Why is it a bucket?

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Strathead

Senior Member
Location
Ocala, Florida, USA
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Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
Can someone enlighten me as to how an MCC bucket was given that name?

I am completely guessing since I am not as old as MCC's, but many of them are designed where the entirety of the motor's disconnecting, overcurrent overload and controls are all mounted in a three or four sided metal (enclosure) that is then bolted in placed and wired with jumper wires. Easily removable and replaced. Even writing this I had a hard time not calling the enclosure a bucket, because it is like a square bucket turned on its side.
 

Jraef

Moderator, OTD
Staff member
Location
San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
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Electrical Engineer
I am completely guessing since I am not as old as MCC's, but many of them are designed where the entirety of the motor's disconnecting, overcurrent overload and controls are all mounted in a three or four sided metal (enclosure) that is then bolted in placed and wired with jumper wires. Easily removable and replaced. Even writing this I had a hard time not calling the enclosure a bucket, because it is like a square bucket turned on its side.

That's an accurate description. Over time, most MCC mfrs changed their designs to remove the side walls and others went further to remove almost all solid barriers in favor of stick frames so that they no longer really resemble a "bucket", but the name stuck.
 
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Strathead

Senior Member
Location
Ocala, Florida, USA
Occupation
Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
That's an accurate description. Over time, most MCC mfrs changed their designs to remove the side walls and others went further to remove almost all solid barriers in favor of stick frames so that they no longer really resemble a "bucket", but the name stuck.

So, you are admitting that you are older than dirt.:p
 

electricalist

Senior Member
Location
dallas tx
This guy who worked for us kept telling me to something something something those buckets.
I asked what do you mean? He explained I must not have done much industrial work. As in large switch board enclosures where the whole switch comes out as one .
 

Tony S

Senior Member
Well this thread has answered something that has been puzzling me.

As for old systems, our crusher control panels were open slate when I started in the trade. Motors would start in groups via a large contactor.

This is the back of a small panel

TRK-2-switch_zps90a2a75e.jpg
 

Strathead

Senior Member
Location
Ocala, Florida, USA
Occupation
Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
Well this thread has answered something that has been puzzling me.

As for old systems, our crusher control panels were open slate when I started in the trade. Motors would start in groups via a large contactor.

This is the back of a small panel


What a tiny little thing.:p
 
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