have caused it are gone or even if it is determined the remains of a battery caused the fire how do you rule it arson if it looks like the contact was accidental because some one threw a piece of used tin foil in the trash along with the batteries they did not know was in there.
The battery industry needs to make warnings on lithium batteries more legible to warn consumers to the potential dangers these batteries pose. What about all the batteries we have in TV remotes etc that could short out as well and cause fires has a true scientific study ever been done to see if this is possible. How about those plastic case transmitters
That alarm systems use what if one of those lithium batteries shorted out in them could this cause a fire. Plus we have seen the devastating effects of cell phones exploding when counterfeit batteries were used in them. But of course this will be another
Ignored issue until multiple lives are lost as usual. One has to wonder how many fires and lives have been lost due to mishandling of small lithium and nicad batteries because in many cases fires that are ruled cause undetermined may very well have been caused by them .And how many arsonist are taking full advantage of the situation making fires with batteries look like accidents.
Note: last month there was a fire in the Hallmark store at Pittsburgh mills mall in Frazer Twp. Pa.
and these batteries are being blamed
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_726926.html
Even when there charge is low
They pose a fire hazard ?
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire Investigator
I was working on a Burglar Alarm system the other day where I had changed out the Lithium Batteries on several of the wireless transmitters and put the used batteries in my pocket. With normal alkaline batteries this is usually never a problem but in this case combine the Lithium batteries with some loose change in my pocket and what a mistake.
Several minutes later all of a sudden I smell something burning and that’s when I realized
There was smoke coming out of my pocket . Because it was a cold day out and I had on heavy weight sweat pants on under my jeans I did not immediately feel the heat being generated in my pocket until I put my hand in to pull out the battery and received a small burn on my hand.
Talk about stupid things to do but it was then when I realized the amount of power these small lithium batteries pack even when they have been drained down.
The reason is first off these batteries pack 5-10 times the amount of output power
Than a traditional alkaline battery because they have a much longer run time than a traditional dry cell or alkaline type battery.
Lithium batteries can supply power in residential type smoke detectors up to 10 years
Without having to be changed.
Now in my case even thou the 3 volt batteries were not strong enough to properly run the wireless transmitters they were still more than strong enough to run a small light bulb for several minutes .
This is why all small batteries need to be handled carefully even the traditional dry cell Alkaline batteries.
Just because a device is showing the batteries in it are weak this does not mean the batteries are dead and if you throw them into a trash can and they make contact across the
Positive + and Negative- terminals they can start to heat up and catch fire.
Take 2 fresh or even weak -9 volt batteries put them together and the amount of heat generated is significant enough to catch adjacent materials on fire .I have registered as much as 600 degrees of heat off even small batteries.
Of course this potential danger also makes it the perfect tool for an arsonist as well
As 2- 9 volt batteries put together or 1 lithium battery shorting out against it positive and negative terminal makes for the perfect time delay fuse for setting trash cans and dumpsters etc on fire and usually the fire is hot enough all signs of what have caused it are gone or even if it is determined the remains of a battery caused the fire how do you rule it arson if it looks like the contact was accidental because some one threw a piece of used tin foil in the trash along with the batteries they did not know was in there.
The battery industry needs to make warnings on lithium batteries more legible to warn consumers to the potential dangers these batteries pose. What about all the batteries we have in TV remotes etc that could short out as well and cause fires has a true scientific study ever been done to see if this is possible. How about those plastic case transmitters
That alarm systems use what if one of those lithium batteries shorted out in them could this cause a fire. Plus we have seen the devastating effects of cell phones exploding when counterfeit batteries were used in them. But of course this will be another
Ignored issue until multiple lives are lost as usual. One has to wonder how many fires and lives have been lost due to mishandling of small lithium and nicad batteries because in many cases fires that are ruled cause undetermined may very well have been caused by them .And how many arsonist are taking full advantage of the situation making fires with batteries look like accidents.
Note: last month there was a fire in the Hallmark store at Pittsburgh mills mall in Frazer Twp. Pa.
and these batteries are being blamed
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_726926.html
The Digital Problem
A new digital broadcasting technology
Is coming to terrestrial AM and FM
Stations in your area and it could
Be a big headache to Emergency Management Agency’s
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire Investigator
Chief Engineer WAVL 910 AM
Several years ago a new Digital radios system technology was adopted by the FCC called Ibiquity which will allow what is known as IBOC for In band on channel technology
For both AM and FM stations AM stations using digital will have the sound quality FM Stereo now enjoys and FM will have CD quality audio. Unfortunately you will have to buy a new radio receiver to enjoy it aprox $250.00 digital also streams out info such as artists name song title news traffic etc as well to the digital radio display needless to say many possibilities will be available.
But with IBOC unlike digital TV you will still be able to listen with your older AM/FM radios to the analog output of the station. While TV analog will no longer be broadcast after 2009 with the hopes of taking the old TV analog band being handed over to expand the Emergency Services radio Service after 2009 to watch your old TV over the air waves you will need a converter. With AM/FM you will now have many options consider WAVL were I am engineer we are considering putting the Christian Music we play on the digital side while on the original analog side we can run the Praise and Worship Programs. In fact with digital you can run up to 8 separate channels of programming.
Of course if your going to run 8 channels of audio you need to fill the air time up which gives all kinds of opportunities to volunteer organizations to produce programs. Ok all you aspiring fire services program talk host start pitching your ideas.
