22K power sockets

[James Howard]

Does anybody know if there is a problem with the passenger power sockets on 22K trains? Both yesterday and today I had no power at my seat two different trains. Yesterday morning, I moved car and there was still no power.

All three cars had engines running and all lights on, and I fiddled with the circuit breaker buttons.

[Colm Moore]

If there is a power issue, the sockets would be one of the first (even the first) thing to have power withdrawn.

However, if it is persistent, I would suspect that it may be something that was turned off and someone forgot to turn them back on. Mention it to on-board staff if it continues.

If possible, get thet carriage number(s).

[James Howard]

Gone again this morning on at least three cars including 22444. I guess there is a driver new to the route who finds it too much of an effort to turn the power on in the morning.

Chance would be fine thing regarding telling the on-board staff. I can't see much point in saying anything to the trolley pusher and the ticket collector only gets on between Mullingar and Maynooth and I haven't seen him yet.

This is particularly irritating because I've just bought a new laptop specifically for commuting that doesn't have particularly brilliant battery life but I reckoned I didn't need it because the power on the trains has previously been pretty reliable.

[Mark Gleeson]

The power sockets are by default switched on, the only switch the driver has access to is the emergency isolate switch in each coach which kills everything except the doors (which run on the battery). There is a huge wall of switches behind the driver but that is sealed but has a glass screen so the driver can see what is tripped

The 22k/ICR operates its onboard systems very like an airplane. If there is a technical fault, non critical systems are shed. The first system on the list to go are the power sockets. If that isn't enough it works through other systems such as the catering boiler. The safety critical systems run off the battery if everything else fails

At first when the ICR's where delivered the shedding order was all over the place and the heating and AC was the first to be chopped but the power sockets remained on. Clearly that was not acceptable

Curiously most of the reports are on morning trains towards Dublin which suggests a technical fault picked up the day before or that someone at maintenance is failing to reset the circuit breakers

[James Howard]

Gone again this evening on 22206 which is on a different set. Something has definitely changed over the last couple of months.

I was away for two weeks but even with this I've been without power more times over the last month than the whole time between when the 22ks came in and last month.

[Jamie2k9]

There is no power problems on services from Heuston. Recently traveled to Galway, Limerick and Waterford and all had power.

[wobbles]

I have noticed this over the last few weeks on the Rosslare line also. I have been keeping the dates and the number of the train.

16/05/11 22246 05.55 Gorey to Connolly
16/05/11 22321 18.30 Connolly to Rosslare
17/05/11 22446 18.30 Connolly to Rosslare
20/05/11 22328 18.30 Connolly to Rosslare
23/05/11 22421 05.55 Gorey to Connolly
25/05/11 22317 18.30 Connolly to Rosslare

[Mark Gleeson]

Thats very helpful

22201 17:55 Rosslare Dublin 27/5/2011 was working

[Ballymore]

I've also experienced this problem with the sockets but have actually found some working some not after moving down carriages which is odd and would suggest something different to a general power switch off. It's very annoying to get a seat, get set up, only to find no power available.

[James Howard]

There is a local trip switch on each of the socket pairs so it is worth trying the reset button. But this is a separate issue to most of the train not having power. I tried 3 cars on the early Sligo train this morning by checking the status lights on a couple of sockets in each car and there was no power on any of them.

What will start happening soon is that various disaffected youths will start sticking things in the sockets if they know they aren't working and fairly soon, they'll end up falling out of use entirely.

On the plus side, we got 22k service on the 1805 to Longford three times last week which was a nice bonus. I presume they'll have the usual uncomfortable train fixed fairly soon.

[Mark Gleeson]

That 22k will be a permanent fixture as extra trains have arrived and will be in service by year end

[Ballymore]

I always try the reset button but lately that has had no effect whatsoever.

[James Howard]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

That 22k will be a permanent fixture as extra trains have arrived and will be in service by year end

That is fantastic news. Power or no power, the comfort factor is such a major improvement.

[Mark Gleeson]

You have one this evening as well

Query in with Irish Rail on the sockets

[wobbles]

Power sockets not working on 22306 on the 05.55 ex Gorey this morning.

29000 on 18.30 to Rosslare this evening.

[James Howard]

I posted a query on Irish Rail's website and the answer explains what is going on.

"Our projects department discovered a problem with the individual trip
switches on the sockets and they have fitted a trip switch by carriage.
If a passenger plugs in a faulty device it will trip the carriage
instead of just that socket as a safety precaution. The driver can only
reset the system at the end of each journey."

So obviously, the drivers need to be briefed to go through the train and reset the breakers at the end of the journey.

[Mark Gleeson]

Thats what we asked Irish Rail to do, but alas no response to indicate this is being done

This fault does not effect Dublin Cork Mk4 trains as they have proper individual sockets

[Mark Gleeson]

I've done some investigation and it would appear that the socket trip switch (actually a current leakage trip) is rated at 30mA. Odds are the socket trip switch is not as fast as the coach circuit breaker so when a fault occurs the main trip switch is pulled faster than the socket one. So either the wrong type or rating

All other on train sockets on all other fleets are rated at 20mA trip current, where as the coach circuit breaker would be 30mA (standard home rating for an entire house)

For reference its the pesky trip switch on your home fuseboard, the big one with the reset button that kills all your sockets that is the problem on the train

[James Howard]

Mark, perhaps if your home trip switch is pesky, it is you that is going round tripping the switches on all of the trains.

Power was working on at least 2 cars of the early Sligo Intercity this morning, but I think it was a different trainset. It was definitely given an exterior wash anyway - the train earlier in the week was absolutely filthy.

[Mark Gleeson]

Its not me, haven't plugged in on an ICR in months, thats what 8 hour battery life will do to you.

I get the feeling someone is doing this deliberately as the scale of the problem appears to be significant