Pump station motor control location, minimum separation distance?

[bentov]

A pump contractor friend of mine made a comment yesterday, about some pump control panels being "too close" to the motors. In this case the VFD panels were about 10-12 feet from the actual motors (not in the way of pump or motor removal or repair though), and the service entrance was another 100 feet away. Is there in fact a requirement or rule of thumb on that, regarding controller and/or service entrance? I would think closer is better, for material cost and also easier security fence containment (big deal these days), so long as working room is preserved for later maintenance & repair . . .

 

[itsmoked]

No. With VFDs the closer to the motor the better! It's when you move them away that lots of possible maladies start arising.

They even make them that you bolt to the motors.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[jraef]

Actually you would have to have him relate that do a specific issue. "Too close" is a little nebulous. For example;

If it's a sewage lift station that is a classified environment and your panel ends up in the classified area, it would be less expensive to move it out of the classified area than you make it suitable.

There are rules about clearances in front of electrical equipment, usually 36" of clear space in front of any door, etc. etc.

If it a water booster station and there is a possibility of flooding or significant spray in the event of a leak, keeping the panel out of the wet zone is very prudent.

On the opposite end of the question is that VFDs as a rule should be as close as possible to the motors!

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