"William" wrote in message
news:8FQre.53257$_o.38737@attbi_s71...

"Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote in message
...

"Pete C." wrote in message
...


If you've got individual 50KW loads you may well be big enough to have
benefited from 480V service.

Again, a judgment call. I have one device with that load. Why would
I
pay for 480 service, add an additional panel, then transform for
everything
else? Personally, I think I made some excellent choices. Everything I
have
runs as it should, and I haven't filled the shop with unnecessary
transformers. Idling current alone would have been expensive in the
long
haul had I chosen that path. I have only one machine that *requires*
480
volts, a German made universal cylindrical grinder, which cannot be
strapped
for 240 volts, or anything within reason. The only time the
transformer
will be energized is when I use the machine. There will be no idling
consumption otherwise, so I won't be paying for making heat.
Regardless
of
your opinion, I feel I've done a damned good job of addressing the
problems
at hand. Your bias against delta service seems to be a much greater
stumbling block for you than my choices are for me. Very strange,
Pete.
However, I think if you visited my shop and observed how nicely it all
has
come together, I think you might find yourself agreeing that I did the
right
thing. :-)

Well since you are already running a separate service for the single
phase,
the 480 would have been the best for you. You don't need any transformers
for the 480 service and you haven't mentioned any 3 phase equipment that
requires 240 volts only. Also if you really have 75 amps of florescent
lights (That's TONS of amps for lighting. Do you use sun glasses in
side??
:-) you could have run all that from a 20 amp 277 breaker if you had a 480
wye setup! Much cheaper for the wire on the 50kw load on the furnace and
smaller contactors and stuff on all other wires too....

William....

Yeah, but one fly in the ointment. I own a 23 KW heat treat furnace that
is wired 208 volts, with a control transformer that has taps for other
voltages. According to McEngelvan, I can simply change the lead for
controls and get better service, considering the coils are actually rated
for 240 volts. I have yet to do it because it's not set up at this point in
time. The size of the transformer for something that large would have
been somewhat discouraging for me, although I think that all my equipment,
otherwise, could be wired for 460/480 volts. I had to make a decision, and
feel that, considering I'm not well versed in electricity, I had to do what
was most comfortable for me, which would be to work with a voltage that I
had worked before. I think, under the circumstances, I made the right
decision, although the 400 amp Square D (disconnect) switch for the
induction furnace wasn't cheap at just over $600. I still have to buy the
fuses. The shop isn't fully functional at this point due to our living in
it while we're building our house. No need to set up things that I can't
use at the moment.

Harold