But with all these new great digital services there is one big major draw back on the AM side
And this is noise and hash Digital produces up to 20-30 kHz on either side of its assigned channel and at night especially when the night sky wave becomes active when the 2 atmospheres go together and allow you to listen to distant cities radio station the local station you listen to could be completely wiped out by noise. If the big 50,000 watt station is on 810 AM and your local station is on 820 or 800 AM the noise from digital will wipe out the local stations signal .Now imagine you have a emergency message you need to get out during an emergency to the public to evacuate or take other measures you would not be able to get it out. The other problem is AM FM stations that are strictly digital
If an emergency message goes out you will never hear it on your analog radio while an IBOC or standard Analog station not using digital you will.
This noise problem with AM is being worked on in fact AM will probably have to shut off digital at night. But the critical 1-hour before and 1 hour after sunrise could still be a problem with the noise. All of which are being looked into. I have already written about how many stations now use total automation at night and on the weekend and how this could be a problem and now we have another potential serious problem with digital we are looking at.
As well not to mention how many people now use I Pod or MP 3 players or Satellite Radio or cable or internet radio streaming and no longer listen to AM / FM radio how do we get an emergency message to them.
The days of the old reliable town wide emergency sirens may have to be making a come back as all these new ways people get there entertainment are creating an very big mess when it comes to getting the message out.
Remember to error is Human to really fowl things up requires a computer and as technology advances 1 step forward it comes back to bite at 2 steps.
Is coming to terrestrial AM and FM
Stations in your area and it could
Be a big headache to Emergency Management Agency’s
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire Investigator
Chief Engineer WAVL 910 AM
Several years ago a new Digital radios system technology was adopted by the FCC called Ibiquity which will allow what is known as IBOC for In band on channel technology
For both AM and FM stations AM stations using digital will have the sound quality FM Stereo now enjoys and FM will have CD quality audio. Unfortunately you will have to buy a new radio receiver to enjoy it aprox $250.00 digital also streams out info such as artists name song title news traffic etc as well to the digital radio display needless to say many possibilities will be available.
But with IBOC unlike digital TV you will still be able to listen with your older AM/FM radios to the analog output of the station. While TV analog will no longer be broadcast after 2009 with the hopes of taking the old TV analog band being handed over to expand the Emergency Services radio Service after 2009 to watch your old TV over the air waves you will need a converter. With AM/FM you will now have many options consider WAVL were I am engineer we are considering putting the Christian Music we play on the digital side while on the original analog side we can run the Praise and Worship Programs. In fact with digital you can run up to 8 separate channels of programming.
Of course if your going to run 8 channels of audio you need to fill the air time up which gives all kinds of opportunities to volunteer organizations to produce programs. Ok all you aspiring fire services program talk host start pitching your ideas.
But with all these new great digital services there is one big major draw back on the AM side
And this is noise and hash Digital produces up to 20-30 kHz on either side of its assigned channel and at night especially when the night sky wave becomes active when the 2 atmospheres go together and allow you to listen to distant cities radio station the local station you listen to could be completely wiped out by noise. If the big 50,000 watt station is on 810 AM and your local station is on 820 or 800 AM the noise from digital will wipe out the local stations signal .Now imagine you have a emergency message you need to get out during an emergency to the public to evacuate or take other measures you would not be able to get it out. The other problem is AM FM stations that are strictly digital
If an emergency message goes out you will never hear it on your analog radio while an IBOC or standard Analog station not using digital you will.
This noise problem with AM is being worked on in fact AM will probably have to shut off digital at night. But the critical 1-hour before and 1 hour after sunrise could still be a problem with the noise. All of which are being looked into. I have already written about how many stations now use total automation at night and on the weekend and how this could be a problem and now we have another potential serious problem with digital we are looking at.
As well not to mention how many people now use I Pod or MP 3 players or Satellite Radio or cable or internet radio streaming and no longer listen to AM / FM radio how do we get an emergency message to them.
The days of the old reliable town wide emergency sirens may have to be making a come back as all these new ways people get there entertainment are creating an very big mess when it comes to getting the message out.
Remember to error is Human to really fowl things up requires a computer and as technology advances 1 step forward it comes back to bite at 2 steps.
The wiring in your walls
CAN AN ELECTRICAL WIRE INSIDE A WALL FAIL AND CATCH FIRE FOR NO REASON
AND CAN YOU REALLY TELL IF THE DAMAGE WAS BEFORE OR AFTER THE FIRE?
EVEN THE EXPERTS DISAGREE?
We all have heard or scene at fires were the wire inside the wall gets blamed for the cause of the fire. The Usual cause it damage by a nail or staple coming into contact
With the wire were it goes thru a wood joist and some one hanging a picture or a carpenter putting up paneling or drywall gets blamed for causing the wire puncture.
But some times the lines are blurry when it comes to a piece of wire failing in a wall when it is between the wall studs hanging freely in the air
Can a wire fail for no apparent reason and can it be told it was before or after the fire it all depends who you talk to.
Many Electrical Engineers will tell you absolutely there is no positive way to tell pre or post damage to a wire like you might see on TV show like CSI
And claim that any engineer no matter what test he runs to prove it is no better at it than some one with an Ouija Board. (Pronounced We-ge)
While if you ask other professionals they will tell you positively that it can be established Pre or Post fire.
What it comes down to is science and whom the jury believes.
Recently while helping with an investigation of a fire I had just such a case were it appears that there was damage to a piece of wire in the air between studs. And it could possibly be from defective wire manufacturing and or rough handling of the wire.
