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Posted By: electure "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 05/29/04 06:26 PM
Posted for Mike Trump

Trumpy will give you the details [Linked Image]

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Thanks, Mike !!
Posted By: DougW Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 05/30/04 02:07 PM
I'm still trying to figure out the first pic - looks like a marriage of LV and (110) Line control circuitry, in an unprotected panel. Pic 6 looks like a similar condition.

Are pics 2,3, & 4 showing some kind of decomposed ENT over the conductors?

Nice "Conductors in Free Air" in #5...
Posted By: Lostazhell Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 05/30/04 03:52 PM
Ok Mr. Trump, clue us in! [Linked Image] I think I've figured out a few things, but I'm sure I'm missing something in here

first pic is a control station for something. timers, start/stops, & I also see a socket for an 'ice cube' relay with tape all over.. Is that thing at line voltage? With the open terms on that, it should probably be in a can to be protected from damage & accidental contact.

pics 2-5, seems you have the disappearing conduit trick going on.. Things really have to be made for the corrosive environments in slaughter houses/Meat packing plants... Appearing to be outside, was this some sort of raceway that isn't generally used outdoors? Another note, I know you guys have different color schemes down there, please tell me the green & (gray?) wires in pics 3& 4 arent line voltage! [Linked Image] Last pic looks like a rats nest.. Did you remove the cover or was it missing?
Posted By: Texas_Ranger Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 05/30/04 06:27 PM
As far as I can guess the first pic shows a 230/400V 3üh fuse panel for rewireable fuse carriers, some of which are missing.
Since there's a standard single pole breaker the rats nest could very well be at the same voltage.
Posted By: Trumpy Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 05/31/04 10:08 AM
Ok Guys,
Sorry to hold out on you guys.
Pic 1 is a Refrigeration Control panel.
This is a 400V 3 phase panel and all of the fuses have 400v between them.
If you thought the front of the panel was dodgy, I tried to open the panel and the sheer mass of wire tangle, prevented me from opening it more than an inch!.
Pic 2, is a Thermostat wire, one feed plus 2 load wires on the Cooling Tower, 230V controls.
Pic 3 show's the actual thermostat, a Ranco, I believe.
Pic 4 shows what is left of the Non-metallic Conduit, used to sheath this stuff, sunlight and sea air, has it's way with Bettaflex here.
Pic 5 shows more of the same, but the wires here feed a 3 phase 400V fan on top of the Cooling Tower.
Pic 6 shows a temporary box that was installed 5 years ago, it controls the speed of the Pig Slaughter Chain, via Pneumatics.
Thanks Scott, for posting these images!!!!. [Linked Image]
Posted By: pauluk Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 05/31/04 02:23 PM
What a mess! [Linked Image]

Those rewireable fuses look almost identical to the type that were common in Britain years ago.

What are the two gray boxes at the top of the first pic? Timers? Contactors? I can't make out the name on them on my monitor, but at first glance they look very much like old British MEM switchgear.
Posted By: Trumpy Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 06/01/04 05:46 AM
Paul,
Those gray boxes are MEM Phase Failure relays. [Linked Image]
Posted By: pauluk Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 06/01/04 04:27 PM
Thought they looked like MEM gear. For non-Brits, the MEM name was derived from Midlands Electrical Manufacturing Co. Not certain, but I think they used to be headquartered in Birmingham (England, not Ala. [Linked Image])
Posted By: CTwireman Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 06/02/04 08:34 PM
I always wondered what these places looked liked inside. Now I know. [Linked Image]

Mike, just curious, were you there for repairs? How were you able to walk around and take pictures without arousing suspicion?

Peter
Posted By: Trumpy Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 06/04/04 09:59 AM
Pete,
I was there doing a Hazard Assessment course with a new Apprentice, at the time.
Learning how to identify Electrical Hazards, as to their Employment.
So I thought that this would be the best place to start her off.
My Lord, there are enough bad panels in this place, to write a Novel.
I was also warned to stop taking pictures!.
Damn!. [Linked Image]
Posted By: Texas_Ranger Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 06/04/04 10:55 AM
Quote
So I thought that this would be the best place to start her off.

You bet!
Posted By: aland Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 06/04/04 06:03 PM
Paul, MEM still have a headquarters in B/Ham Uk. However they are now owned by The Eaton Corporation who i am sure our American friends will know only to well.
Posted By: Trumpy Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 06/04/04 11:51 PM
Randy,
The control wires are all yellow and they carry 230V, although in pics 3 & 4 they look grey because of UV damage from the sun.
This wiring was originally run through the first lot of flexible PVC ever made here and it's resistance to UV damage was rather poor.
Doug,
Most of our Control circuits in Industrial places are either 230V or 400VAC.
In the actual slaughter area of the plant, the machines are controlled by either air actuated switches and the contactor and so forth is installed in the roof void above the machine.
Paul,
The porcelain fuses on the top panel are illegal here now and even so it has always been illegal to install these types of fuses in a side-by-side pattern, where there is 400V between the seperate fuses.
As a note, I'm told that this panel is going to be ripped out and replaced "sometime in the future".
I just hope that I don't get given that job.
The reason?, If you look closely at the top of the panel, on each side of the Main Isolator, you'll see a row of small Mineral insulated cables entering the panel.
I hate this type of cable with a passion, it's so hard to work with and it can give you some nasty suprises.
Any new panel will have to take these cables into account, as well.
I just hope that it gets done while I'm on holiday one day. [Linked Image]
Posted By: CTwireman Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 06/05/04 02:03 PM
Mike, So it's fair to say you're not too bothered by blood and guts then? [Linked Image]
Posted By: Trumpy Re: "Dodgy wiring at the Meat Works" - 09/18/04 11:47 AM
Here's some other pics of the same Plant room, that I "found", when I was cleaning out my Computer yesterday.

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Fire Alarm wires in Flexible PVC conduit. [Linked Image]

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Fire Alarm, 400V, 230V and 24V wires all mixed up!

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Same wires, but there are also Emergency lighting circuits and a few others in there too.
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