Emergency Power Switchover Test Exercise

King’s Point Amateur Radio Club, W4KPR

Author: Keith Lindsay, KI5US

August 19th 2019

Executive summary

Members of the Kings Point amateur radio club assembled at 8:30 a.m., August 19th 2019, to conduct a functional emergency power switchover test using the KPARC generator and the full Amateur equipment suite in operational mode.  The successful test highlighted several key areas for improvement and provided an excellent training opportunity for club members.  Improvements can be made in the shore-power connector; generator grounding, start-up, and fuel-flow; lighting; and safety procedures.

Table of Contents

Executive summary        1

Table of Contents        2

Referenced documents        2

Introduction        3

Test details        3

Date/time        3

Participants        3

Preparation        3

Execution        6

Termination        7

Conclusions and Recommendations        8

Appendices        9

Appendix A: Test plan        9

Appendix B: System Diagram        9

Appendix C: Generator User Manual        10

Referenced documents

Emergency Power Switchover Procedure

System Diagrams

Yamaha EF2800i User Manual

Introduction

A key role for the Amateur Radio Clubs in the area is to provide a critical emergency communications link between residents and first responders. Stable and reliable power is mandatory In order to provide that service.  Periodic exercise of equipment and procedures by club members maintains confidence that the King’s Point club will be able to provide that service.  An emergency event is not the time for fixing equipment, modifying procedures, and training operators. Therefore, periodic tests, and aggressive followup, ensure club emergency preparedness.

Test details

Date/time

Emergency power switchover procedures were initiated Saturday, August 19, 2019, at 8:30am.  The test procedure was completed at approximately 11am.

Participants

The following club members participated in the exercise:

Preparation

The key for the generator was retrieved from the overhead cabinet at station 3 in the ops center.

This key provides access to the Maintenance room (Room 37) doors located outside the clubroom and opposite the main entrance.  The generator and cones are located in the smaller room to the right, just inside Room 37. Use the hand truck (where is it located?) to retrieve and locate the generator just outside the exterior clubroom entrance.

Caution cones were deployed and the On/Stop switch on the generator was set to STOP.  One end of the power cable was connected to the shore power terminal box on the side of the building.  This proved to be somewhat challenging with the current connector condition, configuration and hardware form-factor. Below is a picture of the terminal box shot from underneath to aid in properly orienting the cable connector. Connection to the generator was straightforward.  

The Kings Point Security Officer was contacted and unlocked the storage locker on the West side of the building,  from which a tank of propane was obtained.

The tank was coupled to the generator using a wrench obtained from the ops room tool cabinet to tighten the fitting.

Execution

The quad-outlet beneath operating station 2 was checked to make sure that only the voltage meter was plugged in.  

The generator was started (after a little coaxing). Note:  starter fluid would make this task much easier. Start up and initial run using gasoline seemed best, followed by switching over to propane.

At this point, the quad outlet was live.  Extension cords were retrieved from the cabinet to power stations 1 and 3.  The plugstrips from stations 1 and 3 were plugged into their respective extension cords.  Then the extension cords were plugged into the quad outlet, as well as the plug strip from station 2, all under supervision by a safety observer.  

Systems were powered up at station locations 1, 2, and 3, and were operated in typical fashion.

Termination

Stations 1, 2, and 3 were powered down, plug strip connections returned to their normal commercial power outlets, and systems returned to their normal operation.  The generator was powered down, power cable removed (not so easy to do from the wall shore power terminal box!) and propane tank secured and removed.  The generator, cones and propane were returned to their storage locations.

Conclusions and Recommendations

The test was successful, and power switch-over occurred about an hour after the test began.  Key points observed and lessons learned were:

• A safety observer should be appointed before beginning the procedure.
• The generator carburetor needs to be serviced.
• Starter fluid should be included with the generator deployment package.  (Where should that fluid be stored?)
• A fire extinguisher be part of the generator deployment package.
• The shore power connection hardware should be improved/replaced. Connect and disconnect was much too difficult to accomplish on a good day, much less in adverse conditions.
• The number of propane tanks / gallons of gasoline were not specified and should be predetermined, obtained and positioned based on anticipated load and duration expectations.
• No discussion occurred concerning grounding of the generator.  This is a potential safety concern, particularly during heavy wet weather conditions.
• Recommend that emergency LED lighting be added to the plug strips under each operating location.
• Recommend that plug strip cables be conspicuously labeled to minimize confusion during stressful conditions.
• Recommend that flat power extension cord covers be used in the ops are to minimize trip hazards.
• The location of the generator should be reviewed based on the probability of flooding due to heavy rain.
• Recommend that the generator be covered by a suitable, wind-resistant, water-proof cover to prevent premature generator failure.
• The feasibility of a remote generator stop should be considered for safety reasons.
• Subsequent tests should assess any RFI issues associated with this generator that could impact operations.

Finally, a great time was had by all!

Appendices

Appendix A: Test plan

Emergency power switch over procedure:

1. Get the dual fuel, KPARC generator from the CERT storage room and connect to the metal 30 Amp receptacle box outside the East wall, which is outside the Wx station wall. Connection is made using the yellow 30 Amp extension cable stored with the generator.
2. Have  KP building security or KP maintenance open the propane  storage cabinet and bring two 20 lb bottles to the generator site. Alternately, use a gas can from the CERT storage room and purchase non ethanol gasoline as a back-up fuel.
3. Starter fluid may be used to start the generator. Once started, put the gen. In Inverter mode.
4. Connect each radio operating station to the generator quad power box located under the WX station desk top. Each radio station has an AC power strip which should be unplugged from the wall and plugged into the quad box using extension cords. Stations one and three are to be connected using 25 foot extension cords. Station two can be plugged directly into the quad box.
5. The fourth plug on the quad box may be used to power the D-Star repeater which already has battery back up.
6. Safety first. Stop the generator when fueling with gasoline, switching propane bottles can be accomplished by switching " run" to gasoline while exchanging propane tanks. The generator should be secured to the building if left overnight. At no time should emergency power be feed into the building wiring system.
7. The generator will provide adequate emergency power, but unnecessary equipment should be turned off to save fuel.

                                                                                                                                                  RNB 6/14/19

Appendix B: System Diagram

KPARC Ops Room Interconnect Diagram

Appendix C: Generator User Manual

Yamaha EF2800i Manual