CHAPTER V, SECTIONS 2 and 3

Very little maintenance work was required

for the Scientific Structures. Principally, the
work consisted of painting the towers as necessary and lubricating bolts, nuts, dogs and other

movable parts of the various structures. Electric fixtures. wiring and plumbing facilities were
repaired when required.

SECTION 3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
During operating periods, all electrical
generating units were under observation by opcrators fur unusual mechanical noises, overheating, or smoky exhausts.
Ao check of
the fuel and dube od consumption and operating iogs usually indicated need for adjustments, replacements or ropair, A maintenance
history was kept on each unit into which all
items of maintenance work were entered. Repeated or too frequent replacement of the same
parts indicated the need for corrective action.
In general, preventive and corrective maintenance was accomplished on the lOOOKWpenerators after 600-1000 operating hours; other

units after about 300 operating hours. At these
times the units were secured aad opened for
removal of carbon accumulation, check and adJustment of aii operating paris, clean of
windings, and adjustment of brushes.

As tne dividing line between operation and
maintenance was sometimes thinly defined, it was
necessary to cover under “Operation” in Chapter
LV, Section 2, certain major items of non-routine
maintenance. Brietly reviewed, these “were as
follows:
(a} Pelining of three General Motor 1000
KW cenerators due to deterioration of
lincr plating which was caused hv use
of a lube oil not properly compe snded
to neutralize the high sulphur content
of the diesel oil furnished.
(b) Repairs to Engine No. 2 of CMR
power plant necessitated by a crankcase explosion caused by the seizure
of +15 piston to its liner.
(c) Repairs to Cummins engines in the
Tare hase power plant were required
since, shortly after thei installation,
they developed mechanical! difficulties
which resulted in the breaking of
the fuel pump drive shafts and the
gear pump drive shait pins. This
was rectified by slackening the fan
belts which drove the shafts, and the
use of high temperature resistant
grease in the gear pump drive.
(d)} Frequent cleaning of screens in the
CMR power plant was due to excessive
accumulation of marine growth andi
trash.
In certain instances, radioactive contamination, combined with the exigency of the test

prograia, did not permit proper servicing, ad-

jU-ting, OF On-site repair of generators. Gasoline
Operated prime movers gave the most trouble,
primanly trom fouled plugs, and salt spray deposits on spark plug poicelains. It was often
necessary to exchange units. Ao particular case

Wis the exchanee of two 75 KW. generators at
site Doe Srtentifie Power Plant DO-500) just
prior to the Yankee event. Due to radiation
cAposure conditions existing at the site, this job
had to be accomplished hurriedly.
Ovechead clectrical distribution systems
were subyoet to accelerated deterioration due to

the action of the salt-laden atmosphere, and mes-

senger and say wires and galvanized hardware
corroded. In the future, all replacements of guy

wires will be done with copperweld wires, Salt
incrustation ef insulators, a severe problem in
similar Pacitic areas, was avoided by the type
of insulator used and bya periodic high pressure Washing routine. “Phe continuous and necessary operation of clevated mohile equipment
such as cranes or trucks with A-frames caused
a number of breaks in the overhead lines. This
sugyests the need lor overhead clearances greater than as normal in construction camps. All
submarine cables were tested periodically and
repaired as necessary. On 9 March 19453, telephone cable number 104 between Elmer and
Yvonne was found punctured: this required
TOO teet of replacernent cable. Breaks in) submarine cables, usually attributable to chafing
with the surge of the sea on sharp coral formations. were, in several cases, caused by ships
dragging anchors across them even though the
“Cable Crossing” signs were conspicuous.
For the post-test operating period, the painting of 149 transformers was scheduled. Routine
maintenance of interior circuits covered mainly
repair ar replacement of fixtures and outlets,
bulb rephacements, minor line repairs, and replacement or repair ot the various types of electrical apparatus and appliances.
Maintenance of communication svstems was
performed in two general categories: maintenance of equipment installed in buildings (1. e.
telephone switchboards. instruments, radio
transmitters and reeeivers) consisting of normal

checking, repairs, and parts replacement: main-

tenance of portions of the system instailed outdoors (1. 6 telephone aerial end submarine
cables. antennac., transmitters and reccivers
mounted in boats and vehicles) required an unusual amount of maintenance due to deterioration caused hy climatic factors.
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