729 replies to this topic

[Bruiser]

It’s an off cut from a recent job, the modern stuff.
I’m silly but not that silly

[claysummers]

I'm with you Bruce. I only inhale the modern stuff.

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[Rockoz]

I've seen the risk assessments (JSA's etc) for those retrofitting smart meters. As far as they are concerned the old (pre 90's roughly) boards contain asbestos and there is a risk associated with it. Most Energy Authorities publish information on it, examples below. So I agree, be wary. If there was no risk this sort of stuff would not be published.

 

Microsoft Word - Fact Sheet - Asbestos in Electrical Meter Boards 131209.docx (ausgrid.com.au)

 

Electrical switchboards and meters | Asbestos

 

Like most things these days, risk assessments etc are designed for the lowest IQ person to understand.

During my Asbestos Course, we were told to treat anything that contained or potentially contained asbestos the same, as if it did contain asbestos.

Friable asbestos is the one that poses the risk. When disturbed it can give off the minute particles that can cause mesothelioma.

My mate tried every manner of disturbing switch board panels and could not get it to create the dangerous particles.

But his reports always said asbestos was present if it was found in any shape or form.

Basically a blanket ruling. Helps to reduce any confusion.

 

Now, in reality, the chances of getting mesothelioma from asbestos is very low.

There are other substances people get exposed to more routinely that have health risks associated with them, but nowhere near the regulation.

Granted though, up until recently, mesothelioma was pretty much universally accepted as a death sentence.

 

I would be in a high risk group for mesothelioma, given the exposure to friable asbestos I had changing contacts and quench pads in open frame contactors for a few years. That stuff was in the dangerous class. Could also have problems from PCBs exposure as well.

Hopefully I remain in the lucky majority group.

 

When asbestos is in a bonded form, such as switchboards it isnt a problem. Same as in the old brake pads.

Havent seen evidence of mesothelioma clusters from places such as the bottom of Bulli Pass or Mt Ousley, where you could smell the brakes of vehicles most of the day. What about anyone using the trains through the underground train network in Sydney? 

You could see the dust clouds and smell them as a train came into the station.

 

But I do digress somewhat.

 

Cheers

 

Rob

[yel327]

Agree, but WHS Acts and Regs have specific sections on what must be done to remove asbestos from the equation. It's there for a reason (BTW there should be the same level of stuff for those around petrol as it contains aromatic hydrocarbons, eg Benzene). You simply don't want to touch the stuff unless its unavoidable. Same way you'd steer clear of a Herpes infection!

 

I'm in the same boat, spent my early years working at Newcastle Steelworks, hands on with open panel contactors, 23" brake shoes, old switchrooms etc all dating back as far as 1915 or older for some of the buildings and cranes that were moved there from Walsh Island Dockyard. Not to mention all the asbestos insulation used all over the plant. Even the floor sheeting in electrical switchrooms built up to the early 80's, that elecos used to hack through for cable entries, was made from 25mm CAS (compressed asbestos sheeting). PCB's I don't think I was as exposed to, primarily as the old Chief Electrical Engineer for the site, when synthetic transformer oil was the rage, refused to use it. So the only way it ever got in was contamination from offsite filtering equipment. It was found in old oil filled switchgear, but that was all replaced as it was discovered. I remember seeing heaps of the old switchgear stored in the old Plate Mill motor room in the later 80's.

 

You should have seen the beautiful marble slates used in the old DC powerhouse built in 1915. This pre-dated asbestos based equipment mounting slates.

 

Back to Clay's blog! BTW Clay, if I see old SU's at a swap meet and they are cheap enough do you want them? I often see old odd carbs, probably off Range Rovers or Triumphs or whatever other Pommy POS they were once fitted to. I remember an old wreckers around here that had a shelf full of them, as many as you wanted for $15 each.

[claysummers]

Thanks for the offer Byron but pretty flush now I reckon. Bruiser set me up with a couple of missing parts today, as well as a set of OA7 fixed needles. Just need to get new jets and fixed needle adaptors.

I ended up getting some 2 1/4" studs to accommodate the spacers. They are a bit too long but can cut them down to suit when the spacers arrive.

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[claysummers]

Did I mention I need one of these spring clips for my linkages?

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[claysummers]

I've got a choice of springs here.Shorter ones on the left are smaller gauge wire.

Manifold cleaned up with wheel on the drill and finished the crevices in the El cheapo blasting cabinet.
Measured the outlets to be spot on with unmolested head 37mm tall. About 1mm narrow at 55mm.I will leave them alone.

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[claysummers]

Side effect of the pulled in runners is clearence to studs.I may have to use 12 point headed nuts or even bolts in place of studs on these two.

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[Bruiser]

Can you use curved studs?

You can test those springs with a set of digital scales to figure out what you’ve got there

 649DEF6B-7128-4DE8-B7A9-D5846C71CDE2.png   159.06K   8 downloads

Set up a bridge over the scales at the heights given in the chart,
Make a tube of cardboard and stickytape to stop the spring shooting sideways,
Squoosh the spring on the scales under the bridge
and hey presto see if it matches up to chart.
You probably have seen most folks recommend the red springs for our motors

[claysummers]

Thanks mate that makes sense. Not the curved studs wtf? I will deploy the hand held milling machine discretely to clearance studs a bit better. Also ordered some 12 point nuts.

