6 ms·

Great, I skip reading the daily run meeting slides once, and then find this in the news (I work on the ATLAS experiment at the LHC [1]). There are a couple of

Great, I skip reading the daily run meeting slides once, and then find this in the news (I work on the ATLAS experiment at the LHC [1]). There are a couple of nasty images in the (internal) presentation. That poor weasel tried to eat a cable or something and got completely fried :-(. For those wondering how this can happen, it looks to me like a normal outdoor transformer station, like there are many all around the world. I actually wonder why you don't hear about power outages like this (not at CERN, but in regular cities) more frequently. Maybe public power supplies are more redundant? ([1] Note I'm only posting as a private person and not in any official function. Disclaim disclaim yadda yadda.)

kogus 11y ago
I used to work in the IT department of a steel mill. A racoon once got into a power transformer station behind the mill and managed to ground something that shouldn't have been grounded. The mill was down for 12 hours as a result. It was both extremely annoying and highly entertaining.
- digi_owl 11y ago
  I guess it was accompanies with a very loud pop and a very fried squirrel.
keithpeter 11y ago
I was wondering about that: Birmingham UK we have outdoor transformers at various points around the outskirts of the city and plenty of wildlife (including ASBO squirrels and nonchalant foxes) but no history of power outage. Perhaps the trips are set really sensitive given the value of the equipment being run from the supplies?
- dguaraglia 11y ago
  Hah, "ASBO squirrels". ASBO is a Britishism I hadn't heard in so long.
  - nxzero 11y ago
    ASBO: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-social_behaviour_order https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-social_behaviour_order
  - pjmlp 11y ago
    The first time I visited UK, I found funny that the hotel close to Hyde Park, had signs warning to close the windows otherwise they would get into the rooms.
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nxzero 11y ago
One might speculate that the collider lacks redundant power supplies, which is surprising to me.
wlesieutre 11y ago
> I actually wonder why you don't hear about power outages like this (not at CERN, but in regular cities) more frequently. Maybe public power supplies are more redundant? Happens pretty frequently, they just don't get reported beyond local news unless it affects something noteworthy. http://cybersquirrel1.com/ http://cybersquirrel1.com/ maps a lot of these "Cyber Squirrel Operations". Mainly squirrels, birds, raccoons, snakes, and rats.
- at-fates-hands 11y ago
  Squirrels are notorious for chewing on anything. My neighbor was digging in his front yard and thought he nicked some Comcast cabling. It was exposed so he called them and they said they'll be out tomorrow to inspect them and make sure its ok. Before they could get the there the following morning, two squirrels had eaten through the cable, got electrocuted and shut down the entire neighborhoods internet. I was lucky since I was using Century Link, but man do people get pissed when they don't have their internet working.
  - derefr 11y ago
    You'd think that there would be a sort of temporary wrap sold at hardware stores, covered in/inundated with a bittering agent, to protect any wires you were going to temporarily leave exposed.
walrus 11y ago
Squirrels accounted for 28% of fiber cuts in 2010 for Level 3 Communications.[1] [1] http://blog.level3.com/level-3-network/the-10-most-bizarre-and-annoying-causes-of-fiber-cuts/ http://blog.level3.com/level-3-network/the-10-most-bizarre-a...
- noobermin 11y ago
  Is there any reason for this? Do cables seem appetizing to squirrels?
  - Coincoin 11y ago
    A squirrel made its nest in my shed once. Believe me when I say, everything seems appetizing to them. Just like a baby, except a squirrel will destroy it instead of drooling on it.
    - lostlogin 11y ago
      Babies destroy things. You only have to scoop vomit out of a shoe, cheese out an electric window mechanism and fish DVDs out of the inside of a DVD player 6 or seven times to begin to get it.
  - mjevans 11y ago
    I recall hearing that some of the plastic/insulation may have used peanut oil (or something that at least made it smell/taste that way).
  - teh_klev 11y ago
    Might be something like this: http://pets.stackexchange.com/questions/23/why-do-cats-lick-plastic-bags-and-is-there-any-harm-in-it http://pets.stackexchange.com/questions/23/why-do-cats-lick-... My cat is mad for a good lick and a sniff of a plastic bag. She doesn't actually chew them but does this strange chewing motion with her mouth, a bit like when cats practice their kill bite or chatter when looking at potential prey from a window.
Obi_Juan_Kenobi 11y ago
A squirrel knocked out power for about 50k people in my area recently. Lasted about 8 hours. Happens often enough, but I'm guessing our system is somewhat mismanaged.
einrealist 11y ago
I worked for energy companies (workforce management systems, business intelligence). Accidents like this happen more often than you think. Usually they are isolated because its less likely to happen to larger grid units. Small incidents don't make news and are mitigated within hours. Unless human error is involved or accidents with human victims (traffic accidents, workplace accidents).
Create 11y ago
Because this PR piece is about getting in the news and guerrilla marketing. Are you a passionate engineer who is at ease with powerful high voltage equipment? Are you ready to become a key player in the design, development, production, installation and commissioning of some of the largest power converters in the world? Take part! http://jobs.web.cern.ch/job/11871 http://jobs.web.cern.ch/job/11871 Blaming a bird or a small mammal makes cute propaganda. This wasn't always the case: in 1999 three breakdowns have occurred in 18 kV transformers, causing major power cuts and beam losses totalling 3.5 days. Animals didn't take the blame in 2008 for the failure of a power transformer on one of the surface points of the LHC. And a warning to non-western members: "The cost [...] has been evaluated, taking into account realistic labor prices in different countries. The total cost is X (with a western equivalent value of Y) [where Y>X] source: LHCb calorimeters : Technical Design Report ISBN: 9290831693 cdsweb.cern.ch/record/494264 On top of the above treatment, the usual package for prospective employees: Resolution of the CERN Staff Council - the Management does not propose to align the level of basic CERN salaries with those chosen as the basis for comparison; - in the new career system a large fraction of the staff will have their advancement prospects, and consequently the level of their pension, reduced with respect to the current MARS system; - the overall reduction of the advancement budget will have a negative impact on the contributions to the CERN Health Insurance System (CHIS); http://cds.cern.ch/journal/CERNBulletin/2015/46/Staff%20Asso.. http://cds.cern.ch/journal/CERNBulletin/2015/46/Staff%20Asso.... Pensions which will be applicable to new recruits as of 1 January 2012; the Management and CERN Council adopted without any concertation and decided in June 2011 to adopt very unfavourable mesures for new recruits. http://www.gac-epa.org/History/Bulletins/42-2012-04/Bulletin.. http://www.gac-epa.org/History/Bulletins/42-2012-04/Bulletin....

