Gatso powered by generator.

[A57 HSV]

I remember a recent thread stating that Gatso cameras powered by a roadside generators have not obtained approval & as such should not be allowed.
I recalled this when I saw several such cameras on the M4 yesterday.
Is it true?

[BigBob]

Would the generator also need type approval?

Most portable gennies have a habit of peaking and troughing their output occasionally - however slightly.

Looks like Nick Freeman's going to be making more money out of this one.



BB

[Pigeon]

BigBob said:

Most portable gennies have a habit of peaking and troughing their output occasionally - however slightly.

They also have a habit of disappearing rapidly into the back of pikeys' vans. It doesn't sound like much to worry about.

[BigBob]

Pigeon said:

BigBob said:

Most portable gennies have a habit of peaking and troughing their output occasionally - however slightly.

They also have a habit of disappearing rapidly into the back of pikeys' vans. It doesn't sound like much to worry about.

BB

[sadako]

If you can change the output to 120v that might be entertaining

[monkeyhanger]

sadako said:

If you can change the output to 120v that might be entertaining

More entertaining if you can get access to the fuel tank and fill the bugger with sand & cement.

[combemarshal]

BigBob said:

Would the generator also need type approval?

Most portable gennies have a habit of peaking and troughing their output occasionally - however slightly.

Looks like Nick Freeman's going to be making more money out of this one.



BB

[combemarshal]

BigBob said:

Would the generator also need type approval?

Most portable gennies have a habit of peaking and troughing their output occasionally - however slightly.

Looks like Nick Freeman's going to be making more money out of this one.



BB

News to me, I work on A building site, powered by Generators for 12hours a day 7 days a week with out a hitch.

As for the Pikies having it away they'd have it gone before the bloke who had dropped it off had finished his coffee!!

[safespeed]

A57 HSV said:

I remember a recent thread stating that Gatso cameras powered by a roadside generators have not obtained approval & as such should not be allowed.
I recalled this when I saw several such cameras on the M4 yesterday.
Is it true?

It might be. Gatsos are approved to run from mains power or batteries (As I recall). If there's a generator in use to keep the batteries charged up then it may be that the use is allowed.

If there are no batteries, then, Houston, I think we have a problem.

[BigBob]

combemarshal said:

BigBob said:

Would the generator also need type approval?

Most portable gennies have a habit of peaking and troughing their output occasionally - however slightly.

Looks like Nick Freeman's going to be making more money out of this one.



BB

News to me, I work on A building site, powered by Generators for 12hours a day 7 days a week with out a hitch.

As for the Pikies having it away they'd have it gone before the bloke who had dropped it off had finished his coffee!!

TBF mate - the sort of equipment generally used on a building siteis not likely to be affected by even a 15% variation in voltage or frequency. Doubt very much whether you'd even notice - perhaps you may have noticed lighting dimming fractionally in the past when a heavy load is applied is applied - at least until the governor catches up.

Different matter when you're talking about relatively sensitive electronic equipment though - a comparitively small 'spike' can destroy components instantly and certainly invalidate any calibration.

Many years ago when I worked for British Railways - as it was then - we had standby generators for the, at the time, new coloured light signalling. In order to comply with the supply requirements of the electronics involved there was a control panel absolutely crammed with control equipment. I'm talking a panel approx 24 foot long x 8 foot High x 3 foot deep.

Each generator station was brick built and approx 40x20 with very, very expensive Sulzer powered gennies.

Even with these it was possible to see a variation +/- 5% in the frequency and the same ish on voltage.

GATSOS powered by roadside gennies - never be accurate in a million years.



BB

[A57 HSV]

safespeed said:

A57 HSV said:

I remember a recent thread stating that Gatso cameras powered by a roadside generators have not obtained approval & as such should not be allowed.
I recalled this when I saw several such cameras on the M4 yesterday.
Is it true?

It might be. Gatsos are approved to run from mains power or batteries (As I recall). If there's a generator in use to keep the batteries charged up then it may be that the use is allowed.

If there are no batteries, then, Houston, I think we have a problem.

They are on both sides of the M4, junctions 16-17, on the 50mph roadworks section. Gatso camera & two white boxes in line next to it, bigger than an average generator & pretty much square in shape. Iirc, they had Power Electrics wrtiiten on them. TBH you'd have to be blind to miss them, but if they aren't type approved!