But there is a problem how to prove it. One problem is was they a chair or other item along the wall were the wire supposedly failed. Could the chair have caught fire and then caught the wall on fire which would cause the wire to fail this scenario is very possible and is often over looked by investigators who would instantly say see it was electrical wire failure when in fact what was in front of the wall that caused the fire.
According to the homeowner there was nothing along the wall were this wire was located. And there was no charring or pattern on the floor to suggest any thing was in front of the wall. Next question was there any type of Electrical activity in the house. Yes home owner reports lights dimming and flashing occasionally and turning on and off and before they left for the day they smelled smoke in the room in question but attributed it to the belt on the vacuum cleaner they had run. In fact the homeowner was in process of getting an electrician to come over and check the wiring. Ok could a nail or other item have penetrated the wire and caused the problem. With as low as the wire was in the wall highly unlikely. Plus since the firefighter’s responding to the call turned off all of the breakers in the breaker box instead of just the main we have no way to know if the circuit in question tripped during the fire which could have been another clue.
So it does appear to be an electrical failure in the wire it self.
Now many engineers will argue how can a wire just fail in the middle you have a Romex wire were the ground, covered with paper the hot (Black) and neutral {white) are separated and white and black are both insulated how can there be any way for these wires to fail.
But lets look at some other factors what if the wire is defective from the factory right at this spot cases have been proven in court were defects in a roll of wire have occurred.
I recently had an Engineer show me pictures of a failure case involving defective MC type cable he had won. With all the miles of wire I have run in my lifetime it is rare but I have seen defects in a roll of wire and had to eliminate them. Especially in low voltage wiring.
Also (Romex) wire type NM is solid and solid wire tends to break easier than stranded.
At this point it will be up to the scientists and Engineers to argue out what happened but everything points to the wire failing. I will keep you informed as to what happens in the future.
AND CAN YOU REALLY TELL IF THE DAMAGE WAS BEFORE OR AFTER THE FIRE?
EVEN THE EXPERTS DISAGREE?
We all have heard or scene at fires were the wire inside the wall gets blamed for the cause of the fire. The Usual cause it damage by a nail or staple coming into contact
With the wire were it goes thru a wood joist and some one hanging a picture or a carpenter putting up paneling or drywall gets blamed for causing the wire puncture.
But some times the lines are blurry when it comes to a piece of wire failing in a wall when it is between the wall studs hanging freely in the air
Can a wire fail for no apparent reason and can it be told it was before or after the fire it all depends who you talk to.
Many Electrical Engineers will tell you absolutely there is no positive way to tell pre or post damage to a wire like you might see on TV show like CSI
And claim that any engineer no matter what test he runs to prove it is no better at it than some one with an Ouija Board. (Pronounced We-ge)
While if you ask other professionals they will tell you positively that it can be established Pre or Post fire.
What it comes down to is science and whom the jury believes.
Recently while helping with an investigation of a fire I had just such a case were it appears that there was damage to a piece of wire in the air between studs. And it could possibly be from defective wire manufacturing and or rough handling of the wire.
But there is a problem how to prove it. One problem is was they a chair or other item along the wall were the wire supposedly failed. Could the chair have caught fire and then caught the wall on fire which would cause the wire to fail this scenario is very possible and is often over looked by investigators who would instantly say see it was electrical wire failure when in fact what was in front of the wall that caused the fire.
According to the homeowner there was nothing along the wall were this wire was located. And there was no charring or pattern on the floor to suggest any thing was in front of the wall. Next question was there any type of Electrical activity in the house. Yes home owner reports lights dimming and flashing occasionally and turning on and off and before they left for the day they smelled smoke in the room in question but attributed it to the belt on the vacuum cleaner they had run. In fact the homeowner was in process of getting an electrician to come over and check the wiring. Ok could a nail or other item have penetrated the wire and caused the problem. With as low as the wire was in the wall highly unlikely. Plus since the firefighter’s responding to the call turned off all of the breakers in the breaker box instead of just the main we have no way to know if the circuit in question tripped during the fire which could have been another clue.
So it does appear to be an electrical failure in the wire it self.
Now many engineers will argue how can a wire just fail in the middle you have a Romex wire were the ground, covered with paper the hot (Black) and neutral {white) are separated and white and black are both insulated how can there be any way for these wires to fail.
But lets look at some other factors what if the wire is defective from the factory right at this spot cases have been proven in court were defects in a roll of wire have occurred.
I recently had an Engineer show me pictures of a failure case involving defective MC type cable he had won. With all the miles of wire I have run in my lifetime it is rare but I have seen defects in a roll of wire and had to eliminate them. Especially in low voltage wiring.
Also (Romex) wire type NM is solid and solid wire tends to break easier than stranded.
At this point it will be up to the scientists and Engineers to argue out what happened but everything points to the wire failing. I will keep you informed as to what happens in the future.
Lights up your life
NEON LIGHTING
15,000 VOLTS OF TROUBLE WHEN IT IS IMPROPERLY
INSTALLED
Neon Lighting is Cool we use it everywhere we want to get attention but it can also be a deadly source of fires and electrocutions when it is improperly installed which is 80% of the time.
Neon lighting operates at any where from 5000 Volts AC .15 Amps to 15,000 Volts
AC at .30 Amps. Depending on the color used and the length and diameter of the tubing.
A Neon Transformer is used to convert 120 Volts AC to the high voltage required.
