Never push the Big Red Button (New York City subway failure)

Wed Sep 15 19:23:57 UTC 2021

Code requires this here.  The intent of the EPO buttons are to immediately disconnect all energized power to the entire facility/building in the event of a critical fault like an electrical fire or electrocution. 

Only locally-battery powered low-voltage emergency lighting should still be operating.   Often the next step after EPO is to flood the room...
—L.B.

Ms. Lady Benjamin PD Cannon of Glencoe, ASCE
6x7 Networks & 6x7 Telecom, LLC 
CEO 
lb at 6by7.net <mailto:lb at 6by7.net>
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> On Sep 15, 2021, at 8:58 AM, Adam Thompson <athompson at merlin.mb.ca> wrote:
> 
> Now I'm curious... in all of the DCs and COs I've worked in - to the best of my knowledge, I haven't personally tested this! - the EPO button does not switch to emergency power.  It turns off ALL equipment power in the space - no lights, no klaxons, nothing.  In simpler setups, the EPO is connected to the UPS so anything plugged in to the UPS does dark instantly.  In one DC I'm familiar with, the EPO switch kills all the UPS output and uses several relays to kill commercial power at the same time.
> In some, the room lights were not covered by the EPO switch, in some they were.  Emergency exit lamps will continue to be lit, as they have internal batteries, and are required by building/fire code.
> 
> Is it (somewhat) common for an EPO switch to only disconnect commercial power and leave local redundant power live?  What sort of facilities would have this?
> 
> -Adam
> 
> Adam Thompson
> Consultant, Infrastructure Services
> 
> 100 - 135 Innovation Drive
> Winnipeg, MB, R3T 6A8
> (204) 977-6824 or 1-800-430-6404 (MB only)
> athompson at merlin.mb.ca <mailto:athompson at merlin.mb.ca>
> www.merlin.mb.ca <http://www.merlin.mb.ca/>
> From: NANOG <nanog-bounces+athompson=merlin.mb.ca at nanog.org> on behalf of Jay R. Ashworth <jra at baylink.com>
> Sent: September 11, 2021 22:23
> To: nanog <nanog at nanog.org>
> Subject: Re: Never push the Big Red Button (New York City subway failure)
>  
> ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Sean Donelan" <sean at donelan.com>
> 
> > NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT RAIL CONTROL CENTER POWER
> > OUTAGE ISSUE ON AUGUST 29, 2021
> > Key Findings
> > September 8, 2021
> > 
> > https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/WSP_Key_Findings_Summary-for_release.pdf <https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/WSP_Key_Findings_Summary-for_release.pdf>
> > 
> > Key Findings
> > [...]
> > 
> > 3. Based on the electrical equipment log readings and the manufacturer’s
> > official assessment, it was determined that the most likely cause of RCC
> > shutdown was the “Emergency Power Off” button being manually activated.
> 
> I don't even *do* datacenter for a living, and I know that when you hit the
> Molly button, 
> 
> 1) A Klaxon goes off in the Data Center -- one that sounds *different* from
> the Halon Klaxon, in both cadence and tone (just for a couple bursts), and
> 
> 2) Yellow rotating beacons turn on, and stay on while you're on Emergency Power.
> 
> Yes, real honest-to-ghod *rotating mechanical beacons*, none of this flashing LED
> crap.
> 
> Clearly, it's important that the use of Emergency Power be annoyingly noticeable.
> 
> Cheers,
> -- jra
> -- 
> Jay R. Ashworth                  Baylink                       jra at baylink.com
> Designer                     The Things I Think                       RFC 2100
> Ashworth & Associates       http://www.bcp38.info <http://www.bcp38.info/>          2000 Land Rover DII
> St Petersburg FL USA      BCP38: Ask For It By Name!           +1 727 647 1274

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