Remembrance Day, Disaster Averted and White Smoke.

 Our Location today is Windsor, Ontario.

Click on the pictures to enlarge.

First off I’d like to take this time to personally Thank all the Service People who fought so that we could enjoy the lives we have today. In Canada we call it Remembrance Day, in the United States it’s called Veterans Day. While many other countries have their own name for it was to mark the end of the Great War. Unfortunately it was not the last conflict that took place. We personally know many who served including Kathy’s own father who was taken as a Prisoner Of War. Again Thank You to all the Allied Troops.

Often times when I do my Morning Walk Around I find little things that need repair or simply clean up. Today was not one of those days. One of the biggest problems I find throughout the Plant are Water Leaks. Most are slow drips but what caught my eye while on the Mezzanine was a steady drip similar to the leaky Roof but it wasn’t Raining. When I looked closer I could see a large Two Inch Hose about to come off its fitting. The problems that would have cause are too many to list as it was attached to the Heat Exchanger and the Washers below.

I could have simply shut the Valves but that would have cause the Paint get too hot. I headed to the Office where I found the man with all the answers Paul. When I explained the steady Drip and my reluctance he practically jumped from his chair. On the Mezzanine he explained the connections and what the water running through that Hose was actually doing. He also saw this could not wait for the weekend.

He asked about the Pipe Hangers for the Compressor. When I said my Supervisor had said he would order them he just responded “You make the call”. I pointed out the problem the Low Pipe was causing for the Exhaust Duct on the Compressor so together we traced where it went and where it came from.

When I returned to the Fast Dripping Hose I had brought a number of Tools just in case the problem turned into a Disaster. I’d been told the longest the Water Valves could be turned off would be Twenty Minutes because if the Paint got too hot it would begin to harden in the Pipes. After cleaning the Fitting I shut the Valves and had the Hose repositioned a minute later. So as to not have a repeat I added a second clamp before opening the Valves. They had only been off for Five Minutes.

Before going downstairs I headed up through the Roof Hatch to see if Paul’s suspicions to where the end of the Natural Gas Line went. Sure enough an old Heating Unit had been replaced with a Cooling Unit so the Line had been simply Capped-Off.

Paul was happy to hear about both the Dripping Hose and the Gas Line. He then said “Go call our supplier”.

When I spoke to Milan I told him I wasn’t certain what the Pipe Bracket was called but tried to explain it to him. He finally told me to bring one to show him. Telling Paul I needed to go he simply said “Go”.

At Windsor Factory Supply using the Bracket I brought Milan was able to find the Brackets I needed then use the Stock Number to determine the proper name was a Pipe Clevis. I left there with a bag of goodies that will keep me busy well into next week.

I had used our Truck to run this Four Mile Round Trip errand. As most of you know our Truck has a modern Diesel Engine and with all the Pollution Controls on those engines they don’t do well with City Driving because it tends to clog the Diesel Particulate Filter (Diesel version of a Catalytic Converter). When that happens the Truck takes matters into its own hands and does something that totally embarrasses anybody. It started spewing out a thick White Cloud of exhaust smoke that was blinding the drivers behind me. Talk about a center shot. That took place just as I was arriving back at the Plant.

One of the larger Carriers was waiting for repairs when I walked back to the Compound. It was a quick Fifteen Minute repair. By the time I delivered it to the Paint-Line it was my lunch. I explained to Kathy what the Truck did and that I’d stop to see our Mechanic Jim before going home.

Back on the Mezzanine I made certain the Gas Valve was turned off before heading back to the Roof. Paul had told me to remove the entire Pipe so that’s what I started doing. There were no Unions in the entire Pipe so I had to start at the End working my way back to the source in other words the Valve. Once all Ninety Feet of Pipe were removed a Plug was put in the Valve so there is no chance of leakage.

When I took my Coveralls off at the end of the shift my Clothes were dripping wet but as I loaded my Tools in the Truck they got even more wet as it started to Rain. At Windsor Gas and Diesel Jim used his Tablet to check the Codes in the Truck then to put it on a deliberate Regen Mode. The Tablet showed the Filter was so clogged it took nearly an Hour of High Idle and it still wasn’t finished when I left. I took the Expressway to get home.

Kathy had supper ready when I walked in. She made Pepper Steak on a bed of Rice along with Fruit Cake and Oranges for dessert. We shared a bottle of Carbonated Juice for our beverage.

The Weather Network showed our high temperature today felt like 66 F (19 C) before the Rain set in.

The 6 o’clock Local News reported no New Coronavirus Cases due to the Remembrance Day Holiday in the Windsor/Essex Region because the Local Health Unit was closed for the day.

Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment unless it personally attacks someone for their opinion or is Spam.

Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Krackers

You Might Be a Redneck If

You've ever been arrested for a DUI on a riding lawn mower.