This transformer is required to be installed with in a grounded metal container. And a 3 wire grounded power cord is to be installed to the transformer supplying the 120 volts but all to often especially in Portable window signs supplied to cigarette and beer vendors etc. you will find only a 2 wire cord supplying the transformer which is a code violation. However the storeowner hangs up the sign and plugs it in not knowing the sign could be a potential fire and shock hazard. All portable neon signs and neon works of art etc. are to be manufactured to and be tested by UL other wise they are not to be used .Per National Electrical Code. This also includes using an approved neon wire connector just twisting the wires together is not code compliant but a common practice by neon installers.
Outline Neon lighting likes wise is to be used with a 3-wire supply and grounded enclosure but often times it is not used. Many new neon transformers come with GFCI
Protection but when Neon is used out side the GFCI often trips in wet weather so it is a common practice to bypass the GFCI, which is extremely dangerous.
Because Neon is rated in Milliamps, 1000 milliamps to an amp generally it is not a killer but cases of death by electrocution have and continue to happen when a person has a weak heart or becomes solidly attached to a Neon wire. Neon is responsible for many fires
Because many times where Neon wiring has been run around metal roofs facades etc. and the wiring degrades with time to the point it starts arcing against the metal which is often times not grounded the arcing results in near by combustible materials catching fire.
Many fast food restaurant fires that have started in roof areas can be traced back to a defective or degraded Neon installation. When I have asked Neon Installers about following the NEC many scoff at the Idea that they even have to follow any type of building code.
And because Neon has many complicated standards to insure proper installation. Many AHJ’s lack proper training to determine if the Neon they are looking at is compliant they often have to rely on the installers to do a proper job, which is a big mistake.
If you are an AHJ involved with Neon Inspections if you are not sure the installation is code compliant contact an electrical inspector.
15,000 VOLTS OF TROUBLE WHEN IT IS IMPROPERLY
INSTALLED
Neon Lighting is Cool we use it everywhere we want to get attention but it can also be a deadly source of fires and electrocutions when it is improperly installed which is 80% of the time.
Neon lighting operates at any where from 5000 Volts AC .15 Amps to 15,000 Volts
AC at .30 Amps. Depending on the color used and the length and diameter of the tubing.
A Neon Transformer is used to convert 120 Volts AC to the high voltage required.
This transformer is required to be installed with in a grounded metal container. And a 3 wire grounded power cord is to be installed to the transformer supplying the 120 volts but all to often especially in Portable window signs supplied to cigarette and beer vendors etc. you will find only a 2 wire cord supplying the transformer which is a code violation. However the storeowner hangs up the sign and plugs it in not knowing the sign could be a potential fire and shock hazard. All portable neon signs and neon works of art etc. are to be manufactured to and be tested by UL other wise they are not to be used .Per National Electrical Code. This also includes using an approved neon wire connector just twisting the wires together is not code compliant but a common practice by neon installers.
Outline Neon lighting likes wise is to be used with a 3-wire supply and grounded enclosure but often times it is not used. Many new neon transformers come with GFCI
Protection but when Neon is used out side the GFCI often trips in wet weather so it is a common practice to bypass the GFCI, which is extremely dangerous.
Because Neon is rated in Milliamps, 1000 milliamps to an amp generally it is not a killer but cases of death by electrocution have and continue to happen when a person has a weak heart or becomes solidly attached to a Neon wire. Neon is responsible for many fires
Because many times where Neon wiring has been run around metal roofs facades etc. and the wiring degrades with time to the point it starts arcing against the metal which is often times not grounded the arcing results in near by combustible materials catching fire.
Many fast food restaurant fires that have started in roof areas can be traced back to a defective or degraded Neon installation. When I have asked Neon Installers about following the NEC many scoff at the Idea that they even have to follow any type of building code.
And because Neon has many complicated standards to insure proper installation. Many AHJ’s lack proper training to determine if the Neon they are looking at is compliant they often have to rely on the installers to do a proper job, which is a big mistake.
If you are an AHJ involved with Neon Inspections if you are not sure the installation is code compliant contact an electrical inspector.
The Fuse Vs The Breaker
EVEN WITH ALL THE ADVANCEMENTS MADE IN CIRCUIT BREAKER TECHNOLOGY
A FUSE IS STILL SAFER?
Yes the lowly Fuse is still superior to Circuit Breakers simple in design it melts it self-open when there is an overload or short circuit and that’s the end of the story.
In fact fuses are still required to be used in the National Electrical Code for such items as
Large Motors and other pieces of equipment that have a large short circuit capability
Why you might ask because
Fuses and breakers are rated 3 ways the first is running amps of the circuit the second a fuse is fast acting or timed delayed to allow high draw devices like motors to start up and third and even more important rating is the short circuit amps, this is the amount of amperage
Available when a particular device short circuits. Even a typical simple house circuit when it short circuits, it has been estimated produces enough energy to light 100 houses for a year in the split second the electrical short circuit is produced. This high- energy flash
Is what is responsible for hundreds of deadly accidents each year and many serious and fatal burns? Individuals suffer from what are known as thermal blasts, which sear the skin .These blasts are measured in Calorie units because they are so high in power.
The average residential breaker is 15/20 amps and has a short circuit rating of 10,000
Amps. Were the typical short circuit power you will find is 6000 amps or less. Were you can find Commercial 15/20 amp breakers with ratings up to 45,000 and fuses up to 300,000 short circuit interrupting amps.
If you improperly design an Residential , industrial or commercial circuit and put in the wrong amount of short circuit protection the fuse or circuit breaker will be destroyed, as it cannot handle the high short circuit amperage. Even if the main fuse rating is correct.
