TConnolly
Lifetime Supporting Member
Slightly off topic:
I am currently designing a panel for a pump control station. There are 5 motors (40hp) involved. Each motor is operated by an SMC-3 soft starter, all controlled by a ML1500. Once commissioned, the system will never be down except for a power outage. However, there must be a provision to allow for maintenance on one pump or motor at a time. The customer does not want an MCC style panel with separate buckets for each motor, but the customer does want each motor individually disconnectable and lock-out-able. The enclosure is to be NEMA 4 (IP67). The customer does not want their maintenance people to open the control cabinet to operate a breaker to disconnect a motor. Two of the motors are 80 feet from the main panel and are outside. Each of those will have a disconnect switch mounted next to the motor. However, the other three motors are on the pump skid and their starters are in the main control panel. This is where I am looking for some ideas.
The panel will have a main disconnect switch interlocked with the door, but the other three motors have to be disconnectable. The customer does not want separate disconnects, but wants it all in the main panel. I don’t want to put three disconnects through the main door of the enclosure (imagine the alignment problems, as well as trying to operate three cheaters at once to get the door open. Since there is a main disconnect, the individual motor disconnects don’t need to be interlocked to the door. My current idea is to use C-H cable operated disconnects to operate the 3 breakers and to mount the disconnect operators on the side of the cabinet.
Has anyone else encountered something like this? Or is there a better way to do this?
I am currently designing a panel for a pump control station. There are 5 motors (40hp) involved. Each motor is operated by an SMC-3 soft starter, all controlled by a ML1500. Once commissioned, the system will never be down except for a power outage. However, there must be a provision to allow for maintenance on one pump or motor at a time. The customer does not want an MCC style panel with separate buckets for each motor, but the customer does want each motor individually disconnectable and lock-out-able. The enclosure is to be NEMA 4 (IP67). The customer does not want their maintenance people to open the control cabinet to operate a breaker to disconnect a motor. Two of the motors are 80 feet from the main panel and are outside. Each of those will have a disconnect switch mounted next to the motor. However, the other three motors are on the pump skid and their starters are in the main control panel. This is where I am looking for some ideas.
The panel will have a main disconnect switch interlocked with the door, but the other three motors have to be disconnectable. The customer does not want separate disconnects, but wants it all in the main panel. I don’t want to put three disconnects through the main door of the enclosure (imagine the alignment problems, as well as trying to operate three cheaters at once to get the door open. Since there is a main disconnect, the individual motor disconnects don’t need to be interlocked to the door. My current idea is to use C-H cable operated disconnects to operate the 3 breakers and to mount the disconnect operators on the side of the cabinet.
Has anyone else encountered something like this? Or is there a better way to do this?