Abandoned Power Plant - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Moshly
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2017, 09:52:03 am
content: Vintage Meter porn starts at 13:00Tek 547 at 14:20

author: GeorgeOfTheJungle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2017, 10:14:22 am
content: Wow, those EICOs are soo cool!

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 19, 2017, 10:18:28 am
content: Interesting, but it seems a lot of the signs, labels and documents they "found" are very modern (printed on laser printers etc...). The lack of broken windows and graffiti also suggests that the site isn't completely abandoned and they were allowed in (and escorted) by the landholders. Tours like this are common in Sydney, for example down in disused rail tunnels under Sydney CBD and the White Bay Power Station in Rozelle.

author: Moshly
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2017, 11:48:24 am
content: Don't know if they are 'faking it' I think they are fairly legit having watched a lot of the channel, on some videos they go into places that no one would let anyone into, some places are simply death traps.I'd guess it was abandoned mid 90's ? judging by the PC's and the cal sticker on the Tek is dated 1991.But the power station equipment is all chart recorders & analog meters 60's ish ?

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2017, 12:05:16 pm
content: Quote from: Halcyon on May 19, 2017, 10:18:28 amWell, laser printers have been commercially available since the 80s (and before but were rare) so define 'modern' and so what if they were allowed in or even escorted, I don't think trespass is a requirement for it to be called Urbex is it?

author: m98
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2017, 04:15:18 pm
content: Quote from: Moshly on May 19, 2017, 11:48:24 amOne PC had a Windows XP sticker on it.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2017, 10:41:51 pm
content: Abandoned X-Men or Terminator movie sets?

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2017, 03:58:52 am
content: I would say you are only looking at about 15 years or so of abandonment. Things age fast when you pull the plug!

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2017, 04:12:04 am
content: but why the restored looking eico 460? Not even a triggered scope, no fingerprints. In the 60's I liked the sharp trace on my friend's father's 460 though. Soon after built a Heathkit triggered scope for my high schools nuclear lab in freshman year.

author: daflory
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2017, 05:10:30 am
content: I want those knobs and gauges so bad...It's so hard to find really satisfying electromechanical parts today.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2017, 05:45:03 pm
content: It looks interesting but is completely unwatchable for me. I wish they wouldn't walk with the camera. It gives me motion sickness trying to watch it.

author: t_ryner
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2017, 07:00:11 pm
content: There's one of those in my chemistry classroom! I'll try to get a picture on Monday if I can, but I knew this looked familiar.

author: Messtechniker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2017, 08:28:29 pm
content: Enough stuff to keep all EEVblog community members happyafter the next meeting of all members ripping the place apart.

author: Seekonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2017, 08:53:20 pm
content: Did I blink or something. Never saw a generator or turbine.

author: LabSpokane
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2017, 09:06:21 pm
content: Quote from: Seekonk on May 20, 2017, 08:53:20 pmFan motors were about as exciting as it got.Those videographers are in dire need of a greybeard who actually has worked in a power plant to conduct the grand tour.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2017, 10:42:55 pm
content: Quote from: Seekonk on May 20, 2017, 08:53:20 pmChances are these got sold for use in a different power plant.

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2017, 11:09:32 pm
content: Quote from: daflory on May 20, 2017, 05:10:30 amI'm the kind of guy who, if I had the money and space, would buy the whole damn thing and have it installed as the control system for some basement mad science lab.EDIT: Hell, I would have my own actual small power station, maybe using some steam engines, then I could REALLY Photonicinduction some shit.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2017, 12:00:19 am
content: That's pretty cool. It almost looks like at one point it was maybe used as temporary storage or office space beyond the life of the plant, there was even a pentium 4 computer in there, which seemed kinda out of place.It's crazy to see places like that in an abandoned state, like you consider when it was first built it would have been state of the art, and now it's pretty much just old unusable equipment.