I have seen many times were a fuse will blow in a business and the store owner hires some handyman to come out and correct the situation the handy man pulls out the fuse on a very large Air-conditioning unit which is marked for fuses only and he finds a 60 amp fuse no problem he goes down to the local hardware and gets an of the shelf fuse which is usually only rated at 7000 amps when he should have bought a time delayed fuse with 100,000 amp protection often referred to as a type R fuse.
He puts the off the shelf fuse in starts the unit up and wham there’s a violent arc of light and the handyman is severely burned.
Now had the Air conditioning company done its job correctly when they installed the required fuse disconnect they should have installed the extra kit into the case which only allows Class R fuses as they should have known the potential for damage with an under rated fuse but of course they did not and we have an explosion. Another big problem we are seeing in this country with equipment is that many machines etc. now use European motor starters and relays designed to IEC standards, which call for no damage when an overload occurs and require a class J, fuse not an R, which will cause great damage to equipment. Compared to NEMA standards, which allow for limited damage to components and specifically call for Class R fuses. NEMA equipment is built to withstand limited damage, as IEC is not. Still another problem is when people try to bring home a motor or machine like a lathe from a shop and try to run it of residential power.
Many times again the wrong fuse or breaker is used and when the machine malfunctions it can be deadly.
As you can see electrical circuits can be extremely complicated to design and even more frustrating to investigate. This is why it is crucial that any one investigating fires have a complete knowledge of electrical systems before trying to just pass the buck and say faulty wiring caused the problem. Any one can guess faulty electric caused the fire it is another to get into a court and have to prove it. Yes electric is often to blame but it should
Based on solid science not guesses.
A FUSE IS STILL SAFER?
Yes the lowly Fuse is still superior to Circuit Breakers simple in design it melts it self-open when there is an overload or short circuit and that’s the end of the story.
In fact fuses are still required to be used in the National Electrical Code for such items as
Large Motors and other pieces of equipment that have a large short circuit capability
Why you might ask because
Fuses and breakers are rated 3 ways the first is running amps of the circuit the second a fuse is fast acting or timed delayed to allow high draw devices like motors to start up and third and even more important rating is the short circuit amps, this is the amount of amperage
Available when a particular device short circuits. Even a typical simple house circuit when it short circuits, it has been estimated produces enough energy to light 100 houses for a year in the split second the electrical short circuit is produced. This high- energy flash
Is what is responsible for hundreds of deadly accidents each year and many serious and fatal burns? Individuals suffer from what are known as thermal blasts, which sear the skin .These blasts are measured in Calorie units because they are so high in power.
The average residential breaker is 15/20 amps and has a short circuit rating of 10,000
Amps. Were the typical short circuit power you will find is 6000 amps or less. Were you can find Commercial 15/20 amp breakers with ratings up to 45,000 and fuses up to 300,000 short circuit interrupting amps.
If you improperly design an Residential , industrial or commercial circuit and put in the wrong amount of short circuit protection the fuse or circuit breaker will be destroyed, as it cannot handle the high short circuit amperage. Even if the main fuse rating is correct.
I have seen many times were a fuse will blow in a business and the store owner hires some handyman to come out and correct the situation the handy man pulls out the fuse on a very large Air-conditioning unit which is marked for fuses only and he finds a 60 amp fuse no problem he goes down to the local hardware and gets an of the shelf fuse which is usually only rated at 7000 amps when he should have bought a time delayed fuse with 100,000 amp protection often referred to as a type R fuse.
He puts the off the shelf fuse in starts the unit up and wham there’s a violent arc of light and the handyman is severely burned.
Now had the Air conditioning company done its job correctly when they installed the required fuse disconnect they should have installed the extra kit into the case which only allows Class R fuses as they should have known the potential for damage with an under rated fuse but of course they did not and we have an explosion. Another big problem we are seeing in this country with equipment is that many machines etc. now use European motor starters and relays designed to IEC standards, which call for no damage when an overload occurs and require a class J, fuse not an R, which will cause great damage to equipment. Compared to NEMA standards, which allow for limited damage to components and specifically call for Class R fuses. NEMA equipment is built to withstand limited damage, as IEC is not. Still another problem is when people try to bring home a motor or machine like a lathe from a shop and try to run it of residential power.
Many times again the wrong fuse or breaker is used and when the machine malfunctions it can be deadly.
As you can see electrical circuits can be extremely complicated to design and even more frustrating to investigate. This is why it is crucial that any one investigating fires have a complete knowledge of electrical systems before trying to just pass the buck and say faulty wiring caused the problem. Any one can guess faulty electric caused the fire it is another to get into a court and have to prove it. Yes electric is often to blame but it should
Based on solid science not guesses.
No way to finish a floor
PROFESSIONAL WOOD FLOOR RE-FINISHERS
AND THE DANGEROUS GAMES THEY PLAY WITH ELECTRIC
THE FORENSIC ELECTRICIAN
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Electrical Contractor and Fire Investigator
When you call a flooring contractor to come and refinish your Tongue and Groove Wood Floors
They often bring to the job a large commercial grade floor sander, which draws aprox.
25 amps at 240 volts.
Since most homes do not have a 240 volt 30 amp outlet readily available the Flooring Contractor typically opens up the Breaker Box and removes the wires to the electric dryer or other heavy electric appliance and puts the wires for the sander into this breaker. Often times leaving the panel lid completely off with out any type of guarding and many times on a breaker that is oversized for the 10/3 wire going to the machine.
