Outdoor motor use

Merry Christmas
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K8MHZ

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Customer has motor installed outside to rotate a large tower for amateur radio antennas. Original installer never pulled a permit and the county is now requiring an inspection. When I went to look at the job I found that the motor was connected with wiring 'protected' by non metallic flexible conduit and the entire motor was taped up with roll after roll of electrical tape. I had the customer remove the tape so I could see more of what is going on. There are no connectors for the conduit and there is no nameplate on the motor. I have no idea if it is a fractional motor or not as it's size is borderline. To me it looks like about a 3/4 hp motor intended for use indoors, but it may be a 1 hp motor....I have no way to be sure as the nameplate is non-existent.

The electrical inspector is a fairly easy going guy but I couldn't get in touch with him today to ask him his opinion. The customer is going to want some answers and is being represented by an attorney that will also want some answers soon with code references.

What's a prudent way to handle this???

Thanks!!
 
tom baker said:
Can the customer spring for a new outdoor motor? That would be the cleanest option.
Click to expand...

Hi Tom,

It's not a matter of springing for it, the motor is part of a right angle gear reduction assembly that rotates a 200 foot tall metal tower with a sprocket at the base. The gear reduction is such that one turn takes 2 1/2 minutes from an input of what I assume to be a 1750 RPM motor. It would be much easier to build a doghouse to enclose the motor assembly.

As such, I am looking for code references to back up my suggestion to protect the motor with an additional structure.

Thanks!
 
K8MHZ said:
Customer has motor installed outside to rotate a large tower for amateur radio antennas. Original installer never pulled a permit and the county is now requiring an inspection. When I went to look at the job I found that the motor was connected with wiring 'protected' by non metallic flexible conduit and the entire motor was taped up with roll after roll of electrical tape. I had the customer remove the tape so I could see more of what is going on. There are no connectors for the conduit and there is no nameplate on the motor. I have no idea if it is a fractional motor or not as it's size is borderline. To me it looks like about a 3/4 hp motor intended for use indoors, but it may be a 1 hp motor....I have no way to be sure as the nameplate is non-existent.

The electrical inspector is a fairly easy going guy but I couldn't get in touch with him today to ask him his opinion. The customer is going to want some answers and is being represented by an attorney that will also want some answers soon with code references.

What's a prudent way to handle this???

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

We have to get you a camera. That's one I would have paid to see;)
 
76nemo said:
We have to get you a camera. That's one I would have paid to see;)
Click to expand...

I have pics. I just need to upload them to PhotoBucket. No time right now as I am getting ready for a series of 12 hour days to correct an emergency shutdown. As soon as I get time I will post the photos.

No payment needed. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!

:grin:
 
One thing is fore sure and that's that he is a dedicated ham.In the 70's i was one of them illegal nuts running wattage and 60 foot towers in the what was called then illegal side band.We were not in the cb band or 10 meter amature.Wife talked me into giving it up after i had over 200 CQ cards plastering my wall.
As to this guy i suspect a neighbor has started this.Perhaps he didnt try to keep neighbors happy with proper grounding.

Here is an idea pull permit and then call for inspection.We have very few willing to go 200 feet to check this LOL,most i ever did was 100 feet
 
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