Power

Power Ranger Training

June 15, 2013
Hosted by, King Power Ranger MacGyver
3196 San Juan Ave. – Santa Clara

Noon to 2 pm:

  • Safety training
  • Reliability
  • Problem solving
  • Set up
  • Tear down
  • How to help others

2 pm to 4 pm:

  • Clean, test,& inspect Silicon Village power distribution equipment

4 pm to 8 pm:

  • BBQ potluck,
  • swim in a warm pool,
  • hot tub,
  • party
  • have fun.

Certificates will be awarded to those who attend. At least one person from each pod must be certified. Each pod may send as many members as they like. It will be fun! Any member of Silicon village is welcome to attend this training and party. Did I mention that we will have fun?

You need to BRING:

  • Gloves & work clothes (everything is dusty from the playa)
  • Enthusiasm & questions
  • Volt Meter, if you have one
  • Screw drivers, one Philips and one flat head
  • Towel, bathing suit (optional for the pool)
  • Side dish to share (Optional, something to grill on the BBQ)
  • Beverage to share
  • Your playa cup, plate & eating weapons

MacGyver will have:

  • Hamburgers & veggie burgers
  • Beer, wine, and soda
  • Pool, hot tub, music
  • Fun

Remember you must RSVP by email or phone no later than Wednesday, June
12 if you plan to attend.
authorityfygure (at)  Yahoo (dot) com
(spelled with a y instead of an i)
408-781-6096

 

 

This information is from 2012.  Generally stays the same from year to year – will be updated as needed for 2013 a little closer to The Burn.

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This year there will be no Head Power Ranger – there will be Certified Power Rangers (CPR)s.  The Certified Power Rangers are an all-volunteer power crew and we will do our best to meet the electrical demands of our community.

We are a “no drama” camp and POWER is our most significant infrastructure and it needs some attention to be safe and provide consistent power to the camp.

Please support your local Certified Power Rangers.

Quick Access Menu

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Getting Connected

The Generator should arrive on Saturday before the event. We plan on cranking it up by early Saturday afternoon. We will begin connecting campers then. There are many people on the early arrival list and they will arrive on Saturday or before. Power Rangers will first plan out the location of the distribution boxes (spider boxes) and begin connecting RV’s and other loads. For RV’s and Super Tents, contact A Power Ranger to get connected. For low power general connections, plug into a multi-plug receptacle at the spider box. Please make sure that you have a duct tape tab with your playa name on your extension cord at the 3 prong, male end. This will help to identify who is connected to which spider box. It is difficult to trace connections back to specific campers so remember to put your name on your plug (also you may want to get it back). The generator will run 24/7 until the end of the event, Monday until 10:00 AM.

Top || Getting Connected || Extension Cord || Adapter || Rain || What to do when you lose power || Mandatory Safety Rules || Power Piracy

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Extension Cord

One of the most significant power problems with an RV is using an undersized 100 foot extension cord. Typically, a hardware store will sell you a 3 prong 14 gauge extension cord. The wire inside a 14 gauge cord is not big enough to carry enough power to run an air conditioner!

For the distance and load of an RV at BM …YOU NEED A 3 PRONG, 10 GAUGE EXTENSION CORD (lower gauge is actually thicker and handles a larger load.. .like an air conditioner).

The wrong sized extension cord will not accommodate the load for your air conditioner. It may get very hot and will actually trip the spider box. This can be a major bummer.

Remember, all extension cords MUST have all three prongs intact and be in good over all condition without cuts or splices. So those of you who are Super Tenters and RVrs , it is very important pre-planning to get a 100 foot 10 gauge 3 prong extension cord. Two 50 footers will work also and if you are close enough to a spider box- a single 50 footer would be best. Usually, these 100 foot cords are 3 prong such as you would use in your house.

If you have a twist lock connector for 20 amp circuits, that will work too.

If you have a special power connector on your RV, such as an “electric dryer” type connector or a special type of “twist-lock” connector, you must supply an adapter so you can connect to Village power.

If you are NOT an RVer or Super Tenter (i.e. you do not have an air conditioner or other major power consuming appliances such as a heater, microwave, or coffee maker) then you are a (Tenter) and you can get by with a 12 or 14 gauge, 3 prong extension cord to power your compact fluorescent lights and your fan.

Remember that you are responsible for equipment to connect your dwelling and appliances to the power grid.