An even more dangerous practice is they will take a hex key “Allen Wrench” that has been wrapped in Electric Tape and hook the wire for the machine directly across the main breaker meaning the long heavy duty rubber cord they are using to the machine has no over current protection if the wire would overload or short it would burn down the structure often times when they are working in a building or residence that’s yet to be occupied they leave the wire hooked up unprotected over night. The Floor contractors claim there is no danger in what they do because the wire they use to run the machine is very thick and rugged but I have seen more than one Electrical Inspector or Fire Official and make them remove the wiring And cite them.
The correct way to handle the machine is for the flooring contractor to call an Electrician in or use the Electrician working on the job site to properly hook there machine in thru a temporary bushing and correct breaker which allows the panel lid to remain closed. But obviously that’s too much work and expense so every job they go to they risk life and property and could care less about it. If you are the AHJ and know Floor Re-finishers are working in your jurisdiction you need to be checking just how these companies are operating to prevent a fire and danger to your Firefighters because some idiot has decided not to follow rules and regulations and has allowed a un-fused cord to be laid thru out a structure.
AND THE DANGEROUS GAMES THEY PLAY WITH ELECTRIC
THE FORENSIC ELECTRICIAN
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Electrical Contractor and Fire Investigator
When you call a flooring contractor to come and refinish your Tongue and Groove Wood Floors
They often bring to the job a large commercial grade floor sander, which draws aprox.
25 amps at 240 volts.
Since most homes do not have a 240 volt 30 amp outlet readily available the Flooring Contractor typically opens up the Breaker Box and removes the wires to the electric dryer or other heavy electric appliance and puts the wires for the sander into this breaker. Often times leaving the panel lid completely off with out any type of guarding and many times on a breaker that is oversized for the 10/3 wire going to the machine.
An even more dangerous practice is they will take a hex key “Allen Wrench” that has been wrapped in Electric Tape and hook the wire for the machine directly across the main breaker meaning the long heavy duty rubber cord they are using to the machine has no over current protection if the wire would overload or short it would burn down the structure often times when they are working in a building or residence that’s yet to be occupied they leave the wire hooked up unprotected over night. The Floor contractors claim there is no danger in what they do because the wire they use to run the machine is very thick and rugged but I have seen more than one Electrical Inspector or Fire Official and make them remove the wiring And cite them.
The correct way to handle the machine is for the flooring contractor to call an Electrician in or use the Electrician working on the job site to properly hook there machine in thru a temporary bushing and correct breaker which allows the panel lid to remain closed. But obviously that’s too much work and expense so every job they go to they risk life and property and could care less about it. If you are the AHJ and know Floor Re-finishers are working in your jurisdiction you need to be checking just how these companies are operating to prevent a fire and danger to your Firefighters because some idiot has decided not to follow rules and regulations and has allowed a un-fused cord to be laid thru out a structure.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Missing Link solved
First Alert “One Link” Smoke Detectors
The piece of the puzzle solved
When protecting a residence?
Ok here’s the problem you have just arrived on the site of a 100 yr old residence that has added on 2 new rooms. The new rooms have 120 volt AC smoke detectors with 9 volt
Battery back up and are interconnected but the rest of the older house has just 9 volt battery smokes and are not interconnected. Because the existing house is grand fathered
The 9 volt smokes are all that is needed . But In some cases were it can be done economically an electrician will also put the 120 volt detectors in the old side, but not in this case. No way the ceiling’s are all plaster and there’s no way to snake wiring into the old addition.
But the home owner still would like to be notified when there’s a problem in the new or old side of the house no matter were he might be or what floor . So now what are you going to do?
This is were One Link fits the bill because of its built in wireless transmitters and receivers they can be used to interconnect all the smokes wirelessly. A One Link can talk to the hardwire smokes and transmit a signal to the other One Link smokes placed in the old house side. There in by providing interconnected smokes thru out the home. In addition they also have a wireless Carbon Monoxide sensor as well which can activate the smokes. They cost a little more than average interconnected smokes but there worth every penny. One down side they have not been approved by UL the traditional mark looked for by inspectors but they have equal approval from ETL - Intertek Testing Labs an approved testing agency.
Im sure you will be seeing similar products coming out from other companys in the future but for now the “One link “ is the only product which puts all the pieces of the puzzle together.
The piece of the puzzle solved
When protecting a residence?
Ok here’s the problem you have just arrived on the site of a 100 yr old residence that has added on 2 new rooms. The new rooms have 120 volt AC smoke detectors with 9 volt
Battery back up and are interconnected but the rest of the older house has just 9 volt battery smokes and are not interconnected. Because the existing house is grand fathered
The 9 volt smokes are all that is needed . But In some cases were it can be done economically an electrician will also put the 120 volt detectors in the old side, but not in this case. No way the ceiling’s are all plaster and there’s no way to snake wiring into the old addition.
But the home owner still would like to be notified when there’s a problem in the new or old side of the house no matter were he might be or what floor . So now what are you going to do?
This is were One Link fits the bill because of its built in wireless transmitters and receivers they can be used to interconnect all the smokes wirelessly. A One Link can talk to the hardwire smokes and transmit a signal to the other One Link smokes placed in the old house side. There in by providing interconnected smokes thru out the home. In addition they also have a wireless Carbon Monoxide sensor as well which can activate the smokes. They cost a little more than average interconnected smokes but there worth every penny. One down side they have not been approved by UL the traditional mark looked for by inspectors but they have equal approval from ETL - Intertek Testing Labs an approved testing agency.
