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Stuff to do before something breaks
ENG
INE
ERI
NG
Just as you should check your smoke detector batteries are still okay every
time you “spring ahead and fall back” for Daylight Time (and of course you
Saskatchewanians should, too, twice a year at the occasion of your choice),
there are a number of things you should be checking every so often around your
studio and transmitter site to make sure equipment will work for you when you
need it.
Foremost of these items is checking your UPS batteries. Really, it would be
better if these things came with a best before date, because fail they surely
will. Next best thing, of course, is to write the date you change the batteries
on the UPS in felt pen. That way you’ll know if the replacements need replacing
at a glance. Some gel cells are better than others, but any cell still in use
after four years or so is overdue to fail. Some of the cheaper brands are only
good for two years.
While we’re discussing batteries, don’t forget the little memory batteries
inside newer transmitters and remote control systems. And be sure to think for
a second before you pop the old one out—this is one occasion where you want
to perform the operation with the power ON. There’s not much sense in shutting
the power off when you’re going to replace the battery that helps the machine
remember its state when you shut the power off, if you get my drift.
Nearly everyone seems to have cut back on standby generator maintenance
visits, and by and large we do seem to be getting away with it but that also
means that the burden of monitoring the engine’s health now falls more on
someone else, e.g. you, probably. I know it seems like an expensive proposition,
but the pros will replace that starter battery at less than five-year intervals. If
you have spent the money to have a standby generator then it behooves you to
make sure it will work when called for. So check those oil levels, make sure the
V-belts are in good shape and get the oil changed every 250 hours or so of run
time. Make sure your battery’s water levels are correct and the terminals are
clean. And a full load test every month or so is your only reassurance that the
generator will work when the lights go out. One item that is often overlooked
for the sake of convenience is the main power switch and transmitter supply
switches. These should be exercised at least once a year or so to make sure they
aren’t jammed in the on position.
It has been mentioned here before, but it does bear repeating, that periodic
visits to the transmitter site should include inspecting the air filters and belts
both in the transmitter and in the building’s HVAC system. A little lubrication
wherever it’s needed will pay off in reliability as well. Here on the wet coast,
we also have to keep an eye on rooftop gutters, generally just before the rainy
season, to make sure that leaves and gunk don’t plug up the downpipes. It’s oldby
Dan Roach
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BROADCAST DIALOGUE Technology Insider • February 8, 2011 16