Top || Getting Connected || Extension Cord || Adapter || Rain || What to do when you lose power || Mandatory Safety Rules || Power Piracy

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You Are Responsible For Plug Adapters

We have 4 kinds of outlets available. They are:

  1. L5 125V 20A Twist-Lock,
  2. L6 230V 20A Twist-Lock,
  3. 4 wire 230V 50A “California” Twist-Lock,
  4. and standard 3-prong 120V 15A like in your house.

If your RV or Super Tent requires a different connector, you must bring your own power adapter.

Top || Getting Connected || Extension Cord || Adapter || Rain || What to do when you lose power || Mandatory Safety Rules || Power Piracy

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Rain

Rain is not very likely, but if it does rain, more than a mist, we will likely shut down the generator for safety reasons, this maybe for a couple of hours.

You must be especially careful about touching your electrical connections while on a wet surface (duh!).

Safety is our first concern, so please do not take a chance.

Top || Getting Connected || Extension Cord || Adapter || Rain || What to do when you lose power || Mandatory Safety Rules || Power Piracy

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What to do when you lose power

There may be outages for balancing the grid or repairs-especially in the first couple of days. There is no need to shutdown for refueling, so once live, we plan to keep it running 24×7.

If there is an outage and you loose power, please be patient. Go find the nearest camp Certified Power Ranger if you loose power. When a power outage occurs, remember to turn off any high-power stuff that you are using (Air Conditioner, Microwave, Heater, etc.) and leave a small light turned on so you can see when power comes back on. You can ask MacGyver or any Certified Power Ranger for help. We will have a Walkie-Talkie at the generator that can be used to summon help.
Please don’t call unless it is a major outage.

Outage Conditions

  • If you are the only camper without power:
    1. Check your extension cord (power cable).
      Make sure that you are actually plugged in at both ends of your extension cord. Sometimes a cord can become unplugged.
    2. Check your GFCI and your circuit breaker.
      Each outlet on the Spider Box has a circuit breaker and a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI).

      1. The GFCI is designed to automatically turn off the power if there is a stray current leak to ground. This system protects people from electric shock and is the reason why you must use only 3-prong extension cords.The GFCI is located next to each outlet on the spider box and it has two pushbuttons. One button is for “test” and it will trip the GFCI when it is pushed. This is to verify correct safe operation of the system. The other button is “RESET” and it is used to return the GFCI to normal condition so there is power available at the outlet.
      2. The Circuit breakers are located under a small hinged metal cover on one side of the spider box. If a breaker has tripped, it will appear out of alignment with the other breakers. To reset the breaker, flip it all the way off and back on again.
  • If you and your immediate neighbors are the only campers without power:
    1. Turn off your air conditioner, microwave, space heater and any other device that consumes a large amount of power.
    2. Check your connection from your spider box to the circuit breaker panel located near the generator and check the circuit breakers inside the circuit breaker panel near the generator.
    3. After the problem is resolved, you can turn your equipment back on.
    4. If the problem occurs again, go seek help from a power ranger. The load will need to be re-balanced.
  • If you and the entire camp are without power:
    1. Call a Power Ranger for help.
  • If the generator stops running
    1. Call a Power Ranger for help and find MacGyver

If you are in an RV or a Super Tent, do not run both your air conditioner and microwave or coffee maker at the same time. When you crank on the A/C it consumes a lot of power for about a minute, then levels out. This may affect other electrical appliances so be careful. If you are in an RV, please, please use your propane to run your stove/oven and hot water heater because it is just not possible to run all of these things at the same time with the power available through an extension cord.

Top || Getting Connected || Extension Cord || Adapter || Rain || What to do when you lose power || Mandatory Safety Rules || Power Piracy

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Mandatory Safety Rules

Nobody sets up or starts the generator, except the Lead Certified Power Ranger.

Mistakes can cause severe damage to the entire system and we could be without power if a serious problem occurred. This happened in BM 2007, so it can happen!

Nobody makes any adjustments or changes to the generator, except MacGyver.

You must have 3 prong power cables and connections on your appliances for safety.

Get help from a genuine power ranger if additional spider boxes need to be connected.

Top || Getting Connected || Extension Cord || Adapter || Rain || What to do when you lose power || Mandatory Safety Rules || Power Piracy

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Power Piracy

As Un-Burning Man as this may sound, there have been some incidences where nearby camps have surreptitiously connected to our generator. This is not only rude but it is also theft, stealing both power and fuel. Please help ensure that only our camp is using our power. Notify MacGyver if you suspect abuse.

Questions? Contact the Lead Certified Power Ranger at any time.

During BM, Any significant power related information will be posted on the Power Generator itself.

Top || Getting Connected || Extension Cord || Adapter || Rain || What to do when you lose power || Mandatory Safety Rules || Power Piracy