20,000 man-hours for electrical work

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33034, 29 September 1972, Page 34

20,000 man-hours for electrical work

Sophisticated electrical services not generally found in central buildings in Christchurch are employed in the Town Hall. These features include electronic dimming, speci-ally-designed, locally-blown

glass light fittings, hydrau-lic-type passenger lifts, and a dual hot water central heating system. To service this electrical equipment two II.OOOv substations have been built to contain two IOOOkw transformers in one, and a 750 kw transformer in the other. All of these transformers are connecting into the high tension ring, main reticulation of the city, thus enduring double indemnity from power failure. The power load would be equal to a new subdivision

of 690 all-electric homes served with underground reticulation, the heating load being similar to 1200 singlebar electric heaters. To complete the electrical installation, something like 20,000 skilled man hours were used to install 57 miles of cable, 5.8 miles of conduit, and 1.43 miles of electrical trunkings, along with other many and sundry operations. The building contains 2452 light fittings controlled by 226 switches as well as other dimming controls. The

number of plug outlets number 1002. All light fittings were made locally. The light fittings in the banquet hall are the largest made in New Zealand. The fittings consist of two glass hemispheres which, when fitted together, form a sphere enclosing 104, 25watt lamps. When all eight banquet hall fittings are switched to full brilliance the consumption is 20,800 watts; the illumination for say 50 average-sized homes.

In place of the conventional passenger lifts which require overhead plant rooms and wire ropes and counter weights, etc, these lift cars are lifted hydraulically from underneath, are quite noiseless in operation, and are very accurate in their levelling at each floor. Although their speed is lower than some of the conventional modem lifts, the obviating of unsightly roof plant rooms on the sky line justifies them.