If you need casualty power, biscuits are the answer

[@rianfelis3156]

Note: travel is not prohibited around casualty power for humie safety. It is so that a humie doesn't trip over the cord and pull it out of the biscuit, interrupting and potentially damaging what was already the backup to the backup.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

Having seen photos of what can happen when one of you idiots manages to trip over a mere knee-knocker, there's a bit of "humie safety" there too.

[@whirledpeaz5758]

Fun fact; the primary power system on Nimitz class is 4160VAC 3 phase. With 13 load center transformers to 440VAC. This design choice saved 100 tons of copper in construction. It was also made to make the size of the reactor coolant pumps managable.

[@garrettmastantuono8043]

Let's face it, 80% of the idea to get drunk was probably from the Marines.

[@johnpatz8395]

I like the description AngryCop used in a recent video, “if you put Marines in a room for a couple hours that contains nothing but a large boulder, when you open the door the boulder will either be broken or pregnant!”

[@garrettmastantuono8043]

@@johnpatz8395 or it's gone missing

[@johnpatz8395]

@@garrettmastantuono8043 true, that’s always an option as well. 😂

[@JGregory32]

Just the thought of trying to connect and secure those cables in zero-g is giving me nightmares, followed by the realization that in zero-g the cable would not be on the floor, but rather hanging in the middle of the corridor just waiting for some poor ensign to come flying through.

[@m0rtez713]

In zero-g, the answer is velcro.

[@NikkiTheOtter]

@@m0rtez713 Wrap the cables in fluffy fabric and just put patches of velcro on the walls.

[@fakshen1973]

"It ain't stupid... but it ain't smart." But when you're in the sh--, you'll make whatever you have to work. Also, you could design a system where a biscuit could be on one side of a sealable door and the extension on the other. If you make the pass-through robust enough so that you wouldn't have to drape this thick cable through a hatch/door.

[@quazar5017]

its a terrible idea to power a sealed door, when the other side could be literally under water

[@Nalothisal]

@@quazar5017 My work around for that is having a throw switch, or really fucking big GFCI biscuit, with a means to push a button to close the circuit. Essentially you would have a switch to close the circuit like a light switch, or breaker, and then the GFCI biscuit itself that will trip if there's a major power fault.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

A significant number of risers connect to other risers on the other sides of bulkheads or compartments.

[@Nalothisal]

@@SacredCowShipyards That's what I thought they did. Thanks for clarifying.

[@carloshenriquezimmer7543]

SO... you are saying that... in a ship... a solution for it to run... when all options failed... is a BISCUIT SOooo... it's HARDTACK CLACK-CLACK...

[@TheEmbassyClerk]

There are definitely limits on how far you are technically allowed to run extension cables. But then there's always a difference between what's supposed to be done and what is actually done.

[@nobodyimportant2470]

"May get someone killed if you do it" is always trumped by "we are all going to die if you don't". This is one of the big reasons for the miraculous repair times in sci-fi. The job will take 2 hours so you tell the captain 4 in case of problems. If you sacrifice safety you can get the system up in under an hour even though doing that isn't a good idea it may be better than the alternative.

[@glytchd]

It's actually super easy to guesstimate 'the limit' of extension cord. It's all about amperage. First thing you need to do is get rid of the idea of them having a Limit, per-se.. it's more about heart build up. And also drop the idea of extension cord being ANY different than the wires elsewhere. There are real simple calculations that tell you if a wire is going to over heat and how long it'll take. Also playing with electricity helps alot

[@Squizziles]

@@glytchddoesn’t it just come down to wire gauge and heat dissipation? Longer the cable smaller the gauge? I’m legitimately curious because I’ve completely forgotten what the formula is and just resort to a heavy duty for anything that may melt a regular cable out of paranoia. Electric standards took awhile to catch up in my town, half of us still have leaded conduits left in the roofs some still connected 😂😂

[@osmacar5331]

And with relays you can really take them extendos travel.

[@Tula-cs1ef]

​@@Squizziles"keep in mind the regulations were written by people who will never have to use them."

[@kentlindal5422]

I thought "Casualty power riser" was what you became if you weren't wearing your gloves...

[@alandavis5820]

Dockmaster, some of this info needs a little updating. DDGs and newer ships no longer use biscuits, they have three-prong screw-in plugs similar to figure L in that graphic of plug types at 2:27. It is considerably safer to run and is a single cable with three conductors, also makes it nearly impossible to connect incorrectly.

[@c.a.mcdivitt9722]

JP Jones would likely think the modern US Navy- relatablely chaotic. Remember, this is a guy who had to capture two of his prizes back from his own prize crews (who had got so fed up with him they wanted to just LEAVE). He also sailed out of a battle on a different ship than he sailed in on, having got his own ship sunk while capturing a british ship.

