On 08/18/2010 04:18 PM, James Mckenzie wrote: > suvayu ali <fatkasuvayu+linux@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: >> Sent: Aug 18, 2010 1:31 PM >> To: James Mckenzie <jjmckenzie51@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Community support for Fedora users <users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> >> Subject: Re: Somewhat OT - can underpowered power supplies damage a system? >> >> On 18 August 2010 09:08, James Mckenzie <jjmckenzie51@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: >>> Maybe a brand name's power supply would have not shorted out, but then the mobo, drives and everything else >>> would have received a 6000 volt shock. Â And yes, the UPS was brand name (highly rated BTW) but the short duration >>> was so short that the system did not shut down. >>> >> >> I think you are concluding incorrectly. A well made PSU ideally would >> have blown the fuse, and saved both your PSU and your hardware. You >> would only need to replace the PSU fuse to get back up and running. At >> least that is my understanding. >> It depends on the level of over-voltage. When the fuse blows up, instead of just melting the link inside, it indicates that that it was subjected to a voltage well over its rating. The vaporised fuse link also helped provide an arc path across where the fuse used to be. Keep in mind that fuses protect from over current, but only provide indirect protection from over voltage. > What I'm describing is a Primary (6000/7200/13800) to Secondary (220) transformer short. This means that the 220 lines for a short duration was carrying the primary voltage. Yes, the fuse should have blown, but in my case the fuse blew such velocity, the wire was splattered on the glass casing. The internal transformer shorted out due to the amount of current carried for that moment. Replacing the fuse resulted in another splatter and what looked like an arc over. In most countries there are load limiters placed on the secondary side that prevent primary voltage from reaching your home (ever wonder what those things on the power pole were.) Where I was living at the time did not have these and a surge on the primary side caused the short. Was interesting to see a ground mounted transformer to this. This can also happen to an oil cooled transformer if it overheats and the coolant is released (usually, the secondary side is also disconnected when this happens.) > > However, a really good UPS/PSU combination with an EXCELLENT ground will drain off the overvoltage and the PSU will never see the overvoltage. PSU's with blockers will also capture any overvoltage and drain it through the earth ground. > > This is why data centers use different UPS configurations than > you have at home and industrial standards require less than .5 ohm > (in some cases way less) to earth ground. There is an entire industry build around this. Most homes have 'open' grounds and the people in them are not aware. I've got to fix the ground in the house I live in as the power strip I use is complaining of one. > This is why you normally have a grounding grid under the data center. A grounding grid is a series of ground rods with the connecting cables making a grid connecting all the rods. The spacing and length of the rods depend on the conductivity of the soil. Getting 24' of ground rod to go straight down can be interesting - they sometimes end up forming a U, depending on how many rocks you hit. (8' sections coupled together as you drive each 8' section.) Normally, all structural steal is also connected to the grounding grid, as well as the electrical system. You want the entire building to be at the same potential. Now, when it comes to resident grounding, it gets interesting. The testing to determine how many rods are needed, and the type of rod you need, is usually inadequate. It is interesting when you check out a grounding problem and find that the top foot or so of the ground rods are missing, along with all the connecting wire. You then discover the the jumper around the water meter is missing, and some of the black iron pipe that used to run between the water meter and the connection point for the electrical ground has been replaced by PVC. They should never have relaxed the rule that required grounding at the water meter. Mikkel -- Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with Ketchup!
Attachment:
signature.asc
Description: OpenPGP digital signature
-- users mailing list users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe or change subscription options: https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines
