ELECTRICIANS MEET

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 22, 30 April 1947, Page 4

ELECTRICIANS MEET

MONTHLY MEETING YOUNG MEMBER’S LECTURE A youthful member of the Whakatane Branch of the Electricians Institute gave a very interesting lecture on “Electricity as Applied to the Navy” at the monthly meeting on April 23. Mr Thompson illustrated his lecture with several diagrams.

The main supply aboard the cruisers was given from four main D.C. generators at a voltage of 230 volts and-' a capacity of 250 K.W. from each unit. Each generator was overcompounded to be able to cope witn any emergency such as action stations etc. Armour plating was liberally provided for generator protection (mechanical). Main supply cables were armoured, lead covered and all impregnated. Cable pasages were provided throughout the ship for the rings main run which would provide a continuous supply to the rest of the ship even though some particular ring main section was damaged. Section ring main isolators give protection at various points along the ring main- Monthly checks of the cables etc. were a means of good maintenance service.

The lecturer pointed out the great importance of lighting both in the engine room and boiler room because of panic during a time of war or damage. Intermediate lighting was a feature whereby certain starboard lights were fed from the portside mains, and some of the portside lights were fed from the starboard mains which ensured continuous lighting even under badly damaged conditions. Fire pumps were a very important feature aboard ship, mentioned Mr Thompson, as they were required also to deal with flood water when the ship was damaged below the water line. Several pumps were installed each capable of pumping 11,200 gallons per hour. A number of low powered D.C. generator sets were used for such purposes as battery charging, indicating lamps, gun firing, searchlights, gun sight control, and, during wartime, a supply to the degausing coils. A particular feature of all starters was a trip out time lag which allowed time to provide another supply when the existing supply had failed. The chairman, Mr Lysaght, complimented Mr Thompson in the preparation and presentation of his lecture. A vote of thanks was given in the usual manner.