[@markfergerson2145]

He would also think about the barely comprehensible (to him) difference between the threats his Navy faced and what the modern Navy faces, and the requisite complexity of modern ship’s system to even come close to coping with those threats. An aircraft carrier would probably put him in a sanitarium for a few months.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

Chaotic, but disappointing: x.com/IndefiniteLT/status/1799253762462121995

[@jamesrozell6467]

The battleship New Jersey channel had a good video on biscuits.

[@henrycarlson7514]

so True

[@rifleman2c997]

clack clack

[@ThunderClawShocktrix]

yup short and sweet, this one is much more funny though

[@kennethschlegel870]

Man, thats way too complicated, glad my Ticonderoga cruiser's casualty power cables just had big ol plugs on them.

[@Theonixco]

Not our fault that the limeys have the bad tasting biscuits.

[@nobodyimportant2470]

You don't like cookies? That is what they call biscuits. What we call biscuits they call scones.

[@davethompson3326]

Bah! If it wasn't for the French navy, you coves would be speaking ... well ... far better English!

[@davethompson3326]

@@nobodyimportant2470 Not sure about the scones bit. Scones usually have cheese or sultanas in. If someone served me American biscuits, I should probably call them something quite rude and then the police!

[@markfergerson2145]

@@davethompson3326Clearly you are unaware of the heavenly concoction we call “biscuits and gravy”. I still marvel at videos of Brits getting a look and then a taste. The reaction is almost always the same- they go from “what the hell is that abomination, it clearly isn’t fit for human consumption!” to “ please sir, can I have some more?”.

[@markfergerson2145]

Remember that hardtack (clack clack) was also known to the British Navy as “ship’s biscuits”.

[@umbraelegios4130]

one ex mil scifi author had a in universe damage control method on the combat shuttles equipping them with a copper crow bar. Mounted over the the rear ramp. "If lose of power remove said crow bar, insert into main bus bar to restore power." This only worked once, as the crowbar welded it self in place, with a very pretty sparks shower.

[@MrGrimsmith]

John Ringo, Troy Rising series. If anyone hasn't read it yet - do so. Well worth the time. IIRC there was no sign on the crowbar but knowledge of how to use it was the detail that certified a true flight engineer.

[@bearnaff9387]

I was now seconds old when I learned some of the what Damage Control does mid-battle. It makes me really worry about those poor Starfleet kiddos, their power system apparently runs plasma through their decks in spit of having never invented a method for controlling plasma surges in any way, shape, or form. I've seen Starfleet _display panels_ explode violently enough to cause the interment of an unlucky crew being after energy weapons fire pierced their shields and surged the entirely unprotected power system. I'm just imagining the wrestling with point-to-point plasma conduits to reconnect critical subsytems when AT ANY POINT an attack may hit anywhere on the ship and send plasma surging out of their Space-Biscuits to flambe the poor engineering ensign who's standing by to hook a chain up to a viable plasma source.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

EPS was an... odd choice.

[@cmdrwilmot2696]

I can accept Starfleet needing some exotic method to carry the vast amounts of power required to power phasers, photons, and all the sensors and other equipment on the ship, though I have to wonder about the power transmission losses from plasma. But you would think that the bridge and other computer consoles could and should be powered by either traditional power cabling or any other method that does not regularly result in explosive electrical surges/shorts due to battle or other damage.

[@almirria6753]

The most important piece of gear to keep running, the coffee maker & pizza oven/s

[@christophergreen2892]

After the talk about sailors drinking, you neglect the beer frig?

[@SacredCowShipyards]

Ice cream machine.

[@almirria6753]

@@christophergreen2892 That is why they drink grog

[@grifnizzle7197]

Damn, how long have you had this one collecting lint in your pocket? That end card is an actual blast from the past.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

The decline has been going for a while.

[@earld1403]

Speaking of alternate power in an emergency - this is one reason why I like UPS's (uninterruptible power systems) because the power from the source does NOT go directly to the end point. Instead it's going to the Battery inside the UPS and from there to the end point. *This means that whether the source power has spikes, drops or is completely lost, the end point always has a constant supply of power.* Of course this would have significant disadvantages within a warship due to the size and number of batteries that would be required but it works great at home to protect one's electronics from lightning spikes, transient power drops or power outages from storms.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

Yeah, for three phase, that'd be a big battery.

[@Plasmacore_V]

I remember seeing photos of USS Texas having 'walls' of exposed knife switches just waiting for sailors to fall into them.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

OSHA doesn't know the military exists.

