Hands up, does everyone (anyone?) test for this ?

[SimonH2]

Elsewhere I was reading a thread, and saw this rather amusing anecdote
TL;DR version - 3 phase input UPS appears to have had a single phase link bar left in when connected to 3 phase supply, causing a dead short across the phases with inevitable bang on power up and taking out power to a large part of the building.
Now I'm sure everyone does test for shorts between line(s) - earth and neutral - earth, how many would get caught out by something like this ?
Anyone admitting to having been caught out by it - I imagine the bang could be "unmissable"

I replied to him.

 

[John D v2.0]

I downloaded the PDF on my mobile and it seems to be a spec for some electronic equipment, is that the link you meant?

 

[Echo the husky]

I do check what I'm connecting, many industrial machines can have this sort of problem. There was a bloke on another forum in the same situation, he had provided a 3PH point to connect a new UPS. Another company connected the UPS and left the single phasing links in which blew the 3 cutout fuses.

 

[SimonH2]

I downloaded the PDF on my mobile and it seems to be a spec for some electronic equipment, is that the link you meant?

Err, here's the right link

 

[Echo the husky]

I don't know about blowing things up with links left in, but I've cut the power to my fair share of servers and other communication equipment...

 

[Iggifer]

I don't know about blowing things up with links left in, but I've cut the power to my fair share of servers and other communication equipment...

Taking the cover off/replacing the cover of the 3P+N board feeding it? The amount of servers with no UPS backup is worrying.

Did a job last weekend (they did have a UPS) to install up to 22 new data ports, 11 for IP phones, 11 data, and then patch in any existing ports from the patch panel to the switch that tested out ok. How many spare ports did I find in the standard switch? 3. 3!!! I had to leave them 19 patch leads hanging out of their abortion of a rack and told them to get a new switch.

 

[ericmark]

I found inverters were a problem as no two seem to be the same. So unlike the days of star delta starters, one has to read the instructions every time. Big problem I had was when a drive failed and some one decided to remove it without swapping the links on the motor from delta to star.

The same applies to UPS there is no one size fits all. Specially with earthing, so one has to read the instructions every time. The simple single output ones are like shaver points where on power failure you have an IT output, I suppose this is OK for IT equipment!

However the larger units will likely need some earthing arrangements for when the power fails which may not be used when there is power, so no option but to read the instructions every time.