- Joined
- Jan 31, 2016
- Messages
- 11,553
Electrician wired up a motor wrong and shut half the plant down for 18 hrs . We the mechanics traced our entire vaccum system from the silos to the hoppers . Swapped out 3 Roots blowers . My boss was with me until Midnight until we gave up the trouble shooting . My coffee pot was never even started . The motor was a 5 horse Baldor running one of our pellet lines which runs the full length of our roof out to our silos . Had to dump silo hatch checking for bridges and clogs . None found . The motor that was originally pulled was wired high voltage which we all visually checked out and verified . The motor that was installed was also a 5 horse Baldor which was also wired high voltage so we took the electricians word as good . When we started up the system , the motor ran the blower and system great , until we put any kind of a small load on the vac system . The motor would stall , tripped the breakers , blew fuses in an instant . They smoked quite a few contactors also in the process . We the mechanics totally disected the entire system and found nothing once again .
This morning when the daylight electrician came in , I took him over to the blower room and showed him what was going on . John , a very talented and smart guy said immediately the motor was wired wrong . In 3 minutes he re-wired it low voltage and the system took off without a hitch . What I learned was to always read the motor plate and not just look at the motor itself . I' not an electrician so that's not my responsibility and I have to trust my co-workers . I did inform my higher ups that the issue was resolved at my morning meeting . They did not seem very happy . I had vacation planned for tonight and Sat night so I don't know the outcome as of yet , but this is not the first instance something of this magnitude has occurred with this electrician . We use contracted electricians as well a company employed . Sad that our contracted ones are so much better . But yes , I am thrilled I took these 2 nights off when I did . The blood pressure would have surely been thru the roof .
This morning when the daylight electrician came in , I took him over to the blower room and showed him what was going on . John , a very talented and smart guy said immediately the motor was wired wrong . In 3 minutes he re-wired it low voltage and the system took off without a hitch . What I learned was to always read the motor plate and not just look at the motor itself . I' not an electrician so that's not my responsibility and I have to trust my co-workers . I did inform my higher ups that the issue was resolved at my morning meeting . They did not seem very happy . I had vacation planned for tonight and Sat night so I don't know the outcome as of yet , but this is not the first instance something of this magnitude has occurred with this electrician . We use contracted electricians as well a company employed . Sad that our contracted ones are so much better . But yes , I am thrilled I took these 2 nights off when I did . The blood pressure would have surely been thru the roof .