PDP-8/L - fire hazard?

From: Ethan Dicks <erd_at_infinet.com>
Date: Mon Aug 17 08:14:43 1998

 
> I've never seen the TU77 or 78's flame.
>
> Bill

I've only ever seen an RK07 PSU and 11/24 PSU erupt in smoke, no flames, but
the operators at Ohio State University's DEC-20 lab told me about an incident.

For those that don't remember, computers used to have log books for
maintenance records (I have log books for a couple of -8's and a couple of
VAXen). A friend of mine noticed the following in the log book...
(dates simulated for effect)

Date Time Initials Action
06/03/81 11:05 jfs TU-77 catches fire
06/03/81 11:08 jfs TU-77 puts itself out
06/03/81 13:23 jfs TU-77 won't load tapes, DEC field service called.

When the call was placed, it went something like this...

  Operator: Our tape drive caught fire.

  Field Servoid: Was it a TU-77?

  Op: yes.

  FS: OK. I know what to bring.

One board swap later, all was well. Apparently, it was a common problem. At
the place I worked, we never had our TU-78 catch fire; Pertec must have learned
something by then.

-ethan
Received on Mon Aug 17 1998 - 08:14:43 BST