General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

21

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

BRASS RODS & BUSHINGS

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

11.0 cm

Width

2.0 cm

Height

N/A

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Marine Transportation

Category

Miscellaneous

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Newfoundland and Labrador

Period

BETWEEN 1976 & 1982

Canada

IT WAS THE MISTAKEN PERCEPTION OF THE BALLEST CONTROL OPERATORS THAT MANUALLY INSERTING A ROD INTO A SOLENOID VALVE LOCATED BENEATH THE MIMIC PANEL WOULD CLOSE THE VALVE. IN FACT, THE REVERSE WAS TRUE. 18 RODS WERE FOUND INSERTED IN VALVES, FOLLOWING THE LOSS. THESE BRASS RODS WERE FABRICATED SPECIFICALLY TO TEST THE PHEUMATIC SYSTEM BEFORE THE ELECTRIC CONTROL PANEL WAS INSTALLED IN THE BALLEST CONTROL ROOM ABOARD THE OCEAN RANGER. THE OCEAN RANGER'S CREW MISUNDERSTOOD THE USE & EFFECT OF THESE RODS - THEIR INSERTION DURING THE STORM OF FEB. 15, 1982 ACHIEVED AN EFFECT OPPOSITE TO THAT INTENDED & CONTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO THE DISASTER. THE MIMIC CONTROL PANEL IN THE BALLAST CONTROL ROOM PROVIDED VERY LIMITED INFORMATION REGARDING THE VALVES, AND NONE REGARDING THE MECHANICAL CONDITION OF THE EQUIPMENT. IF POWER WAS OFF AT THE MIMIC PANEL, ALL REMOTELY OPERATED VALVES CLOSED, BUT BALLAST VALVES & PUMPS COULD BE OPERATED MANUALLY FROM THE PUMP ROOM. HOWEVER, NO SYSTEM EXISTED SAVE THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM, TO CONTROL THE MANUAL BALLASTING OF THE RIG. THIS CRUCIAL FLAW WAS AT THE HEART OF THE OCEAN RANGER DISASTER.

Function

RODS WERE USED TO MANUALLY CONTROL THE SOLENOID VALVES ON THE BALLEST CONTROL PANEL. THIS CONSOLE IS EQUIPPED WITH CONTROLS FOR PUMPS & VALVES USED TO TRANSFER BALLEST & LIQUID CARGO TO & FROM THE TANKS IN THE PONTOONS. (REPORT, P.389)

Technical

WHEN IT WAS LAUNCHED IN 1976, THE OCEAN RANGER WAS THE LARGEST, SELF-PROPELLED SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNIT IN THE WORLD (REPORT, p.vii)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

NONE

Missing

N/A

Finish

Unknown

Decoration

N/A