[@MrGrimsmith]

You missed a definition - a biscuit is also a flat, thin piece of wood inserted in to recesses in two larger pieces to help form a stronger bond when glued. Just an FYI :)

[@markfergerson2145]

I keep thinking of Star Trek where every time they’re in combat the Captain orders emergency power be routed from some ordinarily essential system like life support to the shields after all of the automatic backups fail, and all that happens is somebody pushes buttons or taps a touchscreen. We almost never see anyone re-plumbing EPS conduits. Think about that for a moment- unlike real world three phase lines they have to somehow install jumpers between waveguides carrying high power EM fields *and* high energy plasma. That’s gotta be fun. I can’t see pre-cut sections of either rigid or flexible waveguides hanging from bulkheads along with the inevitable mode and phase adapters you would need next to a normally unused EPS port with a plug in it.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

"Force fields.-

[@MonkeyJedi99]

"Three phase power is three up and three down." And there it is, the scene from Good Morning Vietnam!

[@reecewestmoreland6137]

i feel like dipping these biscuits in my tea wouldn't go down well.....

[@dmcarpenter2470]

Good one. Enjoyed the explanation of KISS 90+ year old tech. Good pic of BB-35. Great promise in your outro.

[@TotallyDapper]

I visited the USS Turner Joy DD-961 in Seattle a week ago, and learned about biscuits, risers, and damage control. It’s cool to see a video about the subject!

[@craigmorris4083]

You know, there are not a lot of DC vids out there. Glad this is one.

[@tortenschachtel9498]

"Natural gas powered dryers" - you are powering the machines that dry your clothes with gas? Are you mad?

[@BrokePencil]

Who else wants a bacon egg and cheese biscuit now? Maybe sausage or chicken... No, wait hast to be bacon egg and cheese because that's a 3 phase biscuit. Thanks Dockmaster, those are carbs that I didn't need.

[@davethompson3326]

Having attempted to connect up a mobile commcen in the dark, while it was foggy and yet somehow also pissing down, I can appreciate the problems with cables in the dark. I never really considered the issue of absolutely no windows in warships, though.

[@tesseractcubed]

Note, the floating bus is the reason three phase biscuits work with three wires.

[@henrycarlson7514]

so Wise , Thank You .Damage control basics.

[@TheGenericavatar]

"I only do so much research on you weirdos." 😀

[@widgren87]

When I first read the title my brain conjured the image of someone using a piece of Hardtack to bridge a faulty coupling... Anyway, interesting video even if some of the technical bits went right pass me as I am borderline illiterate in terms of electrical systems :-) It will be fun to see what comes next.

[@Jcewazhere]

If a boat/ship tips over onto its side do all the doors then become hatches and all the hatches become doors? Dolly's awesome. Reading's awesome. You're awesome for helping both.

[@mouseblackcat5263]

They should all use the CUBE Standard.

[@peterhall8572]

Domestic UK household supply is single phase 240v average 50 amp supply The cables under the road to the house are all 3 hase for Industrial use

[@spamblockr]

could I get southern gravy?

[@Ve-om7lf]

Sooooo...did that picture of flash hoods, utilities, and allice belts give anyone else flashbacks for just me?

[@super.history.brian.pilchard]

Yet another banger with the added bonus of some John Paul Jones :)

[@Tom-fl8eh]

Yo, dog, I heard you like biscuits.

[@spencershirk5317]

Not sure if electronics 202, home economics 101, or journeyman welding certification? Works for me 🤷‍♂️

[@BoraHorzaGobuchul]

Stage they wouldn't use something like a powercon style connector. Where you just stick a round plug into a round hole. It would be somewhat bulky for hv cable, still it would be much easier, faster, and wouldn't require additional locking...

[@mitchelloates9406]

I heard last night, that Dolly Parton's Dollywood in Pigeon Forge TN, was rated the top amusement park for 2023, beating out both Disney World and Disneyland.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

I've heard good things about it, specifically that they deliberately hire locals, especially the craftsmen, to bring in the right geastalt.

[@Balevolt]

Loram track maintenance vehicles also use 3 phrases at 440 volts

[@peterhall8572]

Nice looking Carrier group

[@jasonudall8614]

A certain freighter had some power outages...just before dropping a bridge..in baltimore

[@SacredCowShipyards]

Their damage control is a lot more... limited.

[@jasonudall8614]

@@SacredCowShipyards it would appear so

[@ahappypie9]

Gotta keep those insuls handy

[@taith2]

As person who dabbled in power distribution, i am sort of surprised ships havent used redundant power network with redundant cabling and automated switches It automatically cuts and reroutes power around any fault area, in this case you would only need to run extension cords in case of catastrophic damage to a smoldering wreck section

[@SacredCowShipyards]

I mean, like I said, they do.