Thanks for info on the springs. Now I can pick the more suitable set.


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[yel327]

I remember seeing a red 6 at some stage where those studs had been replaced by a bolt of the correct length and grade. Would still be painful but might be better. You might also be able to custom make the retainer for that location so it’s thinner meaning a shorter bolt.

[warrenm]

12 point nuts work, if you have to use a bolt, use a "cheese" head cap screw & an ball end Alan key. 

[claysummers]

Cheers fellas


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[Bruiser]

Curved studs

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[claysummers]

Yuk yuk yuk....

Have these two batteries to choose fromCurrently using this one

This is an alternative but definitely overkill. Lying around from my cruiser.



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[claysummers]

Completed electrical

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[claysummers]

Shouldn't be much voltage drop at cranking.

Have to mount the battery, modify and reinstall nasco parcel tray, and remove the original battery tray.

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[yel327]

I'd run a 0V lead straight from the battery to the cyl head as well. Then you can make the one to the body smaller.

[claysummers]

Why the head Byron, spark? Would have thought the bellhousing near enough. I could always join the engine and battery earth with another bit of cable, something I thought about. But really it works well as is. Just home from 100km run to town and back for club rego logbook day and all good.


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[yel327]

Electrically it works but it is on alloy not cast so possibility of melting the alloy. I think that is why GMH put it to the cylinder head. You want a lead to both the engine (big one) and to the chassis (smaller).

 

I would have also considered putting that isolator in the 0V lead, so there is zero risk of a short to the cabin or floor. Just run it straight from the 0V terminal to the isolator. Then run a 12V lead straight from the battery +ve terminal to the starter.

[claysummers]

Ok, thanks. I thought as the starter is the main draw it made sense to provide direct path to it. Might see if I can run some copper strap from the other starter bolt to the block, or possibly run the earth to a bellhousing bolt. I suppose copper has a significantly higher melting point than alloy.

I really don’t want the extra weight of a full cable earth, and if I put the isolation on the firewall there would still be a risk of leakage to negative after the switch. Very handy where I have it.


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[Bruiser]

Found one, it fits, too

 827B3AE2-9D32-44A3-B8BD-2BC68504AF13.jpeg   144.25K   8 downloads

[yel327]

Ok, thanks. I thought as the starter is the main draw it made sense to provide direct path to it. Might see if I can run some copper strap from the other starter bolt to the block, or possibly run the earth to a bellhousing bolt. I suppose copper has a significantly higher melting point than alloy.

I really don’t want the extra weight of a full cable earth, and if I put the isolation on the firewall there would still be a risk of leakage to negative after the switch. Very handy where I have it.


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It might well be OK, but I'd still be running the 0V cable to the factory location on the engine.

 

I would leave the switch where you have it, just make it the 0V lead so instead of coming off the switch stud to the starter, run it to the cyl head, and swap the terminals at the battery end of course. Sure there would still be a risk of the circuit prior to the switch touching the body but they are both at the same potential. With the switch open and if they do short it won't start a fire as almost all +ve feeds that are going through equipment ready to take any current are fused so you won't get a catastrophic short circuit at full battery current.

 

And run a +ve straight from the battery to the starter terminal like you have now but use double insulated cable, like 0.6/1kV flexible not welding cable. I also feed it up heater hose where exposed under the car to give it even more insulation - it protects it and also allows the cable to run more current as it has a greater surface area. I do the same when running it up chassis rails like I did on my Ram.

[claysummers]

Found one, it fits, too

827B3AE2-9D32-44A3-B8BD-2BC68504AF13.jpeg

Cheers Bruce. Just yesterday a mate gave me one, so hang on to yours.

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[claysummers]

It might well be OK, but I'd still be running the 0V cable to the factory location on the engine.

I would leave the switch where you have it, just make it the 0V lead so instead of coming off the switch stud to the starter, run it to the cyl head, and swap the terminals at the battery end of course. Sure there would still be a risk of the circuit prior to the switch touching the body but they are both at the same potential. With the switch open and if they do short it won't start a fire as almost all +ve feeds that are going through equipment ready to take any current are fused so you won't get a catastrophic short circuit at full battery current.

And run a +ve straight from the battery to the starter terminal like you have now but use double insulated cable, like 0.6/1kV flexible not welding cable. I also feed it up heater hose where exposed under the car to give it even more insulation - it protects it and also allows the cable to run more current as it has a greater surface area. I do the same when running it up chassis rails like I did on my Ram.

Thanks for the advice Byron. Yes I use the old heater hose, but in this case I don't have any positive feed under the car. Just 100mm from solenoid to firewall pass through. I will see if I can pick up some of the flexible 0.6kV from work. I was surprised when i asked that they didn't stock anything at L&H.

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