Switchboard Heaters

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W6SJK

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Why is it routine to put heaters in outdoor switchboards but not outdoor 208Y/120V meter stacks or the related main CB? A friend just told me they had a main service CB destroy itself. I suppose it was a phase-to-phase fault. It was feeding 25 meters (5 stacks of 5). The meters had condensation on the bottom of the globes due to cold weather. I'd think the CB would have been warm from all that load. I'm waiting for photos.
 
Typically heaters are used to prevent condensation when equipment is deenergized. A small layer of frost/condensation can affect insulator function at medium voltages, so heaters are commonly employed.
 
O agree heaters are good thing. But:
The meters and the internal wiring are under the control of POCO, once they are sealed up. Installing a heater would need to be on the POCO standards and they would have to have access to the breaker feeding the heater.
Perhaps HV/LV can also reply.
Perhaps you can send an email to your POCO metering department
 
tom baker said:
O agree heaters are good thing. But:
The meters and the internal wiring are under the control of POCO, once they are sealed up. Installing a heater would need to be on the POCO standards and they would have to have access to the breaker feeding the heater.
Perhaps HV/LV can also reply.
Perhaps you can send an email to your POCO metering department
Click to expand...
Nice catch.
 
jim dungar said:
Typically heaters are used to prevent condensation when equipment is deenergized. A small layer of frost/condensation can affect insulator function at medium voltages, so heaters are commonly employed.
Click to expand...
Medium voltage presents problems you mentioned. Heaters in electrical enclosures can be used to lessen condensation issues in more than just medium voltage applications though.
 
tom baker said:
O agree heaters are good thing. But:
The meters and the internal wiring are under the control of POCO, once they are sealed up. Installing a heater would need to be on the POCO standards and they would have to have access to the breaker feeding the heater.
Perhaps HV/LV can also reply.
Perhaps you can send an email to your POCO metering department
Click to expand...
Yes, like topgone said, good point! Thanks!
 
Used quite often in outdoor motorized transferswitch’s. Lowes had issues with the interlock cables corroding and jamming, causing switch to not transfer back to utility.
 
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