Only qualified Electricians Mates should do the
actual connecting; however, the portable cables may be
laid out by other party personnel.The repair party
electrician must wear rubber gloves, rubber boots, and
stand on a rubber mat while making connections. Each
casualty power riser or bulkhead terminal must be tested
with a voltage tester before a connection can be made to
the terminal. The duty of the repair party Electricians
Mate is to determine that all sources of power to the
equipment concerned are de-energized before rigging
casualty power. The portable cable connections for
casualty power should always be made by first
connecting the load and then working back to the source
of power.
On large ships, casualty power runs involve more
than one repair party. All repair parties should rig
simultaneously, but the rule of rig from load to source
should always be observed Each repair party must
report its section rigged from riser or bulkhead terminal
number to riser or bulkhead terminal number to damage
control central.
In all instances of rigging and energizing any part
of the casualty power system, only the damage control
assistant, with the authority of the chief engineer, has
the authority to order the system energized.
In making casualty power connections at a load
where there are no circuit breakers or transfer switches
to interrupt the incoming feeder cable, the load must be
disconnected or cut at the equipment. It is quite possible
that the feeder cable may be damaged by the casualty
that caused the loss of power. A damaged cable, if
energized, would probably trip the casualty power
circuit breakers. If not disconnected, this incoming
feeder cable may be re-energized, and present a hazard
to personnel handling the casualty power cables.
The keep the phase sequence correct in ac systems,
exercise care in making all connections. The riser
terminals, bulkhead terminals, and portable cable ends
are marked to identify the A-, B-, and C-phases. You
can make the identification visually by color code. In
the dark you can make the identification by feeling the
bumps on the riser terminals or feeling the twine
wrappings or O-rings installed on the cables.
Ordinarily, portable casualty power cables should
be tied to the overhead. High-voltage signs should be
attached at each connection and the information passed
over the ships 1MC system informing all hands to stand
clear of the casualty power cables while energized.
AS previously stated, power panels supplying
equipment designated for casualty power service will
have a power terminal box mounted on the panel so that
power may be fed into the panel. Remember that these
panels can also be used as a source of power for the
casualty power system should power still be available
from the permanent feeder or feeders to the panel. Some
judgment should be exercised, however, in the choice of
panels to be used for supplying casualty power loads.
Heavy loads should be connected to power panels
having large incoming feeders for greater assurance that
circuit breakers will not trip and that the cable will not
become overheated. Current loading of casualty power
cables is not considered excessive when you can grasp
the cable by hand and it does not cause burning.
Portable cable used in ac casualty power systems is
Navy LSTHOF 42. Although the normal current
carrying capacity of this cable is 93 amperes, its casualty
rating is 200 amperes. Under normal conditions this
cable will carry 200 amperes for 4 hours without
damage to the cable. Cables maybe run in parallel to
circuits that overload a single cable.
Recommended SAFE procedures to be used in
rigging casualty power include the following:
3-15
Upon report of loss of power, damage control
central orders the repair party nearest the
equipment concerned to investigate.
The repair party Electricians Mate of the
investigating team immediately tests to
determine if all sources of power to the
equipment have been lost.
Upon determining that all power is lost, the
Electricians Mate opens all supply switches to
the equipment and reports to damage control
central that power is lost to the equipment.
Upon receiving a report of all power lost, damage
control central requests main engine control to
designate a source of casualty power for the
equipment concerned. The request for a casualty
power source may be made to the electrical
officer on ships having a combined main engine
control and damage control central or where the
electrical officer is stationed in damage control
central for the control of generators and power
distribution.
Main engine control or the electrical officer, as
appropriate, informs damage control central of
the casualty power source to be used (giving riser
terminal number) and, at the same time, informs
the Electricians Mate on the appropriate
switchboard that his or her board has been