that.”
George laughed, “Maybe there’s hope for a
business major after all.”
We stopped at an information booth near
the entrance to the university and found a map of
the campus. There were two different energy plants
on the site. George said, “Let’s try the one closest
to the solar array. All things being equal, it would
make sense to keep the shortest distance to the
solar field.”
The main entrance to the energy plant was
unlocked, and the body of a man who must have
died several weeks ago lay on the floor near a reception desk. It was in the process of being devoured by a variety of insects and three large rats.
The rats looked at us with a total lack of concern.
Perhaps they now considered themselves at the top
of the food-chain. The smell from the decaying
flesh and half-devoured innards was overpowering.
Even after having seen dozens of dead people, this
was beyond what I could endure. My chest contracted violently, and I threw up onto the concrete
floor. George held on to me, and we quickly walked
past the lobby and into the main section of the
plant.
George said, “I think this is the right place,
but let’s go out back; I want to check something.”
Behind the backdoor to the energy plant
was a fenced in area. George pointed to a grouping
of transformers. “They’re just like the ones over at
the solar field. These transformers drop the high
voltage down to a safer level, probably 480 volts.”
“What’s special about 480 volts?” I asked.
“It’s a multiple of 120 volts, so by tapping
into the different wires you can get; 120, 240, 360,
or 480 volts. Some types of specialty equipment
use the higher voltages.”
We walked back inside the energy plant and
George spent some time searching for the plant’s
electrical schematic. He found it in a small room
off the main plant along with electrical drawings
for the entire campus. “We hit the jackpot,” George
said.
He took the power plant layout drawing
back into the main room, and the electrical schematic directed him toward a back corner. “Here’s
the key Jim. Electrical power from those transformers outside are routed to these controllers.
There are two electrical inputs; one’s from the solar
field and the other is from the Florida Power and
Light plant. The output goes to that distribution
panel over there. During the day the controller
takes power from the solar field and brings it to the
distribution panel. Any excess power goes over to
the Florida Power and Light grid. At night the controller takes power off the grid and brings it to the
distribution panel.”
“So what do we need to do to get power to
Building H?”
George pointed to his electrical schematic.
A section was labelled North Lake Village. He
walked fifty feet to his right and stopped at a distribution panel labelled North Lake Village. “Actually, it’s quite simple. All we have to do is run wires
from the output of the controller to the input of
this distribution panel. Of course we need to make
sure we’re not electrocuted in the process.”
“What can I do to help?” I asked.
“While I’m gathering the tools we’ll need to
change the wiring, why don’t you drive back to the
apartments and find the main electrical utility box.
I saw it near the complex’s main entrance. Get inside and turn off the main circuit breakers. Then
go to all of the apartment buildings in the complex
and turn off the power. When you’re done, you can
come back here and make sure I don’t get electrocuted.”
I drove back to the apartment complex and
found the large utility box near the entrance. Rebecca showed me where the tool shed was located,
and I destroyed the lock on the utility box with a
couple of well-directed blows from a heavy hammer. I’m not very technically inclined, but I found
the circuit breakers and pulled them out of their
receptacles.
It took me almost an hour to find and disengage the circuit breakers from the electrical service boxes
George laughed, “Maybe there’s hope for a
business major after all.”
We stopped at an information booth near
the entrance to the university and found a map of
the campus. There were two different energy plants
on the site. George said, “Let’s try the one closest
to the solar array. All things being equal, it would
make sense to keep the shortest distance to the
solar field.”
The main entrance to the energy plant was
unlocked, and the body of a man who must have
died several weeks ago lay on the floor near a reception desk. It was in the process of being devoured by a variety of insects and three large rats.
The rats looked at us with a total lack of concern.
Perhaps they now considered themselves at the top
of the food-chain. The smell from the decaying
flesh and half-devoured innards was overpowering.
Even after having seen dozens of dead people, this
was beyond what I could endure. My chest contracted violently, and I threw up onto the concrete
floor. George held on to me, and we quickly walked
past the lobby and into the main section of the
plant.
George said, “I think this is the right place,
but let’s go out back; I want to check something.”
Behind the backdoor to the energy plant
was a fenced in area. George pointed to a grouping
of transformers. “They’re just like the ones over at
the solar field. These transformers drop the high
voltage down to a safer level, probably 480 volts.”
“What’s special about 480 volts?” I asked.
“It’s a multiple of 120 volts, so by tapping
into the different wires you can get; 120, 240, 360,
or 480 volts. Some types of specialty equipment
use the higher voltages.”
We walked back inside the energy plant and
George spent some time searching for the plant’s
electrical schematic. He found it in a small room
off the main plant along with electrical drawings
for the entire campus. “We hit the jackpot,” George
said.
He took the power plant layout drawing
back into the main room, and the electrical schematic directed him toward a back corner. “Here’s
the key Jim. Electrical power from those transformers outside are routed to these controllers.
There are two electrical inputs; one’s from the solar
field and the other is from the Florida Power and
Light plant. The output goes to that distribution
panel over there. During the day the controller
takes power from the solar field and brings it to the
distribution panel. Any excess power goes over to
the Florida Power and Light grid. At night the controller takes power off the grid and brings it to the
distribution panel.”
“So what do we need to do to get power to
Building H?”
George pointed to his electrical schematic.
A section was labelled North Lake Village. He
walked fifty feet to his right and stopped at a distribution panel labelled North Lake Village. “Actually, it’s quite simple. All we have to do is run wires
from the output of the controller to the input of
this distribution panel. Of course we need to make
sure we’re not electrocuted in the process.”
“What can I do to help?” I asked.
“While I’m gathering the tools we’ll need to
change the wiring, why don’t you drive back to the
apartments and find the main electrical utility box.
I saw it near the complex’s main entrance. Get inside and turn off the main circuit breakers. Then
go to all of the apartment buildings in the complex
and turn off the power. When you’re done, you can
come back here and make sure I don’t get electrocuted.”
I drove back to the apartment complex and
found the large utility box near the entrance. Rebecca showed me where the tool shed was located,
and I destroyed the lock on the utility box with a
couple of well-directed blows from a heavy hammer. I’m not very technically inclined, but I found
the circuit breakers and pulled them out of their
receptacles.
It took me almost an hour to find and disengage the circuit breakers from the electrical service boxes
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