What to do when the mains power fails

When the mains fail - switching to emergency power

If the shutter is open when there is a power failure, the emergency generator must be started in order to provide power to close the shutter. The emergency generator will also keep the cryogenic compressors and UPSs running, but NOTHING ELSE IN THE OBSERVATORY DOME will operate on the emergency generator.

1. Get a flashlight and make sure it works well.
2. On the alidade platform, to the right of the Cassegrain area looking from the Control Room, find two breaker boxes. One is a small grey box (6"w X 11"h X 3"d), the other is a larger box (10"w X 19"h X 5"d), both in the far right corner of the platform.
• Lift cover on larger box and turn all breakers off.
• Turn off breaker in small box. (3 phase)
3. Inside teepee (under alidade), to the rear on right side move power transfer switch from lower to upper position, i.e., from NORMAL POWER to EMERGENCY POWER. Don't forget to close the teepee door when you leave.
4. In room under control room (UPS/ELECTRICAL ROOM), in the service Panel "E", turn off breakers number [2-4], [6-8], [10-12], [18-20], [7-9-11], and [13-15]. Note: DO NOT TURN OFF 3 phase breaker [1-3-5]. Then, locate MANUAL TRANSFER SWITCH #1 on mounting bracket in center of the room. Switch from upper to lower position, i.e., from NORMAL POWER to EMERGENCY POWER. As you pass through center it will lock. Put thumb on the latch and release while moving handle down.
5. The keys for the generator and the fuel shed are located in the GALLEY in a box on the wall labeled "KEYS" and are labeled "GEN SET".
6. The emergency generator is located outside, in a small shed next to the utility building and the transformer pad. It is fueled by liquid propane from tanks located in the steel fuel shed in front of the utility building.
7. Unlock the fuel shed (Push hard on the door to turn key) and fully open the valves on top of the four (4) propane cylinders. Next, follow one of the lines from the cylinders to a manifold with two (2) valves on it. Fully open both valves. Note on the fuel log or on the white board in the control room time of start.
8. Now unlock the panel on the front of the generator. (The front is the narrow side facing the road.) In the unlocked position the key slot is horizontal. The panel opens by pressing in hard on the bottom of the lock plate.
9. Check to see that the main breaker switch is in the OFF position.
10. The starter switch is the toggle switch near the middle of the panel and reads, vertically, AUTO, STOP, RUN. Switch to the run position. The engine should start at once. Allow a couple of minutes for it to warm up and check the gauges. OIL PRESSURE: 80 ±20. CHARGE: small positive soon going to zero. COOLANT TEMPERATURE: should rise rapidly due to block heater maintaining 125 to 150 degree temperature. VOLTAGE: about 208 ±20 on each phase, and 60Hz ±3 on the frequency meter. If any of these parameters are too far out of range, shutdown.
11. During warm-up, leave doors on generator housing open.
12. Now throw the MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER TO ON.
13. Return to the Control room, release all stop buttons and close the shutter normally.
14. Press the close button. The shutter hydraulics should ramp up and the shutter should begin to close. Close the shutter completely before starting the compressors.
15. Return to the room under control room (UPS/ELECTRICAL ROOM). In the Panel E, turn on breaker [7-9-11] first and then, one at a time, turn on breaker pairs [2-4], [6-8], [10-12], [18-20]. The CTI compressors within this room should now be running (three are currently active). Check each cold head to verify operation by watching for pulsing of the Helium pressure guage on the CTI front panel or view the cold heads directly at the receivers. Now turn on breaker pair [13-15] and the UPSs should show "AC Line" and "Ready" green lights on the front panel.
16. If CHAMP is currently running with a cold dewar, return to the alidade platform, to the right of the Cassegrain area looking from the Control Room. One at a time, turn on all the breakers in the large box. Turn on breaker in small box.(Need to determine what will happen to daikin without water chiller running!)
17. The Daikin compressor should now be running.(Check He pressures frequently and shutdown if necessary)

RETURNING TO NORMAL POWER

1. Turn off main breaker at generator.
2. Stop generator.
3. Inside teepee, return transfer switch to NORMAL or HELCo power.
4. In UPS room, return transfer switch to NORMAL or HELCo power.
5. Everything should be back to normal now. Some final actions to be taken:
• Close and lock generator enclosure - be sure to replace the loover covers removed earlier.
• Shut tight the manifold and propane tank valves in the fuel shed. Note shut-down time on fuel log. Lock shed.
• Return keys to GALLEY.
• Enter in observatory LOG details of the power failure and generator use: date and time of onset and ending of power failure; any problems encountered; etc.