1200 amp Federal Pacific Switch gear help!!

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mollydodger

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Customer has 1200 amp, 120/208 Federal Pacific gear made in 1977. It was damaged by vandals and now the load break switch won't hold the gear in energized state. I have located a replacement load break switch unit but there is some wiring that was cut and we are not sure how/where it goes to. The switch is a manual reset type but will not hold when we turn the spring loaded (heavily) handle. Does anyone here have any idea if there are any archived wiring diagrams still out there for this type of gear? Does anyone know of any person with experience on this particular gear who could consult with us? Thanks in advance for any help!!!!!:?:?:?
 
mollydodger said:
Customer has 1200 amp, 120/208 Federal Pacific gear made in 1977. It was damaged by vandals and now the load break switch won't hold the gear in energized state. I have located a replacement load break switch unit but there is some wiring that was cut and we are not sure how/where it goes to. The switch is a manual reset type but will not hold when we turn the spring loaded (heavily) handle. Does anyone here have any idea if there are any archived wiring diagrams still out there for this type of gear? Does anyone know of any person with experience on this particular gear who could consult with us? Thanks in advance for any help!!!!!:?:?:?
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May it be a bolted pressure switch?
 
A lot of the old FPE industrial gear never really stopped being sold, it was taken over by Cutler Hammer in the early 80s. Those might have always been a "Pringle Switch" which was an old product going back to before the existence of FPE switchgear anyway, and now owned by Eaton as well as part of Cutler Hammer. You might try calling them.
 
Jraef said:
A lot of the old FPE industrial gear never really stopped being sold, it was taken over by Cutler Hammer in the early 80s. Those might have always been a "Pringle Switch" which was an old product going back to before the existence of FPE switchgear anyway, and now owned by Eaton as well as part of Cutler Hammer. You might try calling them.
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My thoughts exactly as that is where I was going. My concern was with the OP being able to identify it as a BPS or pringle which is not a simple fused load break switch.
 
pringlre switch

pringlre switch

Jraef said:
A lot of the old FPE industrial gear never really stopped being sold, it was taken over by Cutler Hammer in the early 80s. Those might have always been a "Pringle Switch" which was an old product going back to before the existence of FPE switchgear anyway, and now owned by Eaton as well as part of Cutler Hammer. You might try calling them.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your help. This is not a pringle switch. It is a type 12PL load break switch for a 1200 amp fused section of gear. It is manually operated, spring loaded and the whole section does bolt in place.
 
picture added.

picture added.

mollydodger said:
Customer has 1200 amp, 120/208 Federal Pacific gear made in 1977. It was damaged by vandals and now the load break switch won't hold the gear in energized state. I have located a replacement load break switch unit but there is some wiring that was cut and we are not sure how/where it goes to. The switch is a manual reset type but will not hold when we turn the spring loaded (heavily) handle. Does anyone here have any idea if there are any archived wiring diagrams still out there for this type of gear? Does anyone know of any person with experience on this particular gear who could consult with us? Thanks in advance for any help!!!!!:?:?:?
Click to expand...

002__89623.1409391650.120.120.jpg002__89623.1409391650.120.120.jpg
 
mollydodger said:
Customer has 1200 amp, 120/208 Federal Pacific gear made in 1977. It was damaged by vandals and now the load break switch won't hold the gear in energized state. I have located a replacement load break switch unit but there is some wiring that was cut and we are not sure how/where it goes to. The switch is a manual reset type but will not hold when we turn the spring loaded (heavily) handle. Does anyone here have any idea if there are any archived wiring diagrams still out there for this type of gear? Does anyone know of any person with experience on this particular gear who could consult with us? Thanks in advance for any help!!!!!:?:?:?
Click to expand...
If this switch is manually operated then the control wires you mention are most likely part of a shunt trip to remotely open the switch and/ or a Ground Fault Relay protection scheme. I would trace the wiring coming from the switch to where it originated in the control section of the switchboard and make a sketch. This would help you in wiring the controls of the replacement switch(I assume it is an identical switch.)
Attached is a typical control scheme for a Pringle Switch.
You can also Google Pringle Switch and Boltswitch Inc which is another manufacturer for more info.
BTW if it has a GFR system then I suggest you have it function tested (current injection) for proper operation by a certified testing co.
 

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mollydodger said:
Thanks for your help. This is not a pringle switch. It is a type 12PL load break switch for a 1200 amp fused section of gear. It is manually operated, spring loaded and the whole section does bolt in place.
Click to expand...

The Power-Lok series is a Federal pioneer product line, not Federal Pacific. However a few were sold in the US under the Federal Pacific name.

The only wiring that would be on that is either a shunt trip (Optional), single phase protection (Optional), or Aux switch (Optional). Neither should prevent the switch from being closed if it is the manually operated version. Are you saying the one you bought won't close? If so that's a problem and I would return it, hopefully you got a warranty with it.
 
One other thought came to mind. If the switch was equipped with an Under Voltage device and the control wires to it were cut then that may be preventing the switch from closing. It would "trip free" meaning when operating the handle, the closing springs would discharge but the main contacts wouldn't close.
 
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