Re: Never push the Big Red Button

[Stephen Satchell <list () satchell net>]

In the data centers I've worked in over the decades, those Big Red 
Buttons would activate a normally-closed contactor in a breaker panel. 
When pushed, the contactor would open, and turn off all the circults in 
said breaker panel.  Not affected are lights, convenience outlets, door 
locks, and other non-data loads.  Resetting the contactor to the working 
position was done after throwing all the breakers to the off position, 
and then turn on each breaker, one at a time.

The only noise that I have ever heard when the Big Red Button was pushed 
was the loud BANG as the contactor operated.  You hear a similar bang in 
movies in scenes where lights in a large area are turned on and off.

Nothing like the BANG of a 600-amp 3-phase breaker tripping -- 
experienced that at University of Illinois Center for Advanced 
Computation.  You immediately look for the person holding a gun.