GREAT ELECTRICAL RISK

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 34, 9 February 1926, Page 8

GREAT ELECTRICAL RISK

POWER BOARD INDICTED

CRITICISM BY EXPERT,

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day.

The frequency of fires in the city and suburbs, owing to the fusing of electric lighting wires, has been the subject s? much criticism of late, and this criticism was given spice this morning by Mr. F. F. Gilmore, secretary of the Auckland Fire Underwriters' Association, who in the .course of an interview scathingly assailed the system of the Auckland Electric Power Board.

, Mr. Gilmore explained that under the board's existing direct-current system three wires led from the station, the positive, negative outer, and neutral. The negative outer was always subject to eleetrolosis, which caused the cable to go to earth. Directly that happened the full potentiality was thrown between the outer positive wire and the earth, thus causing a condition of danger. , . ■ f

"I have no hesitation in describing it as criminal negligence on the part of4he Electric Power Board," declared Mr. Gilmore, vehemently. "The ordinary voltage should be 230. On Sunday afternoon, for instance, it was 480, Look at this!"

Mr. GUmore produced a badlyburned fuse-box and a piece of piping which had been 'burned through. He then pointed to his voltage chart, which showed that on Sunday the voltage had been for many hours above the normal, soaring to 480, or more than double that allowed, as stated. "A variation of 5 per cent, is allowed, but there is no 5 per cent, about that," declared Mr. Gilmore. "There is no doubt about the danger of it. "I do not want to create a panic, but— well, there it is. Look at that chart! The time has arrived when something must be done to eliminate this great risk.

"It is a scandalous state of affairs," he continued. "I really call it criminal neglect that such a state of affairs should be allowed to exist.

, "These electric cables and fittings are subjected by the manufacturers'to double test work pressure. Of course, it is appreciated that these fittings suffer a certain amount of deterioration, perhaps, in handling, and in order to provide a margin the material N is subjected to double-pressure test. But even on this test it could not stand a voltage of 480 continuously.

"This is a City Council fue^," continued Mr. Gilmore, referring to the badly-burnt fuse-box on his table, "and this is a piece of good-quality piping. This Auckland Board is the only power board in the Dominion' that' puts these fuses inside the building; installations should, be fused outside. There is no protection at all, because the cut-outs -are inside, instead of outside. Once the fuse starts it simply means that you have to burn your wire clear. The fuse will not function if the load is series with the arc. I have sent a big bundle of exhibits such as these to the Public Works Department in Wellington. I have nothing to hide—these exhibits are the effects of the causey and the cause is shown on this chart —there's no getting away from it. "The whole trouble is . due to the faulty underground system of the Auckland Electric "Power Board, and to faulty installations. Do you not notice how often the underground system is blown out? This is due to the excess voltage which the board apparently is unable to control. : If its own underground system will not , stand, how on earth can it expect private installations to stand it? I brought this matter under the notice of the Power Board twelve months ago. It is no good for me to tell the people who employ me and tell the public what causes the fires. They want the cause eliminated —and it is high time this cause was eliminated. It seems to me that Nero is fiddling while Borne burns. A thing like this demands sysi tematie and thorough treatment."