kogus 11y ago

I used to work in the IT department of a steel mill. A racoon once got into a power transformer station behind the mill and managed to ground something that shouldn't have been grounded. The mill was down for 12 hours as a result. It was both extremely annoying and highly entertaining.

digi_owl 11y ago
I guess it was accompanies with a very loud pop and a very fried squirrel.

keithpeter 11y ago

I was wondering about that: Birmingham UK we have outdoor transformers at various points around the outskirts of the city and plenty of wildlife (including ASBO squirrels and nonchalant foxes) but no history of power outage. Perhaps the trips are set really sensitive given the value of the equipment being run from the supplies?

dguaraglia 11y ago
Hah, "ASBO squirrels". ASBO is a Britishism I hadn't heard in so long.
- nxzero 11y ago
  ASBO: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-social_behaviour_order https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-social_behaviour_order
- pjmlp 11y ago
  The first time I visited UK, I found funny that the hotel close to Hyde Park, had signs warning to close the windows otherwise they would get into the rooms.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

deleted 11y ago

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nxzero 11y ago

One might speculate that the collider lacks redundant power supplies, which is surprising to me.

wlesieutre 11y ago

> I actually wonder why you don't hear about power outages like this (not at CERN, but in regular cities) more frequently. Maybe public power supplies are more redundant? Happens pretty frequently, they just don't get reported beyond local news unless it affects something noteworthy. http://cybersquirrel1.com/ http://cybersquirrel1.com/ maps a lot of these "Cyber Squirrel Operations". Mainly squirrels, birds, raccoons, snakes, and rats.

