I heard of a newly installed phone exchange
generator that kept stalling when they cut it on to
the load: they pulled it all apart and checked every
part of the alternator and diesel motor with no
success.

Then one day they were trying again and these
linesmen rushed in from the pub next door shouting
and screaming: The grid in the area had been shut
down for line repairs so the immediate city block
had no electricity. They were knocking back a few
coldies when they heard the roar of the generator
and saw the lights in the pub flickering.

It seems the techs had wired it in without
relays to isolate the line input cables and were
trying to power an entire city block: no wonder it
was stalling. They were lucky they didn't fry a
linesman too.