Conference 7.286::digital

From your first sentence, I thought I was going to read that we all
had to report for sand-bag duty in Maynard this morning.
				/AHM/SIGH

  This sounds like an excellent way for DEC to save a few bucks on
electricity and do something that looks good in the press, both
internal and public.
  What is the electricity used for? Is it "clean" enough to be used
for computers without elaborate power conditioning equipment?

    As I recall, the hydrolectric generator was originally installed
    at the Mill, long before Digital, as the first source of electricity
    in Maynard.  Eventually, it fell out of service, when there were
    competing and more cost-effective means of electrification.  
    
    However, when the Energy Crisis of some years ago made some uses
    of electricity seem frivolous (such as outdoor Christmas-tree lights),
    the generator was discovered, found to still be functional, and
    used to light the company's Christmas-tree lights, at "no cost"
    (at least in fuel).  To be sure, it wasn't regulated nor noise-free,
    but what do you need for tungsten filaments?
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
    

      It is my understanding that an entirely new generator has 
    been installed but fed mechanically off the original water-
    wheel.  I ran into the Plant Eng. electrical supervisor yes-
    terday and asked him about the power output since we had 
    2 inches of rain or so; his reply was it was putting out in
    the neighborhood of 170 kWatts.  The old generator was some-
    thing like 200+ volts at 40 Hz and not connectable to a 60
    Hz power grid without some type of converter.
    
    	With regard to clean power, any DEC product should meet
    both DEC STD 103 (electromagnetic radiation and susceptibility)
    and DEC STD 122 (AC power).  Examples of tests under these
    standards are continued operation through a 15 kV electro-
    static discharge and through 1000V line transients.  Thus
    recent DEC products do not require particularly clean power
    depending upon your definition of "clean".  A local generator
    has less chance of certain types of power line disturbance,
    lightening for example.
    
    Greg
    

The generator is a new box, connected to the old waterwheel/turbine by a belt. 
It is a mere fraction of the size of the old generator.  It is fed into the
main breaker box of Bldg. 4, so its power already feeds several Microvaxen in
the Mill.  Since the generator is a brushless induction generator, power spikes
aren't a problem.  Interesting thing about an induction generator is it cannot
produce power without hooking up to an already energized power grid.

-Mike

    In England there is a quaint old custom called april fool day. 
    Do Americans observe this practice?
    
    			Regards
    
    				Steven

     When  I  was  growing  up we lived across from the high
school, until I was in 7th grade, then we moved a mile away,
to  be  beside  the grade school.  I always seem to be doing
that.  

     Lightning  strikes  again.  A some of you know recently
my family decided to find a  house  closer  to  Maynard  and
Littleton,  where I and my wife work, respectively.  We have
sold our house in Pepperell and found one in Ayer.  

     Now  I learn that DEC has decided to centralize all the
PDP-11 operating system groups in one location.   They  have
purchased  an  old  brick mill, called the braiding mill, in
Pepperell.  I understand that, fittingly, they are assigning
the location code PDP to the place.  

     As  soon  as  they  get the braiding equipment (used to
make macreme(SP?) cord) out  they  will  begin  renovations.
These  are  slated  to take about 9 months, but these things
always take more time than scheduled, so I would guess  that
the  first  software  engineers will be moving in around the
4th quarter fiscal 88.  


re .6 and .0
	
	Now I'm confused, I assumed .0 was serious, but now I have my doubts;
	am I too gullible or is .0 serious??

Frank

re .8:  The hydropower from the Millpond is quite real.  If you don't believe
me, stop by and wet your fingers and touch the wires coming out of the thing,
and see if you get a shock.

-Mike

To set the record straight regarding the old generator -- it has two
components: a small generator that powered the field windings of the
large generator.  When the power crisis hit, the christmas tree
was powered off of the field winding generator.

The old generator is, of course, quite a bit more impressive than the
new gray box.

Martin.

See also the discussions on the generator in topics 2 and 18 in
SPIDER::MAYNARD (q.v.).
				/AHM