- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
My mechanical colleague is selecting an insta-hot water heater to serve an eye wash / shower for a small building in which aircraft engines will be tested. The shower (and thus the water heater) are most likely to sit idle for decades. In order to get the temperature and flow rate he needs, he is looking at 80 KVA and higher. His manufacturer's data sheets only give him the option of 480V or 600V. The building has only 208V. I would like opinions (and concerns) over using a transformer to step up the voltage to 480.
TIA
- If this system is needed in an emergency, it will go from idle to full power immediately. The transformer's 208V primary will be live at all times, so I don't expect an issue with transformer inrush current. But are there other concerns?
- Will the project be better off if I ask the ME to look for other manufacturers who can work with a 208V source? Please note that we would be dealing with a 230+ amp branch circuit that will run 100 feet or longer.
- Any other ideas?
TIA