WestAL
Member
- Location
- West Alabama
After years of working for other companies, I have finally gone into business for myself. I am based out of a small town in west Alabama, serving a market that has been under served for years. I have done several smaller service jobs, and have pretty well for myself since opening my doors. I had the owner of a local grocery store approach me about a new refrigeration project he has.
He has bought a refurbished refrigeration 'rack' for his coolers. It will be set on a new pad they are pouring on the back of the building. After the rack is in place, they will build a room around it to protect all the refrigeration equipment.
I have spoken with the installer, and he has informed me that it requires a 225 amp three phase circuit. The installer's electrician looked at it, and was going to come off an existing 400 amp breaker in the switch gear. This breaker feeds a deli that is no longer in use, but they would still like to have some power going to it, as they want to be able to turn into storage, and have a small office area. I have explained to them that if we were to do the work the way they are asking, they loose the capability to ever run any more of their large kitchen equipment. They understand and want me to proceed with an estimate on the electrical work.
The deli is fed with parallel runs of 250 mcm, the lugs of the breaker look like they are only big enough for 250. If I were to size my wire to the 400 amp breaker that is there now, I would have to pull 500 to the new rack system, set a fused disconnect, and step it down to 225 rated wire going into the rack. I can't fit the 500 on the lugs that are on the breaker.
The other problem that I am dealing with, is that if I were to take one set of the wires going to the deli loose, the the other set is no longer rated for 400 amps. Does anyone see any way around these issues or am I just fighting a losing battle?
The only inspector in the area is the general building inspector, and he has already said that I am more knowledgeable in the electrical field than he is. He will pass me as long everything looks safe.
I want to do this right, and since there is no electrical code in this area, all I have to fall back on is NEC. I would rather walk away from the work that put my name and reputation on something that could bite me later on.
He has bought a refurbished refrigeration 'rack' for his coolers. It will be set on a new pad they are pouring on the back of the building. After the rack is in place, they will build a room around it to protect all the refrigeration equipment.
I have spoken with the installer, and he has informed me that it requires a 225 amp three phase circuit. The installer's electrician looked at it, and was going to come off an existing 400 amp breaker in the switch gear. This breaker feeds a deli that is no longer in use, but they would still like to have some power going to it, as they want to be able to turn into storage, and have a small office area. I have explained to them that if we were to do the work the way they are asking, they loose the capability to ever run any more of their large kitchen equipment. They understand and want me to proceed with an estimate on the electrical work.
The deli is fed with parallel runs of 250 mcm, the lugs of the breaker look like they are only big enough for 250. If I were to size my wire to the 400 amp breaker that is there now, I would have to pull 500 to the new rack system, set a fused disconnect, and step it down to 225 rated wire going into the rack. I can't fit the 500 on the lugs that are on the breaker.
The other problem that I am dealing with, is that if I were to take one set of the wires going to the deli loose, the the other set is no longer rated for 400 amps. Does anyone see any way around these issues or am I just fighting a losing battle?
The only inspector in the area is the general building inspector, and he has already said that I am more knowledgeable in the electrical field than he is. He will pass me as long everything looks safe.
I want to do this right, and since there is no electrical code in this area, all I have to fall back on is NEC. I would rather walk away from the work that put my name and reputation on something that could bite me later on.