Sanford Lake Dam Project - Phase 1: Rotor Removal

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

On the harsh, cold lakeshore and a frigid (-14), Don Maxon and I pulled up to the Sanford Lake Dam to pick up a 22 ton rotor from a 1,375 KVA turbine generator.  It is one of three generators that were installed in the the 1920's - and the FIRST to go bad!  Because none of these turbine generators had ever been removed for repair, the rigging company had to fabricate a removable roof piece to get this turbine out, piece by piece.  

It is a very eerie feeling driving down the highway with such a heavy, unstable load.  Don, an 18 year veteran of York, knows very well how to secure a load of this magnitude - one of the most underrated and important parts of a drivers' job.

The rotor is the first part to be completely overhauled.  32 pole pieces will be rewound, and a new shaft is being fabricated by Dalton Manufacturing.  The stator is to be removed in the next 2-3 weeks.  The entire process will be completed sometime in spring and the third power generator will be back on line.

We will keep you posted as this project is just underway and will be filled with challenges along the way.