On Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:58:04 -0800, Gunner Asch
wrote:

Bruce, Im staring a new project , Monday.

I need :

(1) 400 amp 480volt 3ph sub panel with 6 + breaker positions
(2) 200 amp 480vt 3ph sub with 6-10 breakers
(1) 200 amp single phase sub, with 20-48 breaker positions

400' 6x6 raceway

Got any suggestions for surplus sources?

Just the usual suspects - Bernards Brothers.

Ive got a call into Romac, but they havent called back with
availability.

If I have to, Ill buy the subs new..but would rather not.

Raceway...shrug...Im pulling several hundred feed of 3x 2/0 cable to
the subs from the distro. Conduit will work of course, but would
rather use raceway

Conduit is fine for feeders from the Main to a sub-panel, once you
get it built it isn't going to be changed. You'll add another Sub
next to it for more load and more breaker spaces.

Raceway will be more useful between the sub-panels and the rows of
equipment where it will be changed and modified on a regular basis.

And if you don't want to use raceway, look at cable tray and BX/MC
Cable between the panel and the equipment, see if the local inspector
will allow it. Easy to run, just drop tray rated BX in the tray and
ty-rap it down on the vertical risers and every so far on the
horizontal to keep it neatly in place. It's safer to make changes
with the power on and everything running, because it isn't loose wires
in a duct, everything is individually armored.

You can even move a machine closer to the panel, and make a loop to
lose the slack cable in the cable tray.

35,000 empty building Ive got to install a factory in, next to the
Fullerton Airport

Every bit of copper has been removed from the building..buss bars in
all the sub panels, wire... only thing they didnt steal was the 277
lighting circuits and the 800 amp distro

Probably smart enough to realize they might still be hot.

First thing after you get working power is to get a hot phone line
and get a basic perimeter and motion sensors burglar and fire alarm
system running, with central station, even if it's cobbled together
for the construction phase. Now that you're bringing in a few tons of
fresh copper and equipment, they may well come back for an encore.

Im having to bring in a 25kva transformer from my Piles O stuff to
step 480 down to 110, just to get construction power.

Lots of empty conduit hanging 18' up.

Take the time to number it, blow in pull strings, determine where it
all goes and make a road-map. Poly String is cheap in the 6KFT
buckets, and even cheaper if you can get the refill balls - but when
you pull and the other end moves you are sure where it goes. It's a
whole lot easier to rehab the existing conduit and use it where you
can, rather than starting from scratch.

You know how to blow or suck the string through with a chunk of rag
and a good shop vac, right?

And use Mule Tape with the footage marked for the final string, so
you can order wire pre-cut at the right lengths for the run.

I already rented a manlift and a forklift.

If they have high-bay lighting, remember the thing about broken
metal-halide lamp outer envelopes and UV third-degree sunburn.
Happens really fast.

Oh, and the other thing - Never nail up a MH light fixture to a
breaker and let it run 24/7/365, or the lamp capsule will eventually
burst. All MH lamps need to be cycled off for 10 minutes or so at
least once a week. If you want night-lights use fluorescent, they
last a LOT longer than 12K Hours when they're always on...

How about air lines? Copper, ring mains, lots of shut-off valves to
segment and isolate for fixing leaks or adding drops, separate risers
for separate compressors...

Proper Prior Planning Prevents **** Poor Performance. :-P

-- Bruce --