author: Jr460
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2017, 12:00:42 am
content: Having did my EE co-op work in a coal fired power plant, I think I can date the thing.My plant started in 1917 or about, units 1&2. Those got ripped out to make space for unit 8 turbine which went online in 79-80. Units 5, 6, 7, and 8 where operating when I was there. Units 3&4 had been mothballed. It would cost to much to remove all of the asbestos. As long as it is wrapped tight, it is was safe.To answer someone else, yes you saw a turbine and generator, but they were striped of the outer covers and asbestos removed, and now rusting.One of the prints also gave away some clues, It showed a generator with a rating of 30,000K watts. Small stuff, but state of the art back then.Based on the style of equipment and size rating of the unit, I would have to say it went online in the 1930s.The control room was like some said, 60 vintage, but it was added later in the unit's life. In the 30s they didn't have control rooms, more like a central area with a lot of manual hand wheels that had long shafts on them that controlled air dampers to the boiler.I can't understand why a utility would run a unit that long. The efficiency had to have sucked. Just the temps and pressures they ran the units at dictate the best you can do, second law of thermodynamics. From the early 60s on, 2400 PSI and 1000F steam was the standard, I bet that old unit was at 1800PSI and no superheat on the steam.Maybe it was a dual use plant. it could have made lower pressure steam for heating of a nearby complex, or for some process, like a paper mill.Fond memories of the plant. Even a modern one can be a rough and dangerous place. So much stuff could kill you before you have time to react. A steam leak for example. You don't see superheated steam, it is a gas, you see it some distance away as it condenses to water vapor. You just stayed aware of things and went about your job.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2017, 02:31:51 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on May 19, 2017, 10:18:28 amSpeaking as an urbex explorer of 40 years experience... no, that was a genuine sneak-in and explore. Really fun to watch, since it reminds me of the many times I wandered around in Balmain (gone), Bunnerong (gone) and White Bay (semi-gone) power stations. Yeah, there are sometimes (very rarely) public tours, but you absolutely won't get to wander everywhere like that. Or stay after sundown. Also they were being light-cautious, not using torches near windows after dark. Because that is totally a great way to cause trouble for yourself.I'd say that place is relatively un-trashed because it's adjacent to an active switchyard. Probably still under some security patrolling. But lax, hence there have been more than a few explorers - resulting in some damage, jumbling of office contents, etc. It's in better condition than some places I've seen, worse than others.Owwww, that old Tek scope. Sob. If that had been me, I'd have rescued it. The principle of leaving retro-tech-treasures for later explorers to enjoy is all very well, but loses to the sad reality that sub-human vandals who enjoy smashing things they don't understand are so common. Amazing it was still intact.They didn't seem to ever make it to the main generator hall. Pity.

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2017, 03:17:24 am
content: Wher's the tek scope? I was focused on the eico

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2017, 03:22:18 am
content: Quote from: jh15 on May 21, 2017, 03:17:24 amBah, make me do your searching. 14:30, right before the eico. Tek 547 with 1A1 dual trace plugin.And right before that, an OK lab power supply lying on its side.So funny that he recognized the Futura font immediately.

author: Moshly
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2017, 06:53:45 am
content: I was a little disappointed they didn't spend more time looking closely at the control room, just a little more zoom on the meters would of been good. But for an urbex I think its pretty good, they walk around and pan slowly & pause on interesting scenes. They are more interested in the explore and the photogenic aesthetic rather than the tech tour.Dave needs to do a 'Flying tare-down video' in a place like thisA few things I found interesting ->Large motor under plastic wrap at 1:50 (kept as a spare but too expensive to remove maybe)Interesting rotary switch at 2:10 (does it step or spin ?)Blue prints at 9:05 (used for locating usable / valuable parts during the decommissioning ?)Turbine hall at 10:30 (narration says it looks like a lot of stuff has been ripped out, also 1920's vintage meters)Scrapped generator set at 11:40Frankenstein power board at 13:00Parts store room at 13:30Lab PSU at 14:15Tek 547 Scope at 14:20 (SN:005029, I bet it would still power up with a trace)EICO 460 scope at 14:45Control room 15:102nd control room 19:00If you found that interesting then have a look at this slightly mislabeled video->Repair workshop at 37:50Control room at 39:20

