Listening for fans in FTTC cabinets

Long practice, to see if a cabinet has power, has been to listen for the "hum" from the fans inside the cabinet.

In a planning application on a post today, for a Huawei 96 cabinet, it includes the following information on the fans:

In reference to pa.midsussex.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activ...:

The cooling fans are rated at 40dB during daytime and 35dB at night time. The fans will only function during periods of hot weather...

So... silence might only indicate that it is cold

I would think the active equipment would overheat with out fans even in cold weather. Without forced air circulation it will heat up beyond its safe design level. I assume the lower db level at night is to reduce noise polution but I would be supprised if it affected any homes the cabinet would have tobe aloost outside the window do that. You could probably safely slow down the fans at night as the load on the cabinet would be less. In fact I would have though the fanns would be teperature controlled and would speed up and slow down as required

That information comes from the planning request, and already suggests that:
- The fans do slow down at night
- That the fans are only needed in hot weather
in turn implying that the active equipment won't overheat in cold weather.

You might think otherwise, but I guess that means you are suggesting that BT would lie in a planning application.

In reply to a post by Bob_s2:

Without forced air circulation it will heat up beyond its safe design level.

Do you have a link for your incorrect statement.

Incidentally, I happened to come across this page about the company who installs FTTC cabinets on behalf of Huawei & BT.

In reference to www.greenwoodscomms.com/About-Us/case-studies-fttc.htm:

Greenwoods and Huawei developed a best working practices guide for the installation of the FTTC cabinet. By providing onsite NRSWA supervision on all sites, quality standards are achieved whilst ensuring full NRSWA compliance. The NRSWA supervisor is responsible for the completion of the final quality audit.

After the local electricity contractor has made the power connection to the cabinet Greenwoods Commissioning Engineers return to site to undertake the commissioning and integration activities.

If anyone knows what the procedure is for booking power installation, I guess it is within these "best working practices".

In reply to a post by WWWombat:

Incidentally, I happened to come across this page about the company who installs FTTC cabinets on behalf of Huawei & BT.

In reference to www.greenwoodscomms.com/About-Us/case-studies-fttc.htm:

Greenwoods and Huawei developed a best working practices guide for the installation of the FTTC cabinet. By providing onsite NRSWA supervision on all sites, quality standards are achieved whilst ensuring full NRSWA compliance. The NRSWA supervisor is responsible for the completion of the final quality audit.

After the local electricity contractor has made the power connection to the cabinet Greenwoods Commissioning Engineers return to site to undertake the commissioning and integration activities.

If anyone knows what the procedure is for booking power installation, I guess it is within these "best working practices".

That's representative of how that company works, but not how all the other companies that are installing FFTC cabs on behalf of openreach work,some like Telent/carillion also can &do connect the power supply as part of the install ,so no need to involve the utility company at all
As for the noise from fans ect ,the LA must be a moaning one, no such info given to the L.A around here to install cabs within a conservation area , only where they proposed to site them and the physical size, colour just basic details really , The fans inside the bigger 288 line cabs run continuously even with outside temps of
-6c they make very little noise,the background noise levels mean that you have to be next to the cab to hear them

Edited by tommy45 (Mon 08-Oct-12 17:26:06)

Not sure that is totaly correct. As far as I know only the utility companies can make the connection to the cables and if a meter is required a meter. Those companies though may be able to terminate the power to the cabinmet from the tails provided by the utility company

In reply to a post by Bob_s2:

Not sure that is totaly correct. As far as I know only the utility companies can make the connection to the cables and if a meter is required a meter. Those companies though may be able to terminate the power to the cabinmet from the tails provided by the utility company

Correct, the DNO has to terminate their power network in the cab with a meter and from there on it is the responsibility of Carrillion (et al) to connect to their kit.

In reply to a post by Bob_s2:

Not sure that is totaly correct. As far as I know only the utility companies can make the connection to the cables and if a meter is required a meter. Those companies though may be able to terminate the power to the cabinmet from the tails provided by the utility company

The huawei 288 FFTC cabs are shipped to the site with all the hardware and electricity meter ,isolation switch and company 100amp fuse(the same as a domestic supply) And I'm 100% sure that the 204v mains supply was connected whilst they bolted the FFTC cab to the plinth /base then all trenches made for the ducting where back filled and the tarmac surface was re instated and then they moved on to the next FTTC site , So unless some one without digging any holes left any way of telent /carillion connecting up they ,connected on the same day, because apart from Openreach cable engineers installing the cable link between PCP and FTTC cabs no other work by anyone has taken place since,no new holes dug /backfilled ect , and info from openreach regarding my cab , suggests the cabs just needs it's fibre link ,then they will be able to provide me FTTC services

Oh and i nearly forgot to add I have since been told by an engineer that they are infact sorting the power out ,so are not reliant on the power companies Probably something to do with deregulation so 3rd parties who have the necessary training ect are also able to make new connections to the power supplies that are installed to power street furniture, come to think of it when they put in new colums (lights,the power company didn't get involved with that either,) several where re located

Edited by tommy45 (Mon 08-Oct-12 18:21:20)