The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-11-29

tendant, cannot be regarded as salts
factory. Upon my visit to the station,
l found the negro attendant asleep.
Every system Of arc lighting that
I know anything about is automatic in
the maintenance Of a constant current
in the arc circuit.
Conclusions:
It is my opinion that with the pres
ent apparatus, and under present
conditions of operation, it will be i'm
possible for the local company to give
to the town of Sumter a satisfactory
arc light service-one at all compare,
tive with the service rendered by mod
ern systems using either open Or en-
closed lamps.
It is also my belief that the COM
pany has not been complying with its
contract as to the amount of energy
it should furnish to each arc; certain
ly it was not on the night of my visit,
and the negro attendant stated that
the circuit was operating under usual
conditions He naively remarked in
reply to my question as to why the
current was not run up to the proper
valve, 90 amperes, that the "carbons
would not last through a night
If it is desired to test whether the
conditions prevailing on the night Of
my visit are typical or not, repeated
visits might be made at unexpected
times and the reading of the switch
board ammeter noted. CAS- to the ac
curacy Of this instrument, I cannot
vouch, as I could make no test of it,
however, it is my opinion, judging
from voltage reading that I took on
station lamp with standard volmeter.
and from the general construction of
the ammeter, that it is substantially
correct
Recommendations:
(1.) I would recommend that the
local company be required to replace
the present lamps by rs ampere,
General Electric, Form 6, Enclosed
Arc Lamps, and to install a SO light,
rs ampere, General Electric Constant
Current Transformer. which will au-
tomatically maintain constant cur
rent in the lighting circuit. The pres
ent generator could still be used in
connection with this transformer to
furnish power for the system.
Such a transformer, Oil cooled,
would cost f. o. b. factory $3.50 or air
cooled $3.50, and the enclosed arc
lamps would cost each SIT f. o. b. fac
tory.
A switch board for handling the
output of the transformer, complete
with recording watt meter would cost
s1e0 f. O. b. factory. The watt meter
should be required in order that the
city may be in future assured that its
lights are being supplied with tn:
requisite energy required by the con-
tract.
: This apparatus would give your city
a lighting system as good as. could be
obtained, and the saving to the local
company in carbons and in the labor
of trimming (for enclosed arcs would
have to be trimmed but once week
at most) would go far towards com
pensating them for the outlay Of cap
ital. The power required for these
new lamps would be no more than
you have a right to demand under
terms of your contract.
If the city expects shortly to install
more lights, Is light transformer
should be required. Such a size, OF
cooled, would cost $3.50, or air cooled
s675 f. o. b. factory.
There is no material difference so
far as the city is concerned between
the air cooled and oil cooled trans
former. The Oil cooled is likely to be
more durable in its insulation, and
less liable to damage from lightning
discharges. These considerations.
however, primarily concern the local
company.
CD If the local company is obdu-
rate in the matter, then the town
should consider the possibility Of
proving that the company has not
during the operation of its contract
furnished the city arcs with the re-
quired energy, and if this is admitttd
by the company, or can be proven.
then the city can require cons;.lera-
BILE rebate for over charges during the
past six years. The possibility Of such
a contingency might make the local
company more amendable to your
just demands.
(3.9 II, however, nothing can be
done along this line, and it would be
difficult, if not impossible, to prove