at-fates-hands 11y ago
Squirrels are notorious for chewing on anything. My neighbor was digging in his front yard and thought he nicked some Comcast cabling. It was exposed so he called them and they said they'll be out tomorrow to inspect them and make sure its ok. Before they could get the there the following morning, two squirrels had eaten through the cable, got electrocuted and shut down the entire neighborhoods internet. I was lucky since I was using Century Link, but man do people get pissed when they don't have their internet working.
- derefr 11y ago
  You'd think that there would be a sort of temporary wrap sold at hardware stores, covered in/inundated with a bittering agent, to protect any wires you were going to temporarily leave exposed.

walrus 11y ago

Squirrels accounted for 28% of fiber cuts in 2010 for Level 3 Communications.[1] [1] http://blog.level3.com/level-3-network/the-10-most-bizarre-and-annoying-causes-of-fiber-cuts/ http://blog.level3.com/level-3-network/the-10-most-bizarre-a...

noobermin 11y ago
Is there any reason for this? Do cables seem appetizing to squirrels?
- Coincoin 11y ago
  A squirrel made its nest in my shed once. Believe me when I say, everything seems appetizing to them. Just like a baby, except a squirrel will destroy it instead of drooling on it.
  - lostlogin 11y ago
    Babies destroy things. You only have to scoop vomit out of a shoe, cheese out an electric window mechanism and fish DVDs out of the inside of a DVD player 6 or seven times to begin to get it.
- mjevans 11y ago
  I recall hearing that some of the plastic/insulation may have used peanut oil (or something that at least made it smell/taste that way).
- teh_klev 11y ago
  Might be something like this: http://pets.stackexchange.com/questions/23/why-do-cats-lick-plastic-bags-and-is-there-any-harm-in-it http://pets.stackexchange.com/questions/23/why-do-cats-lick-... My cat is mad for a good lick and a sniff of a plastic bag. She doesn't actually chew them but does this strange chewing motion with her mouth, a bit like when cats practice their kill bite or chatter when looking at potential prey from a window.

Obi_Juan_Kenobi 11y ago

A squirrel knocked out power for about 50k people in my area recently. Lasted about 8 hours. Happens often enough, but I'm guessing our system is somewhat mismanaged.

einrealist 11y ago

I worked for energy companies (workforce management systems, business intelligence). Accidents like this happen more often than you think. Usually they are isolated because its less likely to happen to larger grid units. Small incidents don't make news and are mitigated within hours. Unless human error is involved or accidents with human victims (traffic accidents, workplace accidents).

Create 11y ago

Because this PR piece is about getting in the news and guerrilla marketing. Are you a passionate engineer who is at ease with powerful high voltage equipment? Are you ready to become a key player in the design, development, production, installation and commissioning of some of the largest power converters in the world? Take part! http://jobs.web.cern.ch/job/11871 http://jobs.web.cern.ch/job/11871 Blaming a bird or a small mammal makes cute propaganda. This wasn't always the case: in 1999 three breakdowns have occurred in 18 kV transformers, causing major power cuts and beam losses totalling 3.5 days. Animals didn't take the blame in 2008 for the failure of a power transformer on one of the surface points of the LHC. And a warning to non-western members: "The cost [...] has been evaluated, taking into account realistic labor prices in different countries. The total cost is X (with a western equivalent value of Y) [where Y>X] source: LHCb calorimeters : Technical Design Report ISBN: 9290831693 cdsweb.cern.ch/record/494264 On top of the above treatment, the usual package for prospective employees: Resolution of the CERN Staff Council - the Management does not propose to align the level of basic CERN salaries with those chosen as the basis for comparison; - in the new career system a large fraction of the staff will have their advancement prospects, and consequently the level of their pension, reduced with respect to the current MARS system; - the overall reduction of the advancement budget will have a negative impact on the contributions to the CERN Health Insurance System (CHIS); http://cds.cern.ch/journal/CERNBulletin/2015/46/Staff%20Asso.. http://cds.cern.ch/journal/CERNBulletin/2015/46/Staff%20Asso.... Pensions which will be applicable to new recruits as of 1 January 2012; the Management and CERN Council adopted without any concertation and decided in June 2011 to adopt very unfavourable mesures for new recruits. http://www.gac-epa.org/History/Bulletins/42-2012-04/Bulletin.. http://www.gac-epa.org/History/Bulletins/42-2012-04/Bulletin....