Advice on wiring control panels for older Amusement Park Ride motors

Hello,

I have been faced with a unique situation. I am looking to control the older motors that are on amusement park rides. The rides didn't come with control panels. I do believe the correct way to do it is to use a low voltage control system that uses either Square D or Allen Bradley push buttons. These in turn are connected to some sort of relay or contactor, correct? Well bottom line is I don't know the proper way of hooking such a system up. Is there a guide somewhere on-line that I can follow? I do have a strong electronics background and basic residential wiring experience, but I never came across a situation like this. The motors range from 220 single phase to 440 volt 3 phase.

Any assistance would be much appreciated.

Thank You,

Geo

Reply to
Jukin' Geo
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You will need engineering assistance. There are public safety considerations, and this type of design should be done by a licensed professional engineer.

Regards

Ben Miller

Reply to
Ben Miller

Especially if it will be used by the public. You and the company can be sued if a fault happens, and that can kill. Some of the motors use up to 100 amps or more. Some have to be controllable. They have clamped down on amusement park rides in Texas, due to several deaths, one ride went too fast, and the poor welding on a safety bar let go and killed 2 kids in Austin a while back. The place was sued, and is out of business, the inspectors were fired, as they should be, It wont bring the 2 kids back either.

Reply to
nospam

In the UK, such rides require a visual check by the operative every day, and a formal visual inspection every week (they are the class of appliance which requires the most frequent PAT testing). There's probably a similar requirement for mechanical checking too.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

Some jursdictions now require a UL/CSA stamp on control panels. Seek advice from the EE feild and a lawyer before you touch them.

Reply to
SQLit

Ok, Your answers below would be to the question, "what are the legalities of wiring an amusement device?" I didn't ask that. What I did ask was for information on connecting an Allen Bradley switch panel to a contactor assembly to control a large motor. The legal stuff is covered already. I would like to see schematics and wiring diagrams please, not legal explanations.

Thank You,

Geo

Reply to
Jukin' Geo

Most of the control device manufacturers have application data and sample circuits on their web site. For Allen-Bradley, go to this page and then select "wiring diagrams-pushbutton"

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Ben Miller

Reply to
Ben Miller

I do believe the correct way to do it is to use a low

I do believe you could end up killing an innocent person !!.

These in turn are connected to some sort of relay or contactor,

Well bottom line is I don't know the proper way of hooking such a

Then steer clear !!!!!!!!!!

Is there a guide somewhere on-line that I can follow? I do have

Reply to
johnnybegood

By any chance are you working for the medically challenged Michael Jackson? :)

Plenty of deep pockets there is something goes wrong. Than again, not sure what more could go wrong over there in "NeverLand".

Chris

Reply to
Chris

Hello, Ben

Thank You very much for your help. I downloaded the page and I am sure there is something there I can use. I also would like to thank you for properly answering my questions, instead of not doing so and ridiculing me or questioning my ablities.

Geo

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Reply to
Jukin' Geo

Hmmm, no, I know I will not. But I know you probably would. For the simple reason is that you cannot properly answer a question. I for one know that if you cannot properly answer a question, you cannot properly follow directions either then.

LISTEN ALL. I DO NOT NEED TO BE RIDICULED OR LECTURED ON LEGALITIES. THIS IS SOMETHING NEW I AM LEARNING AND AS I SAID THE LEGALITIES ARE COVERED. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE ON THIS PROJECT. THE CHOSEN CIRCUIT WILL BE EVALUATED AND CHECKED BY A CERTIFIED INSPECTOR SPECIFICALLY FOR AMUSEMENT DEVICES BEFORE USE.

Apparently most of you think I was born yesterday or I am some punk kid. No that is not the case. I am an adult and already an electrical technician. This is just an area I never ventured into before. So I would like to learn...how you do that? You ask questions such as the one I asked above.

Johnny, were you born with the all supreme knowledge of how to hook up every possible form of electrical device? I think not. Truth of the matter is I bet you don't know how to hook up such a device either. So if you cannot answer the question properly. KEEP THE HELL OUT!!!

Reply to
Jukin' Geo

Here again...another one that cannot answer a question properly. Well, I know for sure that all of you that has answered my question with a stupid remark like Chris here doesn't apparently know what they heck they are doing or wouldn't go near a higher level of wiring as I would like to attempt. Of course I am going to find out as much as possible on the topic before the first wire is hooked up. What you think I am stupid? If that were the case I wouln't have come here and ASKED the question in the first place. Those like Chris here may be afraid to go near something like this. That is understandable. But more likely he doesn't need to know or want to know. But keep your opinions to yourselves...I didn't ask for them. I came here to look for information. But do I get information here? For the majority, that is a big NO. Only one person intelligently answered my question here. All the rest of you who "answered" my question gave me a 'troll' like rediculed response to what I consider a simple question. If you want to banter back and forth and ridicule people...go over to High School Electronics forum 101 and cause trouble there.

As to answer your question, Chris. No, I do not work for Michael Jackson, but if I did, I would probably make a helluva lot more money than you.

Reply to
Jukin' Geo

WOW what a reaction. I take it you do not like the king of pop. Sorry to hear that.

Chris

Reply to
Chris

Jukin Geo, I think the point everyone is making here is that the nature of your question indicates to all of us that, although you may be an "electrical technician", you obviously do not know the first thing about simple motor control circuits. What we already know is that this is NOT like wiring up a light switch, it is a SPECIALTY of our industry, one that is typically learned at the hands of an expert, not over an anonymous newsgroup posting! The fact that you are asking questions like this here at all is proof of just how much you still need to learn.

Yes, everyone has to start somewhere, but NOT where people's live will hang in the balance so directly as in an amusement park ride. If you acidentally wire up the 3 wire control circuit wrong and the ride fails to stop under the right circumstances, it is not like having a roll of tissue paper getting eaten by a machine, or a pump accidentally flooding a room. Some child could lose an arm or worse. We are not the ones with an attitude problem here my friend. YOU must adjust your arrogance, swallow you pride, and admit that you should leave this to an experienced professional until you get PROPER training.

Relying on an inspector to catch your mistakes is in fact the BIGGEST mistake you can make. Inspectors typically start from an understanding that you were qualified to do this work in the first place, they are there to catch the minor errors. What you are planning is like saying you don't need to take Driver's Ed and get a license because you know how to push the gas pedal, and besides, the police are there to correct you if you screw up on the road!

Please please please, for the sake of the children, do NOT attemp to do this by yourself. Hire a pro, stand there with him, ask lots of questions, and learn that way.

Peace, Signed: Concerned FARP (Father of Amusement Ride Participants)

Reply to
Bob

I think he can do us all a favor and let us know where theses "rides" are located.

If in fact they are for profit, our friend here is making some excellent PR LOL.

Chris

Reply to
Chris

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