The Laundry Room is open from 7AM until 10PM.
The timer on the top left automatically shuts off the washers, dryers, and lights. (The other 2 do nothing)





So, how do you turn off 13 circuits with just a 1 pole time clock and 1-3 pole contactor?

Simple...

are they really using the "Big Blue Scotchlock Method"?

I thought that was only a theory. An urban legend that instructors would tell students.

Something like bigfoot or mermaids.

Bear with me...I'm having a little trouble trying to figure this one out.

Are they turning off the 13 circuits by interrupting the NEUTRAL with that little contactor ?

Mike (mamills)

Sure looks that way to me.

Yup, they are.
The top pole is being used for the lighting circuit's hot.(the white wire that's so nicely taped black)
The other 2 poles each have a #10 to the neutral bar, and a #10 to the big blue wirenut where the homerun neutrals are spliced.

So you can cheat as long as you use one washer on each phase and start them simultaneously!

No, that wouldn't work. Never mind.

[This message has been edited by Larry Fine (edited 04-20-2006).]

Since the two Tork timers aren't being used, there's plenty of room to add a panel with a bank of contactors and do it right.

I would have never thought of breaking the neutrals to control anything. Some roads you just don't take, and this creative road is one of them. Someone has a wild imagination!

Larry: Should work, just don't get caught in the beginning of the rinse cycle at 10:01 p.m.

(straying from the point...sorry).

Mike (mamills)

[The timer on the top left automatically shuts off the washers, dryers, and lights.]

I can understand Lights.
But why would they want to shut off washers and dryers.
Are these Gas dryers?
And the 120v is just control?
If they are electric 240v and the ground and neutral are actually seperate at the unit.
Maybe they ran the neautrals through the contactor because there would be very little current on the neautrals.
Just controls and no heating elements.
"Important to do the math before you drop
those quarters."

I wonder how many washer/dryer motors they've burned up by doing this. I'll bet the service renting the machines to these clowns would love to know about this!!

And let's not overlook the panel full of lovely Zinsco tandems!!

I see what Larry's getting at: The neutrals for the A-phase loads and the B-phase loads were grouped and switched separately, so there's no "open neutral" problem.

Somebody really gave some careful thought to that one. Cute solution. Completely illegal.

And Zinsco breakers to top it all off.

Peter