Im sure you will be seeing similar products coming out from other companys in the future but for now the “One link “ is the only product which puts all the pieces of the puzzle together.
Fire causes
The beginnings of a fire
This series of articles is intended for use by fire investigators and other professionals to show exactly how a fire starts and what conditions were like exactly right before the fire started to be better at understanding what you are looking at after a fire has consumed electrical items and understand exactly how the electrical fire may have started.
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire Investigator
I have this favorite little Italian Lunch place down in an industrial plant area I work in the Ohio Valley
I went in for the Rigatoni and small bowl of wedding Soup when I was told the soup was only warm they were having trouble with the unit constantly blowing the breaker on the plug strip it was plugged into.
The Owner who has since become my friend knew I was an Electrician and asked me if I would check it out for him after I had my lunch.
So when I finished I went out to my truck and got my tools and started checking out the circuit. I went to pull out the cord on the plug strip so I could check it when I burned my hand because it was so hot.
Here my friend had plugged 2 refrigerated units plus the soup warmer into a plug strip which was then plugged into a 2 pronged outlet with a 3 to 2 adapter I found all the items starting to melt down and ready to catch fire because my friend had obviously overloaded
The outlet and the loose connector caused by the ill-fitting adapter helped start the problems. I replaced the outlet and with a three pronged heavy duty outlet and put in a new plug strip and advised my friend to get his regular electrician to run an additional circuit out to the counter before he was burning the place down. My friend did not seem to under stand why he had to do this as he had everything working like that for some time with no problems but as I explained to him that (A) with as hot as it has been this summer his refrigeration equipment has to work harder drawing more power (b) all the low voltage coming in was creating problems being caused by the heat that a problem that was going to happen even if temperatures were normal had happened sooner .He was going to have a problem again if he did not get the load on the circuit down to 80% of the full load rating of the 20 amp breaker. Other wise the constant running at such high amp draw will once again cause a problem and maybe he will not be so lucky and have a fire next time.
Hopefully he will take my advice and the next time I am working in that part of town the place will still be standing.
This series of articles is intended for use by fire investigators and other professionals to show exactly how a fire starts and what conditions were like exactly right before the fire started to be better at understanding what you are looking at after a fire has consumed electrical items and understand exactly how the electrical fire may have started.
By Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire Investigator
I have this favorite little Italian Lunch place down in an industrial plant area I work in the Ohio Valley
I went in for the Rigatoni and small bowl of wedding Soup when I was told the soup was only warm they were having trouble with the unit constantly blowing the breaker on the plug strip it was plugged into.
The Owner who has since become my friend knew I was an Electrician and asked me if I would check it out for him after I had my lunch.
So when I finished I went out to my truck and got my tools and started checking out the circuit. I went to pull out the cord on the plug strip so I could check it when I burned my hand because it was so hot.
Here my friend had plugged 2 refrigerated units plus the soup warmer into a plug strip which was then plugged into a 2 pronged outlet with a 3 to 2 adapter I found all the items starting to melt down and ready to catch fire because my friend had obviously overloaded
The outlet and the loose connector caused by the ill-fitting adapter helped start the problems. I replaced the outlet and with a three pronged heavy duty outlet and put in a new plug strip and advised my friend to get his regular electrician to run an additional circuit out to the counter before he was burning the place down. My friend did not seem to under stand why he had to do this as he had everything working like that for some time with no problems but as I explained to him that (A) with as hot as it has been this summer his refrigeration equipment has to work harder drawing more power (b) all the low voltage coming in was creating problems being caused by the heat that a problem that was going to happen even if temperatures were normal had happened sooner .He was going to have a problem again if he did not get the load on the circuit down to 80% of the full load rating of the 20 amp breaker. Other wise the constant running at such high amp draw will once again cause a problem and maybe he will not be so lucky and have a fire next time.
Hopefully he will take my advice and the next time I am working in that part of town the place will still be standing.
This aint no beer barrel polka
Fuel being mishandled at gas stations
It goes on more than you think
And clerks often condone it?
I was in one of those convenience /pizza/and gas station type stores the other day when I watched a cocky acting young man pull up to the pumps in a flashy red sport Pickup and start loading gasoline into a pair of 55 gallon steel drums that had hand pumps on them. Which were sitting on a bed liner. I immediately identified myself to the clerk as a Fire Investigator at which time I was wearing one of my many different fire dept shirts and told her she should not allow him to fill those drums as he was creating a very hazardous situation because of how static electricity can build up on a bed liner. Most pumps already have warning stickers on them about using only approved containers and placing them on the ground and not leaving them on pick up beds or in car trunks. She told me he was with the local car dealership and did this every week. She did not seemed the least bit worried about the chance this young fool could blow up the entire station with what he was doing and unfortunately there was no manager on duty to talk to. How ever I did call the dealership and the secretary who took the call seemed very concerned and said she would let the appropriate person know what was going on to make sure it did not happen again.
I followed this up with a letter to the county Fire Marshal who I hope took appropriate measures to see that this practice was stopped, as 110 gallons of gasoline was not being handled correctly. But this brings up the more important issue of properly training clerks
At gas stations to enforce pumping rules in the first place. This is what I saw at a Sheets convenience store in December of 1999. A mid 30’s something man again with a 55 gallon drum on the back of his truck worried about the Y2K problem was going to store some gas at his home pulls up next to me and starts filling it. I advised him he should not do it
He curses at me so I went into the store notified the manager who immediately shut off the pump and went out to inform this individual he was not to fill the unapproved container. The local police had to be called because of the ruckus this individual was causing and was escorted from the premises.
