Comm Tower Showing Its Age

IT Thinks Backup Power Is Needed By Reagan ConnellyOn Tuesday, July 26, 2022, the Computer IT (Information Technology) and Emergency Management departments approached the county commissioners regarding a new power source for the southwest communications tower.According to the IT Department, the southwest tower generator currently has a battery backup system. However, over time these batteries wear down and are no longer useful.“So, what this is, is pretty much the same battery backup and configuration that we have,” IT Director Brad Eisenhauer said. “It’s a large battery that’s actually hardwired in, so all the outlets on the wall to the breaker box, which is wired to this battery, so then this battery can actually protect everything.”In order to install these batteries, the current configuration and generator would have to be completely dismantled. The time is coming to replace the generators so now is the perfect time to install the new power supply systems, IT officials noted.The warranty for this system is 10 years.Commissioner Gale Pohlman asked, “If we have the generator, why do we need the battery too?”“It can always protect it from power surges, lightning hits, that sort of thing,” Eisenhauer said. “We’ve been fortunate enough for years that we haven’t taken a severe lightning hit on that tower. So, this helps protect it from power surges.”He added that with as tall as the tower is a lightning hit is always a chance.John McKee, Jefferson and saline County Emergency Management, added that when the tower goes down there is a time when all communication lines are also down until the generator is brought up. “And even though it only takes seconds for the generator to kick in, when everything goes down it takes a while for all the computers and equipment to reboot and get back online.”McKee added that they have been extraordinarily lucky that during these reboots emergency services were not needed.The battery backup will keep everything in power while the generator kicks back on, McKee explained. The battery will also give the maintenance crew time to get out there and fix the generator.This system will cost about $5,000 to the county. McKee said he already has a generator lined up and it can be shipped in August.The commissioners are currently working out the budget which they say has been their toughest budget yet. Inflation all across the country has made it difficult to keep things running the way they currently run without breaking the bank.

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