I need some ideas

[ishium 80439]

This may be a bit hard to visualize but I'll try. A few years ago we wired a small fish processing facility (after market stuff- they get in salmon filets, work their mojo and send them out). Part of the operation consists of "tumbling" the fish in a solution in these machines that are essentially drums approximately 18" in diameter and 3' long mounted horizontally. This process takes place in a cooler that is approximately 20'x60' with 14' ceilings. The tumblers are 120V 20A and are currently being fed from SO danglers w/ twist lock receptacles.

A few problems have cropped up. The first is that with all of the water being sprayed around for cleaning the cord caps are aging prematurely. The blades are starting to corrode and they look like they've been in service for 10 years plus. Is there another alternative to simple twist locks and boots? I have worked in a few McDonalds years ago that had danglers and the caps they had would be perfect (spring loaded cover that would snap shut when the equipment was not in use) but have not been able to locate anything similiar and it has me wondering if it was a proprietary product just for them.

The other issue is that they often move these things around while they are still plugged in (for cleaning, moving product around etc). The problem that has come up here ranged from starting to pull a box out of the ceiling to ripping the cap clean off of the cord. The perfect solution would be to have a wall that these tumblers would rest against and just pipe some recepts onto the wall but the owner wants the cooler to remain an open floor plan. I have thought of cord reels but I think that is an imperfect solution. Currently there are 10 of these drops. We can't access the top of the cooler so through bolting won't work (perhaps toggle bolts).

Sorry for the long post but I wanted to try and paint as clear of a picture as I could. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[TOOL_5150]

Hubbell makes corrosion resistant devices usually used in marine environments and other corrosive areas. The big pin and sleeve devices with the flip cover are not proprietary, you can get them at an electrical supply. Those are expensive as well. A well secured cap on a cord should take a good amount of abuse and not show much for wear. as far as the boxes up top being pulled out, maybe some strut secured to the roof, then the box secured to the strut would help.

~Matt

 

[iwire]

Is there another alternative to simple twist locks and boots? I have worked in a few McDonalds years ago that had danglers and the caps they had would be perfect (spring loaded cover that would snap shut when the equipment was not in use) but have not been able to locate anything similiar and it has me wondering if it was a proprietary product just for them.

I recommend meltric "DSN" or "DS" connectors. The DS are metal bodied and the DSN are plastic bodied. I have not seen the plastic ones break in 'normal' (whatever that is) environments.

They are listed as a disconnecting means, are water resistant and IMO easy to work with once you understand how to order them.

You must order the parts separately to make just the device you want.

For instance the male cord cap would be at least two parts, the 'plug' and what they call the 'handle' which has the strain relief.


http://www.meltric.com/html/decontactors.html

The other issue is that they often move these things around while they are still plugged in (for cleaning, moving product around etc). The problem that has come up here ranged from starting to pull a box out of the ceiling to ripping the cap clean off of the cord.

We have a customer with more then 300 locations that this is a problem, they have large meet grinders that they move for cleaning and break cords, boxes etc. There is a way around that.

Order the meltric connectors with the self ejecting mechanism. (I should say I have used many Meltric connectors but I have not yet used the self ejector option)

Check out catalog page 179 (pdf page 9)

http://www.meltric.com/artwork/pdfs/2008-catalog/2008-acc-options.pdf

 

[ishium 80439]

Tool, I will look into the Hubbel product. When I first did this job I checked half heartedly into options and did not find a supplier that carried these products. I'll have to make a few more phone calls. As far as the strut goes it will be difficult to find a good way to secure it properly. The top of the cooler is essentially at the structural roof so there is no way to get on top of it to through bolt it and securing strut with self tappers will lead to the same problem as the boxes. I am considering drilling straight through and using toggle bolts and threaded rod.

Iwire, I like the look of those Meltric caps. Do you have an online source for them or do you get them locally? What type of price range are we looking at? Also if you don't use the self ejectors is there another way you address the machines being moved around while connected? It seems that part of the problem I am facing is that when these machines are operating and being moved the cords occasionally get caught around the tumbler and twist up and rip off the cord caps. Now that I think about it maybe those self ejectors are the way to go.

Thanks for the input.

 

[220/221]

For the cord cap issue, can't you eliminate them by installing disconnect toggle switches within sight on a wall?

As far as moving them, a well secured kellums grip seems like it would hold them in place and still leave enough slack to move/clean.

 

[ishium 80439]

220
A toggle switch wouldnt work because these machines need to be able to be physically disconnected so they can move into the adjacent room for cleaning.

We already have kellums installed but these guys still find ways to bugger them up.

 

[iwire]

For the cord cap issue, can't you eliminate them by installing disconnect toggle switches within sight on a wall?

That will very likely result in a 400.7(B) violation.

As far as moving them, a well secured kellums grip seems like it would hold them in place and still leave enough slack to move/clean.

That would likely be a 400.8(4) violation.

 

[wireguru]

have you looked at the Leviton Wetguard connectors? I think some other manufacturers make something similar. P/N for L5-20 plug is 26W47 and the connector is 27W47 Its a CR twistlock inside a waterproof rubber housing with a cable gland type strain relief at the back that has a nut to tighten around the cable.

Heres the brochure for them http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibcG...=sl5qAk9rudAR1BqVLPDDnA&label=IBE&appName=IBE