Baldor motor outlet box needed?

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
So the owner of the plant would need to provide an area classification drawing? So the materials and install methods of the NEC are used to design and construct the electrical system… i unfortunately am in house electrician in a rural area, and I’m sure the company I work for is not going to do that… I have never had any type of prints to work off of….
Yes the classification documents are required to be provided by the facility. There are some isolated cases where the NEC provides specific area classifications, but in general the NEC only tells you how to wire the installations based on the documentation that is required by 500.4.
Sometimes the facilities insurance company insists on seeing those documents as part of the insurance company's risk management program.
 

rbalex

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Mission Viejo, CA
Occupation
Professional Electrical Engineer
The motor is definitely explosionproof. It's the only protection technique listed in Section 500.7 that is clearly applicable for Class I, Group D listed on the nameplate. What isn't on either nameplate is that there is a factory seal between the motor enclosure and the motor terminal box.

This leads to the potential electrical area classification documentation issue Don mentioned earlier. The location is almost certainly Division 2. You would have already had an explosion by now if the location were actually Division 1. However, an explosionproof motor still needs to be installed as if it were in Division 1 under 501.125(B)(2). The odds are in your favor in Dividion 2, BUT, if you have a problem, it will be a big one.

In any case, you need a seal on both J box conduit entries. They must be within 18” of the motor terminal box.

Conduit is an acceptable EGC.

All wiring methods between the motor terminal box and the seals must be suitable for for Division 1
 

ctaylo360860

Senior Member
Location
colorado
Occupation
ME
The motor is definitely explosionproof. It's the only protection technique listed in Section 500.7 that is clearly applicable for Class I, Group D listed on the nameplate. What isn't on either nameplate is that there is a factory seal between the motor enclosure and the motor terminal box.

This leads to the potential electrical area classification documentation issue Don mentioned earlier. The location is almost certainly Division 2. You would have already had an explosion by now if the location were actually Division 1. However, an explosionproof motor still needs to be installed as if it were in Division 1 under 501.125(B)(2). The odds are in your favor in Dividion 2, BUT, if you have a problem, it will be a big one.

In any case, you need a seal on both J box conduit entries. They must be within 18” of the motor terminal box.

Conduit is an acceptable EGC.

All wiring methods between the motor terminal box and the seals must be suitable for for Division 1
I didn’t see anything in the documents provided by Baldor, but when looking at the nipple coming of the motor, the leads are sealed. Something like this picture picture….

So the motor I am to install is to the left. See picture #2. It is silver and It has a seal off within 18” of the motor. The only thing it doesn’t have is the motor outlet box, and a wire type egc from the class 1 j box to the motor… about three inches of conduit..

The other motor is existing and it looks like it is need of a seal within 18 inches of the motor to make this installation compliant? … see picture 3

Really appreciate all the help! I have not had the chance to do much class 1, and would like to become more proficient!

I’m looking at getting spcc drawings from facility owner to see if there are any types of classification on the drawing
 

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