Measuring load on equipment...kinda random

[IntegrityShirts]

So I'm moving the shop to a new location and had to run all new wiring for each piece of equipment. I bought an amp meter to measure each piece so I didn't waste money on over-sized wiring like I did at the old shop.

Here's the numbers (all at 240V single phase):
Anatol trident A/C Servo 10/12: 5-7amps
Precision Vortex OLD gas dryer: 11amps
5hp compressor: 22amps running (70+ on start)
Exposure unit 5k Olec: 9amps
Quartz flash 9 1800w tubes: 72amps running (spikes over 100 cold, and spikes up to 85-90 each cycle when warm)

The flash is what surprised me the most. I thought after it heated up a bit that the load would drop significantly, but it didn't. It's wired to a 70amp breaker so it's close to the limit of the breaker but has never popped. 6 gauge wire going to that sucker.

Anyway, random Monday tidbits of useless information to everyone except me!

[jvanick]

definitely not useless... it's good info to be collecting and understand.

we have 24ft ceilings here at our shop and our drops come all the way from the rafters, downsizing on the SO cord and runs would have saved us some $$$ on build out, but since everything was new and we had no real-life runtime #'s, we had to go with spec and manufacturer recommended breaker ratings.

our runtime draw is a fair amount under spec as well...

but remember that to CYA, the manufacturers have to show the max load, not the runtime load...

[RGB]

  That 5K, olec, surprises me @ 9amps, (that's at the 5K setting on a tri-power right)...I had that figgered at around 14amp.

[IntegrityShirts]

  That 5K, olec, surprises me @ 9amps, (that's at the 5K setting on a tri-power right)...I had that figgered at around 14amp.

I measured it on start up / warm up. I did not, however, measure it while it was exposing as I assumed it used the most power on initial warm up. I will try to measure again while exposing. My unit it pretty old and the capacitors are REALLY loud on start up. Wonder if one of them is dying out and not supply full power?

[LuckyFlyinROUSH]

Honestly the cost difference in wiring isn't something I would skimp on. When we wired our new shop we over wired so when we wanted to upgrade to newer better equipment we would have the power for it. New dryer needed more amps, new presses needed more amps as we got more heads, etc.

Your exposure unit will use the most energy when exposing.

[ZooCity]

  That 5K, olec, surprises me @ 9amps, (that's at the 5K setting on a tri-power right)...I had that figgered at around 14amp.

I measured it on start up / warm up. I did not, however, measure it while it was exposing as I assumed it used the most power on initial warm up. I will try to measure again while exposing. My unit it pretty old and the capacitors are REALLY loud on start up. Wonder if one of them is dying out and not supply full power?

You assumed incorrectly.  On standby the olec powers down.  Our AL53 pulls 29a when the shutter is open.  Yours probably does the same. 

I think clamping your circuits is a very good practice and can help you plan your overall, actual electric needs.  While it's helpful in sizing your service panel,  I would not down size wire gauge based on this.  Savings are minimal and you are increasing the likelihood of having to re-pull larger gauge if you up grade down the road.  If anything I would oversize the wire to the extent that was reasonable and affordable.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[mk162]

zoo is correct, I just couldn't find a good way of saying it.

also, if you try and get by on the smallest gauge possible you aren't going to take into consideration things like voltage drop and hot how the wires will get over that run.  We had one circuit that eventually baked the insulation off the wire

[IntegrityShirts]

I will re-measure the Olec. The existing circuit for it at the new location may not be up to task, but it was already there so I haven't spent any money on that one yet. Luckily, I have plenty of romex left over if I need to run another circuit for the exposure.

By oversize, I mean I ran 6 gauge wire to my Trident that only draws 7amps lol, WAAAAAAAAY overkill. A little 3hp motor doesn't need 8 gauge wire going to it like I have in the old shop. As a general rule, I have gone one gauge lower on all circuits unless it was in the lower end of the load range.

I have been using an online amp/run calculator that accounts for distance as one of the variables and acceptable voltage drop also.
http://www.paigewire.com/pumpWireCalc.aspx

[244]

I will re-measure the Olec. The existing circuit for it at the new location may not be up to task, but it was already there so I haven't spent any money on that one yet. Luckily, I have plenty of romex left over if I need to run another circuit for the exposure.

By oversize, I mean I ran 6 gauge wire to my Trident that only draws 7amps lol, WAAAAAAAAY overkill. A little 3hp motor doesn't need 8 gauge wire going to it like I have in the old shop. As a general rule, I have gone one gauge lower on all circuits unless it was in the lower end of the load range.

I have been using an online amp/run calculator that accounts for distance as one of the variables and acceptable voltage drop also.
http://www.paigewire.com/pumpWireCalc.aspx

Just a FYI. What you are doing is not only wrong but illegal. Do not second guess the nomenclature. If you have any doubt as to the correctness of the nomenclature contact the manufacturer to verify. If you have a fire in your facility and the insurance company checks the plates and your wiring there will be an issue. Its not worth the risk in any way..

[IntegrityShirts]

Thanks Rich. Some of my equipment doesn't have plates on them or was converted to single phase from 3 rendering the plates innacurate. I am confident that the gauge wire I'm using is OVER the max amp draw of my equipment.

The Olec has a 30amp rating on the plate and will be run with 10gauge wire and put on a dedicated 30amp breaker.

I am not worried about circuit overloading nor am I concerned with a fire hazard. I only posted my readings as the flash surprised me most by its CONTINUOUS HIGH AMP Draw even after warmed up which goes against what many have said here on the forums.

[mk162]

please, pay an electrician...the calculations can be and should be made on proper wire and breaker size.  a 30a appliance should not be run on a 30a breaker...

[ZooCity]

I completely get where you are coming from feeding that 7a press with 6awg but think about it in context with what I said about future proofing.  You spent extra (quite a bit extra in this case) on the copper initially but when you swap that pneumatic press out for a big, shiny 12color all electric someday it's going to be ready to go with a quick swap of the breaker and the twist lock.  Having had a hand in re-configuring the wiring layout in a few locations now I would go real big on a lot of runs doing it over again, it's just a small price to pay for so much flexibility and re-pulling just one run of larger diam wire on a shared conduit can be hell.  It's also better for the building in the long term.

[IntegrityShirts]

please, pay an electrician...the calculations can be and should be made on proper wire and breaker size.  a 30a appliance should not be run on a 30a breaker...

Sorry, I was going off memory. Plate on the exposure unit says 24amp 240v. That's why I have it on a 10gauge 30amp circuit.

Zoo, my press is already AC/Servo and doesn't draw more than a 10gauge 20 amp circuit so that's how I wired it. I could have ran that with 12 gauge I believe, but went with 10.

[Shanarchy]

I know I'm stating the obvious, but whatever you do, make sure the wire is correctly rated to the breaker. If it's thinner the wire could catch fire before the breaker trips. Personally I agree with having an electrician do it.

Interesting info on the loads. I think most equipment is rated for a max potential draw, but will often run at less. Definitely cool to see what they are typically running at.

[mk162]

i have a friend that is an electrician...it's a great resource.  He doesn't live locally anymore...that's the only problem.  But he loves being put to work when he's in town.

sadly to wire up the amergraph here cost around $900 in materials...should have gone LED instead(although they weren't available at the time)