Multiple motors
- Thread starter TMW
- Start date
- Status
Strathead
Senior Member
- Location
- Ocala, Florida, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
Much more information is needed. Are you looking to automatically switch loads, and if so, based on what criteria? Are you just looking to use the load calculation for non concurrent loads? Or a way to strictly prevent one motor from running when the other is, etc?
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Welcome to the forum.
Obviously, you need a mechanism that will physically or electrically prevent simultaneous operation.
As the guys said above, we need to know how the motors are controlled now to advise you how to.
Obviously, you need a mechanism that will physically or electrically prevent simultaneous operation.
As the guys said above, we need to know how the motors are controlled now to advise you how to.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Anything from one single receptacle to plug either one into, on up to your budget limit.
A selector switch in the controls. M1|off|M2
Training of personnel. (guessing that hasn't worked)
A selector switch in the controls. M1|off|M2
Training of personnel. (guessing that hasn't worked)
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
The easiest would be a double throw switch with the correct number of poles for your load. If it has a center off position and it can be locked in the off position, it could also be your disconnect for both motors.
DISCONNECT
It's for trash compactors. The owner doesn't want to provide a larger panel so they want to be able to lock out one motor so the load doesn't impact the panel for both motors.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
probably the simplest solution is to wire in a reversing contactor downstream of the disconnect. Route the reverse side to one compactor, and the forward side to the other. Have a selector switch to select which one you want to energize. the built in mechanical and electrical interlocks that come with a reversing contactor will prevent both from being on simultaneously.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
We don't have any idea how big these motors are at the moment.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
would not matter any. a typical disconnect switch is not suitable for use a a motor controller.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Most of the time when the term "disconnect" is used, we are really talking about a "safety switch" and most of those are horsepower rated making them suitable for use as a motor controller.
readydave8
re member
- Location
- Clarkesville, Georgia
- Occupation
- electrician
Normally closed contacts
SSDriver
Senior Member
- Location
- California
- Occupation
- Electrician
Do you have a picture of the rating plate on these? Geesh your making it hard for us to help. Install a double throw safety switch, you will still need overcurrent protection of some sort.
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer
If a manual switching process is OK, just get a double throw safety switch and wire the common to the output of the panel, then one side to each motor.
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
What the OP asks about can be done, all depending on size of motors and how they are started
- Status