Electricity During Sinking

[Rennette Marston]

Have to be a bit careful on that one! There is survivor testimony for both the lights staying on and the electrical system failing before the break.

I think it was more about perspective than which survivor got what detail wrong or right. You also have to consider the fact that the stern section was not only violently listing and bobbing on the surface during and after the break-up, but also "keeled over" and was rotating as well. All of these factors could explain why the survivors gave different accounts of the lights on the sinking Titanic.

Also, the lights were flickering in the latter stages of the sinking, too. This can explain why "there is survivor testimony for both the lights staying on and the electrical system failing before the break."

 

[Rancor]

I think it was more about perspective than which survivor got what detail wrong or right. You also have to consider the fact that the stern section was not only violently listing and bobbing on the surface during and after the break-up, but also "keeled over" and was rotating as well. All of these factors could explain why the survivors gave different accounts of the lights on the sinking Titanic.

Also, the lights were flickering in the latter stages of the sinking, too. This can explain why "there is survivor testimony for both the lights staying on and the electrical system failing before the break."

Agree! Due to this it will be hard to know exactly what happened I guess.

I am still of the opinion that once the break took place the electricity would have failed, though there are plenty who think otherwise.

 

[Kyle Naber]

Have to be a bit careful on that one! There is survivor testimony for both the lights staying on and the electrical system failing before the break.

I think it’s possible that because the emergency lights were so sparsely located on the stern, it was enough to make a general statement that the lights “went out” at the break for someone farther away, and the lights remained “on” for someone close by.

 

[Rennette Marston]

It's a very plausible scenario, Kyle. I remember one survivor said that before he jumped into the water he looked back at the Titanic and the lights on deck appeared to be a "devilish red" color. I suppose those lights were the emergency dynamos dimming and turning red. The main lighting circuits probably went out earlier. And like I said above, the Titanic's aft section, where the electrical circuits were located, was violently bobbing and listing in the water after she broke from the foward section. Vantage point and the way the Titanic was moving in the water greatly determined the view all survivors had of the sinking, as well as how the flooding affected the lighting.

 

[Rancor]

I think it’s possible that because the emergency lights were so sparsely located on the stern, it was enough to make a general statement that the lights “went out” at the break for someone farther away, and the lights remained “on” for someone close by.

Possibly, though the emergency dynamos were supplied by the same steam that supplied the main dynamos. I'm unsure how you could loose main power without loosing the emergency power in this situation.

 

[Rennette Marston]

Here's a scene from A Night to Remember (1958) where the ship is brightly lit and there are no stars:

Here's the corrected version I made which is more close to reality:

 

[Incony]

While the circuit is intact, and supplied with electricity, i.e not turned off, any bulb in the circuit intact and connected, will light.. the Titanic generator needed steam to turn it, and as long as it turned it produced electricity, at current according to good old ohms law... and electromagnetic theory - its how electricity is made.. if one spins a car alternator, even underwater, it will produce electricity, not for very long, since the water reacts with the electricity, and will cause failure.. if you look at a car alternator, as an example, its open to the elements , one cant insulate all its parts from the weather, and yet car alternators survive the heaviest inrushes of water into the engine bay.. and keep on working.. as far as loading is concerned, the ability of the generator to supply any circuits connected, like lights, depends on what safety circuits and how they operated.. for example if the safety circuit was dependent on current load, but didn't receive enough current to cause it to trip out, then it wouldn't, and sea water being conductive would cause dissipation of current, and so some lights might be bright, and others would begin to dim, depending on the quality of the insulation.. since a reduction of supply to the circuit, causes that.. Electricity wants to take the shortest path to ground, and will share paths to enable that.. you for example.. Water, even sea water isnt always the shortest path to ground, And for the Titanic the hull was.. When the steam supply stops, but the generator is still connected, then it will be the time it takes to stop turning, and the load still connected, that will determine how bright any remaining lamps will work... so.. even though the ship is breaking in two.. its still possible as that happens that some circuits are still intact, and the generator is still turning and supplying them until either the circuit fails or the generator stops.. a fuse wont blow unless its a short circuit. A current trip wont trip, unless its current is exceeded, a contactor wont drop out unless its not getting electricity to its coil, and my knowledge of those on the Titanic is that those were manual operation.. not automatic? . so any circuit that isn't short circuit, can still be receiving electricity.. even as the generator starts to slow down.. ? Remember the days of bicycle dynamo`s? as long as the wheel turns, the light will light. ?

 

[Steven Christian]

Just some info on the elect equipment. Don't remember if I posted this before.

Titanic Images - The Shipbuilder - 7: Electrical Equipment | GG Archives

www.gjenvick.com

The Electrician Magazine Titanic Images | GG Archives

www.gjenvick.com

 

[Auden G Minor]

Is it possible that the lights went out because the machinery fell out because of the angle?

 

[Kyle Naber]

Is it possible that the lights went out because the machinery fell out because of the angle?

This was Lightoller’s theory. He claimed that when the ship reached a high angle, the boilers slid down into the bow and thus, the lights went out. He said this all happened with a very loud roar and ruckus.

Popular theory suggests that the breakup destroyed major connections for the lights, and that was the event that made everything go mostly black. This does match up with Lightoller remembering a loud noise when the lights went out.

 

[Steven Christian]

Popular theory suggests that the breakup destroyed major connections for the lights, and that was the event that made everything go mostly black. This does match up with Lightoller remembering a loud noise when the lights went out.

Well he was in a position that would have allowed him to make that claim and hear what was happening. The final blackout could have been a couple of things but what he reported is not unreasonable. Other equiptment came loose so the generators could have also. Prior to that the electricians were able to re-close the breakers.

 

[Cam Houseman]

Here's a scene from A Night to Remember (1958) where the ship is brightly lit and there are no stars:

View attachment 49352

Here's the corrected version I made which is more close to reality:

View attachment 49351

Ok but what about Alfred White who said, when Titanic broke in two, he said he could plainly see his mates down in the engine Room?
Archibald Gracie said it was still light enough to recognize friends, and see about 40 feet away
And R. N Williams was able to see his father get squashed by the funnel

Off topic for a sec, but I bet the ruckus supports a higher angle break

 

[Kyle Naber]

Off topic for a sec, but I bet the ruckus supports a higher angle break

Somewhat high, yes. Lightoller estimated 60° when the lights went out with the noise. We know that the break was definitely before this, but the props would have been clear of the water.

 

[Cam Houseman]

Somewhat high, yes. Lightoller estimated 60° when the lights went out with the noise. We know that the break was definitely before this, but the props would have been clear of the water.

and I don't think someone like Lightoller would get his math wrong

 

[Keith H]

I agree pure water is a bad conductor of electricity and more experiments needed with salt water ,the lamps being illuminated below the water may just have been due to them being partially water tight and also lack of an earth path and also being low voltage . But interestingly is the reports of the lights going out then back on again just before Titanic sank , was someone still at the switchboard to reset the breakers at that final moments or were the generators coming off their beds due to the angle of the ship , the emergency generator was mounted just below the forth funnel so was the emergency circuits trying to cut in as the main circuits failed ? , so that gives food for thought.