SOT SO SERIOUS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16530, 14 September 1921, Page 11

SOT SO SERIOUS.

LAKE COLERIDGE TROUBLE, Mr F. T. Kissel, Acting Chi of Electrical Engineer, who returned to Christchurch from Take Coleridge Inst night and went on to "Wellington, stated that the trouble at Lake Os’Juridge was much less serious than L*T: had been led to fear from newspaper reports, and iri from four to six week? the fifth unit would bo running. All tho other machines were running at lull load all the time, and they were- in no way affected l>y the present trouble, which was limited to the fifth powerunit. A movement in the foundation of the third pipe lino where it entered , tho turbine. Mr Kissel said, had caused trouble, but tho movement was so slight that it had to be rnea»sured in thousandths ot an inch. Yesterday the fifth uuit had been run up to full speed. There was only the slightest movement in the shaft, and the unit could have been run continuously onlv ter Ihe fact that the trouble “would probably develop, entailing a much longer delay than would be entailed in setting it* right at once. It appears that, the actual machine foundations upon which the fifth turbine and generator stand are in tho form of h hollow square concrete block. This is intact; but tho third pipe line cornea down beside the main machinery, passes the generator, and on reaching the turbine bends up from the horizontal to the vertical position to connect with the bottom of the turbiiie. which is on the floor above it. Lni» bend in the pipe is bedded in a concrete, block, and the concrete block hn.s developed a crack. Mr Kissel <stated that it would be necessary to put a steel clamp round the block and i then bury the damn in concrete. This ! work will be carried out by Air l>lackj wood, engineer in charge of the poweri house. I Mr E. Hitchcock, general manager , of the city electrical department, saw i Mr Kissel in C hristchurch last night as ho passed through Christchurch. Mr I Hitchcock stated that ho was greatly j relieved to loam 1 lie real cause of tho ! trouble, which lie had feared might be I connected with the foundations of the j powerhouse. Mr P. R. Cliraic, organiser to tin: ! Canterbury Progress League, will pay a visit to Lake Coleridge to-day to inspect the lake level and the Harper diversion, which Mr Kissel states will be gone on with soon.