On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 04:31:31 GMT, "Ivan Vegvary" wrote:
Getting things arranged in my new (new for me) shop. It has 3 phase power,
therefore the questions.

1) Do I simply run 3 wires to the machines (lathe, mill, grinder & surface
grinder) and let the conduit be the ground, or do I need a seperate ground
wire. The existing building has a few 3ph outlets (in conduit), but no
ground wires.

That's permissible, but I always like to run a separate grounding wire.
That's insurance in case something happens to the conduit, ie a joint
comes undone or becomes high resistance, so that it is no longer a
good continuous metallic circuit.

2) My machines will be out in the middle of the floor. Do I simply dangle a
conduit from the roof framing (15 ft. above), or, do I install a post upon
which the conduit will come down? Do I do this once for each machine?
Somebody must have a clever solution to this situation. I don't want to cut
up my slab and install wires below.

You want to support and protect the conduit, so a post would be best.
But you can use heavy wall rigid conduit. In effect that *becomes* the
post.

Gary