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 12:01:01 pm
content: Ha ha, amateurs. Do not even know how to walk silently on catwalks and steel stairs.Great place though.Amusing seeing them fail to recognize an old hard disk removable platter stack. Right at the end of the control room segment.

author: LabSpokane
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 06:41:55 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on May 22, 2017, 12:01:01 pmThose platters were rapidly falling into antiquity thirty years ago, in other words, well before those two were born. Cut the youngsters a break, old man.

author: Jr460
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 10:18:33 pm
content: They missed lot of things. Got some others wrong.The first thing I noticed was them stating that is the turbine and point to the generator rotor saying that has the blades on it. Wow that was fancy cover for the rotor, we used to just put some heavy clear plastic over it, and then put a few work lights on the ground under it to drive off moisture. Noticed the humidity sensor note on the cover.When they got up a level and then looked down at full turbine body, right next to them on the ground were a few diaphragms, as they are called. The fixed blades/vanes between stages in the turbine.Never saw and good sized valves, they one they pointed out was not that big for a power plant and was manual operated. Let's see the turbine control valves and the hydraulics that power them. How about the feed lines, that would have been impressive.I wanted to yell at the screen when they saw on the wall some layout/diagrams of the plant. Take a good hi-res picture of those, study them and come back now that you have a map of the place.And yea the small disk packs, kids these days.

author: t_ryner
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2017, 03:12:55 am
content: So, on closer inspection, what was in my classroom was not what the other scope. I am unsure what it actually is. I'll probably post this on the TEA thread too BTW.-https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0T3gelonW2VeHFDd25GT3VLN0U

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2017, 12:49:07 pm
content: Quote from: Jr460 on May 22, 2017, 10:18:33 pmHa ha, yeah I actually did yell at the screen there. Maps like that are gold.I'd have unscrewed the cover sheets and taken the best photos I could. Or maybe just taken the maps. There's no point playing 'no one was here', since there are obvious signs of other explorers passing through. And the maps were moldy- photos wouldn't have been great.

author: schmitt trigger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2017, 03:56:00 pm
content: About that Eico 460 scope:This particular instrument must have been used exclusively for monitoring a waveform and no more.The reason I say this, is because instruments whose labels are screen-printed and have seen heavy use (for instance, the vertical attenuator) in a lab environment, the letters tend to rub-off and disappear.Not with this one. The instrument is pristine, a real collectible. Some scuff marks on the bezel, that is all.

author: aqarwaen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2020, 07:51:53 pm
content: here is new video,i guess its same power plant.......

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2020, 01:45:48 pm
content: Quote from: aqarwaen on June 21, 2020, 07:51:53 pmNo, a different and older one. Also very much further down the path of entropic decay.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2020, 10:07:51 pm
content: At 39:40 there's what looks to be an HP246x terminal. We used to use the HP2645s in my first job for for editing assembler source code. It had two 3M tape cartridges which allowed you to edit from one cartridge to the other - ASCII text could be streamed from the left hand tape, through the screen buffer for editing and then onto the right hand tape, one way only! If you missed an edit then you had to scroll it right through to the end of the tape and do it again.Cartridge stalls were a common, as were stall retries causing the drives to miss the end of tape optical recognition holes and spool off the end. Requiring cartridge disassembly and re-threading. A real pain in the ass when you were trying to do a quick edit! These were the high tech beasts everything else was paper tape, including bootstrapping the assembler and the linker and finally the object code.The only good thing about those terminals was that the HP service guy showed us how to swap a 4k memory card from one terminal to another, providing the 8k necessary to run the HP bootleg version of Space Invaders. It was pretty common to see two of the four terminals with their screens hinged up at lunch time, with lucky players hogging the other two. The practice eventually got stamped on due to worries about ESD and edge connector wear!