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rebuild 15hp pump control box

I've been irrigating 24/7 for the last couple weeks. When it got over 90 and sunny a couple days ago, I had my second electrical fire in the pump control box. This box is almost like a static three phase convertor. I replaced what I could, quickly, and fired it back up. The terminal block in the box is over 200 F though - won't be long before the next fire. (We had rain today - they'd forecast it all week - almost 0.1 inch)

Anyway, I want to move all the components to a larger box to space things out. Use copper wire instead of AL and go to a larger guage wire size.

I'm looking for a terminal strip for large guage wire without success. Is such an animal made? What else can I use for connection of large wires? I don't know my wire guages but I think its 1 ot.

I'd also like to install a cooling fan in the control box to bring in outside air. Any reccomendations?

-- An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Two apples a day gets the doctor's OK. Five apples a day makes you a fruit grower, like me.

Karl Townsend in beautiful Dassel,MN

Reply to
Karl Townsend
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If all you need is a simple way to connect a few wires together, the distribution blocks are probably the way to go. For anything more elaborate, there are modular blocks available that snap together on a rail (DIN rail) and available in dizzying variety, including jumpers, fuse holders, grounding blocks, etc. McMaster carries a limited selection on p.734 of catalog 109.

Wago(my preference), Phoenix, and Entrelec are a few manufacturers.

Ned Simmons

Reply to
Ned Simmons

Thanks, When you don't know what they are called, its a lot harder to find them. I'm glad its in McMaster - the parts will be here by 10:00 A.M. tommorrow

-- An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Two apples a day gets the doctor's OK. Five apples a day makes you a fruit grower, like me.

Karl Townsend in beautiful Dassel,MN

Reply to
Karl Townsend

Is the ambient temperature in the box that high? You might have some poor connections. Check the terminal block for localized heating.

Reply to
ATP

No shit. I shut it down before it burns up again. Plan A is to have this control box rebuilt and running by tommorrow afternoon. New wires (copper instead of AL this time), new larger box, new power distribution blocks, and a fan to cool it all.

Karl

Reply to
Karl Townsend

Reply to
Roy Jenson

If you use the proper sizes of wire and connectors, you shouldn't need a fan. You're paying for all that heat in a higher electricity bill, not to mention violating the electrical Codes by using materials which cause too great a temperature rise.

Gary

Reply to
Gary Coffman

Sounds like he's addressing the wire and connection issues, so I'm not getting the need for the fan. Although heat will certainly accelerate oxidation, good connections should not go bad at those temperatures. There are a lot of applications where copper connections are exposed to much higher temperatures and seem to give good service for many years.

Reply to
ATP

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