[Year 12 IPM] OT: Computer Room Power Issue - I'm desperate!!!

[Sam Gerges]

Hi Kim
I agree with Andrew to upgrade the RCDs to 100milliamps, but the other solution is to take some computers off the main circuit and connect them to a separate circuit. What we did in our school we connected all monitors to a separate circuit and this works very well and also helps me out to get the students' attention by turning the main monitors’ switch off.  

Cheers
Sam


"Andrew Shortell" <a.shortell at braemar.vic.edu.au> on Tue, 28 Mar 2006 13:54:25 +1000 wrote:
> 
> Hi Kim
> 
> We had that EXACT problem at MacRob in a brand new building
> 
> The power supplies in the computers had leakage (very small)
> 
> We upgraded the RCDs from 30milliamps to 100milliamps
> 
> No more problem
> 
> 
> 
> Andrew Shortell
> Braemar College 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au]
> On Behalf Of kgration at myrtlefordsc.vic.edu.au
> Sent: Monday, 27 March 2006 8:15 PM
> To: ipm at edulists.com.au
> Subject: [Year 12 IPM] OT: Computer Room Power Issue - I'm desperate!!!
> 
> Hi there folks,
> 
> Thought I'd pick your brains and send out a general query to you all
> about the following rather difficult and painful situation:
> 
> Over Christmas we had two new computer rooms cabled with both data and
> power outlets by Nilsen (a reputable company).
> 
> Upon completion of the project, it was found that one of the rooms is
> fine but the other one has a major issue on the power side of things.
> 
> The two rooms are provided with power from two separate switchboards
> (the one that is working fine is from the main switch, the problematic
> one from a sub-switch connected to this main). This sub-switch has
> numerous other problem-free circuits running from.
> 
> Both rooms have Acer PCs (different models in both rooms) and three
> combo RCD (safety switch)/circuit-breakers providing power to them. The
> problematic room has Veriton 5500's (16), Veriton 5100's (3) and the
> remainder are Veriton 5600G's (2) = total 0fr 21 PCs. i.e. 7 PCs are
> connected to each circuit-breaker (not a particularly huge number).
> 
> The problem that we are having basically is that one or more of the
> circuit-breakers keeps tripping whilst classes are using this room. It
> doesn't seem to happen when the PCs are on but not in use and has not
> been affecting the same circuit-breaker every time (i.e. not consistent
> and very unpredictable).
> 
> Nilsen's wiring has been checked by our local electrician and by an
> electrical inspector and has been found to be fine.
> 
> So far (with our trusty local electrician) we have tried the following
> to no avail:
> - upgrading the circuit-breakers from 16 to 20 amps
> - installing three RCDs (safety switches) in place of the three
> circuit-breakers and one RCD (that was in the original installation)
> - manually tested turning on and off various combinations of computers
> connected to each of the three RCDs etc.
> - tested the RCDs (all are OK and within the expected limits)
> - had an Acer tech out (no real help at all)
> - megad (I assume that's how you spell it!) the circuit (nothing
> obviously wrong)
> - directly swapping the full complement of computers over between the
> two rooms (nothing unusual happened)
> - balancing the phases across the three RCDs (i.e. three phase power)
> 
> Based on what we have observed so far it would appear that the
> cummulative total of the current leakage across the power supplies is
> the most likely cause of the problem . . . it is proving whether this is
> the case or not that is currently a real problem!
> 
> 
> 
> Has anyone experienced difficulties anything remotely like this? How did
> you resolve the problem? Has anyone else had power issues specifically
> with Veriton 5500's? Any ideas/suggestions are not too ridiculous at the
> moment as we are in a real bind and are fast running out of things to
> try!
> 
> If you could email responses directly to me rather than to the list
> that'd be fine and would spare others from having to read this already
> sizeable story again!
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Kim
> 
> ---
> Kim Gration
> ICT Manager
> Myrtleford Secondary College
> http://www.myrtlefordsc.vic.edu.au
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---
Sam Gerges
Samaritan Catholic College