Although they claim there has not been a significant increase in incidents at gas stations
Since most have gone self serve and many have excellent safety features there has been a significant increase in spill calls. And when clerks do not pay attention and allow drums and other inappropriate items to be filled this is just a disaster that is waiting to happen and has happened at various times in ours and surrounding states as well. When gas stations explode.
Employees are not getting adequate training, paying attention or let drums get filled every week because they do not want to loose a sale. All of which puts everyone within vicinity of the station at risk of severe injury or death because proper measures are not followed.
This same thing happens at professional fueling terminals when a lazy tank driver or fuel transfer employee fails to install a portable grounding jumper to tanks etc when transferring fuels or the terminal fails to keep portable grounds in good shape.
I recently had a customer who is in the specialty oil blending and oil recycling business
Had a bad scare when a special dirty turbine 20w50 weight oil they were transferring from a steel tank thru a rubber hose and several filters and then by 1 ½” rubber hose to a fiberglass tank to get it ready to go thru Centravac cleaner started arcing from the Fiberglass Tank to the floor. They shut down operations took a portable ground jumper over which they would not normally use in such an operation and drew a 6” spark off of the tank. Which is not suppose to happen. Luckily there was no exposed oil to catch fire and it is low flash and other then the employee getting the scare of his life and a strong shock. This could have been a very serious situation. . It is now policy to ground strap these tanks pumps and filters etc. because they now know it is possible to happen again. Engineers have still not been able to explain what happened. Static electricity is fun to play with in the class room but can be deadly in any type of fuel handling facility be it a gas station or even one fuel pump at a farm.
This is why we as first responders must be ever vigilant and report problems we see to appropriate persons in charge to prevent catastrophes from happening and by keeping fire prevention training and code enforcement a top priority. No one is watching our backs
Everyone expects us to watch there’s.
It goes on more than you think
And clerks often condone it?
I was in one of those convenience /pizza/and gas station type stores the other day when I watched a cocky acting young man pull up to the pumps in a flashy red sport Pickup and start loading gasoline into a pair of 55 gallon steel drums that had hand pumps on them. Which were sitting on a bed liner. I immediately identified myself to the clerk as a Fire Investigator at which time I was wearing one of my many different fire dept shirts and told her she should not allow him to fill those drums as he was creating a very hazardous situation because of how static electricity can build up on a bed liner. Most pumps already have warning stickers on them about using only approved containers and placing them on the ground and not leaving them on pick up beds or in car trunks. She told me he was with the local car dealership and did this every week. She did not seemed the least bit worried about the chance this young fool could blow up the entire station with what he was doing and unfortunately there was no manager on duty to talk to. How ever I did call the dealership and the secretary who took the call seemed very concerned and said she would let the appropriate person know what was going on to make sure it did not happen again.
I followed this up with a letter to the county Fire Marshal who I hope took appropriate measures to see that this practice was stopped, as 110 gallons of gasoline was not being handled correctly. But this brings up the more important issue of properly training clerks
At gas stations to enforce pumping rules in the first place. This is what I saw at a Sheets convenience store in December of 1999. A mid 30’s something man again with a 55 gallon drum on the back of his truck worried about the Y2K problem was going to store some gas at his home pulls up next to me and starts filling it. I advised him he should not do it
He curses at me so I went into the store notified the manager who immediately shut off the pump and went out to inform this individual he was not to fill the unapproved container. The local police had to be called because of the ruckus this individual was causing and was escorted from the premises.
Although they claim there has not been a significant increase in incidents at gas stations
Since most have gone self serve and many have excellent safety features there has been a significant increase in spill calls. And when clerks do not pay attention and allow drums and other inappropriate items to be filled this is just a disaster that is waiting to happen and has happened at various times in ours and surrounding states as well. When gas stations explode.
Employees are not getting adequate training, paying attention or let drums get filled every week because they do not want to loose a sale. All of which puts everyone within vicinity of the station at risk of severe injury or death because proper measures are not followed.
This same thing happens at professional fueling terminals when a lazy tank driver or fuel transfer employee fails to install a portable grounding jumper to tanks etc when transferring fuels or the terminal fails to keep portable grounds in good shape.
I recently had a customer who is in the specialty oil blending and oil recycling business
Had a bad scare when a special dirty turbine 20w50 weight oil they were transferring from a steel tank thru a rubber hose and several filters and then by 1 ½” rubber hose to a fiberglass tank to get it ready to go thru Centravac cleaner started arcing from the Fiberglass Tank to the floor. They shut down operations took a portable ground jumper over which they would not normally use in such an operation and drew a 6” spark off of the tank. Which is not suppose to happen. Luckily there was no exposed oil to catch fire and it is low flash and other then the employee getting the scare of his life and a strong shock. This could have been a very serious situation. . It is now policy to ground strap these tanks pumps and filters etc. because they now know it is possible to happen again. Engineers have still not been able to explain what happened. Static electricity is fun to play with in the class room but can be deadly in any type of fuel handling facility be it a gas station or even one fuel pump at a farm.
This is why we as first responders must be ever vigilant and report problems we see to appropriate persons in charge to prevent catastrophes from happening and by keeping fire prevention training and code enforcement a top priority. No one is watching our backs
Everyone expects us to watch there’s.
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