Wall Hung Transformer

[jrannis]

Would anyone have a resource for me that would show a basic design for a wall mounted transformer?
I have a 150kva 480/120 208 that weighs in at about 1000lbs.
It seems as though Square D only makes brackets for 45kva and under.
I was looking into having one made from 4" angle.
I was hoping to see the dimensions for the smaller one Square D has and blow up the size into the 4" angle.
It seems like some guys here on the forum have a drawing or a spec for just about everything in their library.
If someone could help me out on this one I would appreciate it very much.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

That is a heavy transformer for wall mounting. You may want to try something like this.

 

[jrannis]

Thank you Pierre. The vertical pieces look like box tubing.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

You are welcome.

I posted the picture to give you ideas as to how it can be installed.
Now it is up to you to be a crafty electrician and make your installation work-safely.

 

[cadpoint]

Note the height of panel to the side that's at top of allowable set height.
This structure was held on the back side by angle iron bolted to concrete(low not shown), the Vertical on the back side also bolted to wainscot concrete wall and concrete block, note that angle iron was used to support the trannie vertical sides.

I've also hung as big a trannie as stated in OP off of Bar joist with 5/8" rod and just Kendorf structure underside structure support, we used a HVAC crank lift to get it in the air!

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg229/CADPoint/HPIM0507-1.jpg

The photo has been lighten up, hope everyone will see this!

 

[infinity]

That is a heavy transformer for wall mounting. You may want to try something like this.

Nice job but IMO way overkill given the size of the transformers.

 

[Karl H]

In California, those racks would have to be "Engineered" complete with
structural calcs.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

I've also hung as big a trannie as stated in OP off of Bar joist with 5/8" rod and just Kendorf structure underside structure support, we used a HVAC crank lift to get it in the air!

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg229/CADPoint/HPIM0507-1.jpg

The photo has been lighten up, hope everyone will see this!

I would be very careful about hanging anything off of bar joists, especially the bottom chord. Generally, they are not designed for any additional loads other than what they are supporting from above.

Nice job but IMO way overkill given the size of the transformers.

The walls are sheetrock and metal studs, with plywood. They have been designed by the engineer to carry the loads to the floor and not the walls.
Did you notice there are 3 transformers being supported by this framing?

 

[Rockyd]

Not that I'm an engineer or anything, but would add a stiff leg off one of the front corners, still keeping it to where it is forkable (for a forklift) for front support. Nice rack! (hers, not yours)

 

[Smart $]

I would be very careful about hanging anything off of bar joists, especially the bottom chord. Generally, they are not designed for any additional loads other than what they are supporting from above.

I agree with the be very careful part, but bar joists are designed to support substantially more than the weight of the roof. There are building codes which specify the minimum live and dead weight design criteria. The live weight minimum depends heavily on regional weather conditions. Most designs assume there will be additional dead weight, but not any major undistributed weight. The key here to adding dead weight will be distribution of the weight so as to maintain the miminum live weight capability of the roof.

 

[infinity]

The walls are sheetrock and metal studs, with plywood. They have been designed by the engineer to carry the loads to the floor and not the walls.
Did you notice there are 3 transformers being supported by this framing?

I would assume that the bottom one is sitting on the floor.

 

[jrannis]

Nice job but IMO way overkill given the size of the transformers.

I was thinking of adding a support from the top front of the shelf to match the bottom support.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

I agree with the be very careful part, but bar joists are designed to support substantially more than the weight of the roof. There are building codes which specify the minimum live and dead weight design criteria. The live weight minimum depends heavily on regional weather conditions. Most designs assume there will be additional dead weight, but not any major undistributed weight. The key here to adding dead weight will be distribution of the weight so as to maintain the miminum live weight capability of the roof.

I just finished a course in which we were discussing this. In general, the bottom chord is not design for any additional load, not even air handlers. It may carry some additional load, as a safety margin, but is not specifically designed for additional loads.

There are cases where the design is for additional loads, but each chord will have a tag affixed to it stating that is so.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I just finished a course in which we were discussing this. In general, the bottom chord is not design for any additional load, not even air handlers. It may carry some additional load, as a safety margin, but is not specifically designed for additional loads.

There are cases where the design is for additional loads, but each chord will have a tag affixed to it stating that is so.

The model building code that has been adopted here states that you can support loads from the bottom chord of a bar joist only with the written approval of the PE who stamped the structural drawings.

 

[jrannis]

OK then what do we do about all of the feeder conduits we have laying on the bottom cord and ty wired in place?

 

[iwire]

OK then what do we do about all of the feeder conduits we have laying on the bottom cord and ty wired in place?

On some jobs we have to support them from the top cord, even the tie wires to the drop in fixtures.

As far as your original question we make are own racks out of uni-strut, "Power Strut" has a lot of engineering info on their site so you can actually run some numbers and make sure it is strong enough.

The photo Pierre posted looks to me like someone did not want to engineer anything, they just went over kill. That rack could be the jack stand for a bulldozer.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

The photo Pierre posted looks to me like someone did not want to engineer anything, they just went over kill. That rack could be the jack stand for a bulldozer.

It is a County engineered job, need I say more.

 

[jrannis]

On some jobs we have to support them from the top cord, even the tie wires to the drop in fixtures.

As far as your original question we make are own racks out of uni-strut, "Power Strut" has a lot of engineering info on their site so you can actually run some numbers and make sure it is strong enough.

The photo Pierre posted looks to me like someone did not want to engineer anything, they just went over kill. That rack could be the jack stand for a bulldozer.

Thanks Bob,
It looks like I can put something together with powerstrut and still be at a fraction of the load rating