Whole Shop And Machine-specific Help For Dunce

Gotta love that. Kinda like finding a $20 bill in the pocket of a coat you haven't worn since last spring
Amen to that, Cheeseking! In this case, it's more like finding a $100 bill in the pocket of a coat you forgot you owned! LOL
I write it off as one in an increasingly frequent and all too common string of "senior moments." Getting old[er] sucks.
Years ago, taught my Great Dane Frisco to bark when I said "speak" and then to howl when I said "sing." Later, around his fifth year, I was full into middle age and feeling it. He was always a vocally expressive dog with the full range of barks and howls and murmurs and whines and even what we refer to as "talking." He had one that sounded like a sigh mixed with a low howl, and so when he made that sound, I'd start telling him: "Frisco, getting old sucks." Over time, he associated the two, and I could speak that line and he'd respond accordingly. Over time, he got to where if I repeated it, he'd start out low and build to a sad howl.

He and his brother turned ten in June, and now he's feeling his age, and there seems more sincerity in his response.

You be the judge:


Ignoring that Maggie(the pup) had to stick her butt in the frame, do you get the feeling he means it?

Thanks!

Mark
 
Well, the lathe is unloaded. Extended his boom in the door, lifted it up off the trailer, spun it around like I wanted it, set it down, and done...
So no Egyptian-pyramid-builder crap for me, at least for now.

Right machine for the job, eh?

Mark
 
Mark, There are many ways to skin a cat but it sounds like you generally have the right idea. You might consider a fused safety switch and motor starter as the input to your RPC which then can supply the 3-phase load panel. As far as disconnect switches at each machine that is good to have but not necessary if you have an accessible cord and receptacle at each since plug satisfies the disconnect means. Put the money you save on safety switches toward the motor starter.

Here's my setup. 240V/60A/1P off main panel to 60A fused safety switch to Nema1 starter to 7.5 hp RPC to 240V/30A/3P fused safety switch to 3P main lug only panel. 4 circuits piped to each machine. Bridgeport, Lathe, Surface grinder and Baldor pedestal grinder. I also have motor starters w/overloads on each machine since the circuit breakers only protect the wires. Cord connected to outlets via twist lock plugs. Bit over kill for a basement shop but it was a fun project and ebay finds helped keep costs reasonable. Electrical stuff is crazy expensive new.
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Jim,

So I'm looking around for 3 phase load centers. The idea will be to come off my single phase load center with a 60 amp breaker to my RPC, and then from RPC into 3 phase load center. Does it matter what the main breaker rating is on the 3phase load center? Most of the 3 phase load centers I find are 100amp or 125amp. Will that be okay?

It's not like my RPC will ever provide that much amperage, no matter what that main breaker in the 3 phase load center is.

Thanks!

Mark
 
Jim,

So I'm looking around for 3 phase load centers. The idea will be to come off my single phase load center with a 60 amp breaker to my RPC, and then from RPC into 3 phase load center. Does it matter what the main breaker rating is on the 3phase load center? Most of the 3 phase load centers I find are 100amp or 125amp. Will that be okay?

It's not like my RPC will ever provide that much amperage, no matter what that main breaker in the 3 phase load center is.

Thanks!

Mark
A 100 load center would be fine. It doesn't necessarily need a main breaker at all.
 
A 100 load center would be fine. It doesn't necessarily need a main breaker at all.
John,
Okay, that's what I was thinking, because something happens on the downstream end, the 60amp breaker in the single phase panel upstream should trip, right?

Thanks!

Mark
 
John,
Okay, that's what I was thinking, because something happens on the downstream end, the 60amp breaker in the single phase panel upstream should trip, right?

Thanks!

Mark
That would pass the short circuit load through the RPC. IMHO its Better to to have a 3 ph breaker rated at the maximum output of the RCP on the load center.
 
That would pass the short circuit load through the RPC. IMHO its Better to to have a 3 ph breaker rated at the maximum output of the RCP on the load center.
I see what you're saying. I should protect the RPC on the downstream side... I wonder if, let's say, I bought a 100amp Square D load center, do they make main breaker to replace the 100amp breaker, OR do I put a separate 60amp disconnect between the RPC and the 3 phase load center?

Thanks Eddy!
 
Yes, but you should be able to find a smaller panel that has a 60 amp main breaker. If not, you could have a separate single 3 phase breaker box running into a load center without a main breaker.
 
John,
Okay, that's what I was thinking, because something happens on the downstream end, the 60amp breaker in the single phase panel upstream should trip, right?

Thanks!

Mark
I just meant that you can have a breaker in your load center for each branch circuit (i.e., each machine) but no main breaker. There's no point in having a load center with no breakers at all.
 
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