[@hughgordon6435]

take it ,there's nowhere for the gravy?

[@leerman22]

This looks so much harder than it needs to be, I like big beefy solid copper to setscrew to. I imagine the copper conductor fraying in the heat of damage control.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

They have the little aglets on the ends, which seems to hold then together.

[@Binidj]

I think you underestimate how long we British can hold a grudge .. hint: it's a VERY long time.

[@comentedonakeyboard]

So if the ship capsizes the, now horizontal, doors become hatches? Asuming of course anyone in this situation would feel nitpicky enough to bother.

[@SoremRasmussen]

On the Sci Fi authors and the use of "Hatches"....remember, there is no "up" in space. ;-) (Awesome video as always!!)

[@boobah5643]

Considering how many of these ships have artificial gravity that works as long as the hull is mostly intact, the ship has an up even if 'space' doesn't.

[@steffen19k]

How do you *not* stick your fingers in the biscuit holes?

[@MonkeyJedi99]

You want non-combat "sketchy"? See the US navy's R-14 in 1921. I'll not spoil the tale.

[@Relkond]

The 3-phase casualty power cables are perfectly safe along their lengths,,,unless they get damaged, which if what damaged the ship necessitating their use is still damaging things? Meh, wishful thinking dictates that things will be fine.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

More of a trip hazard concern when rapidly transiting a likely darkened ship.

[@quentinking4351]

Ok, but what do you call doors/hatches on a ship with multiple artificial accelerational gravity, a la the MacArthur from The Mote in God's Eye, which had one orientation for long term burns and another for spin gravity? Or for more IRL, what were they called on the Flip, that research platform made from an old submarine hull that would, well, flip 90 degrees to stand upright midocean?

[@ThunderClawShocktrix]

in that case id use door for thihngs that are not air/water tight and hatch for thingss that are

[@ShamanActual]

Could you please talk about the rylan gunstar from the last starfighter?

[@johncage5368]

Pretty complicated fiddly sh*t for something that needs to be done fast in very bad conditions.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

They train on it a lot, but yes.

[@irystocrattakodachithatmooms]

What is going on in the heads of people in the military to name things related to power after a type of food? Bros be weird and unbased in the military. Thank goodness I'm in the same space as the based pink yabbit who has a bathroom gun.

[@xxxlonewolf49]

Never saw these on MCM's. It's been a decade or 2 since I was on one, so might have been there & Never used...but pretty sure we didn't have them.

[@nobodyimportant2470]

To be fair this like a fire extinguisher. You have it but hope to never need to use it. Unless it was your job to make sure they were still in good working condition you probably wouldn't notice them. Someone else said that on newer ships the 3 wires were replaced with a set of plugs to further idiot proof the system and make make it safer.

[@xxxlonewolf49]

@nobodyimportant2470 I did DC work than the average guy, & this stuff was never brought up. Even during SW training. I don't think more we had them. The Minesweepers did weird things. The MCM's are still made of 3 kinds wood of wood laminated together with proper ribs, & 224'ish feet long. The MHC's had giant 1 piece Fiberglass hulls, 180'ish feet long. I don't even remember this stuff in the 2 'real' machine rooms.

[@SacredCowShipyards]

I think it was generally assumed that if MCMs took enough damage to need these, it wouldn't really matter either way.

[@xxxlonewolf49]

@@SacredCowShipyards LOL, fair point...we could punch a screw driver through the hull/skin by hand......

[@joehelland1635]

So wheres the gravy?

[@gregcampwriter]

If the cords and biscuits are going to be phyiscally marked by one, two, or three bumps, shouldn't the categories be labeled One, Two, or Three, rather than A, B, C?

[@SacredCowShipyards]

The phases are referred to by letter designation.

[@redgreen09]

YES ALL that eltric stuff is nutst had re do a lamp switch and what a pain in but and whas not the switch but the light bolb EEEEERRRGG but we did both see the nest vid

[@jon-paulfilkins7820]

Sorry, English/British influence at play with the Biscuit thingamy. Here you drive 25 miles, people speak different, drive 50, small individually baked portions of bread had a completely different name! The bad influence spread for some reason (I think it was linked to an attitude of "nice country, we'll take it" that used to be rather common here). Then you have the French, I swear their engineers came from a parallel dimension, It works fine, but always differently, we don't copy them 😜

[@tssteelx]

What country uses the B plug in? the kitty cat plug in. Also where is this going, sci fi wise?

[@SacredCowShipyards]

"Have casualty power."

[@Maj_Kasul]

Yo dawg 😂❤

[@theeutecticpoint]

neat!

[@FinalJesse_]

Ahhh

[@AncientRylanor69]

i