Server room power engineering

[Robert G. Brown]

On Thu, 10 Oct 2002, Joel Jaeggli wrote:

> On Thu, 10 Oct 2002, Robert G. Brown wrote:
> 
> > It is unfortunate that we have to be our own experts here as so many
> > places -- one might have hoped that a beowulf person didn't have to
> > effectively study for a journeyman electrician's license -- but alas it
> > just works out that way.  So anyway, enjoy!
> 
> Actually what's disapointing is how little most electricians seem to know 
> about NEC requirements for data centers. I had an electrician tell me I 
> didn't want our new ups connected to our EPO switch because if someone hit 
> the button it would turn off. This was followed  but much shouting and 
> waving on my part.

Agreed.  Vehemently.  Although my brother-in-law (finishing his
journeyman electrician apprenticeship) tells me this is in part because
some parts of the country have weak or no unions and relatively sloppy
accreditation requirements.

I think it is like anything else -- what they do all the time they do
well, but wiring computer facilities isn't something most contractors do
every day, or even every decade.  Forewarned is forearmed, though, for
those of you contemplating data center wiring for your 'wulfs.

   rgb

-- 
Robert G. Brown	                       http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/
Duke University Dept. of Physics, Box 90305
Durham, N.C. 27708-0305
Phone: 1-919-660-2567  Fax: 919-660-2525     email:rgb at phy.duke.edu