Specialty equipment

Nov. 30, 1995
Channel-shaped metal strut is highly versatile. With semicaptive nuts, it is used to construct racks to support electrical equipment, or used as a conduit support, a hanger, a raceway for Type FC cable assemblies, and for direct mounting of light fixtures. It is available in various materials and in a variety of sizes for meeting specific strength requirements. It is also available with knockouts

Channel-shaped metal strut is highly versatile. With semicaptive nuts, it is used to construct racks to support electrical equipment, or used as a conduit support, a hanger, a raceway for Type FC cable assemblies, and for direct mounting of light fixtures. It is available in various materials and in a variety of sizes for meeting specific strength requirements. It is also available with knockouts for conduit entrances, couplings, closure strips, and other accessories, as required.

Anchors of various types are used to secure electrical equipment, or even metal strut, to the floor, ceiling, or wall. Examples include stud anchors with threaded ends, lead-type expansion anchors, and even plastic anchors for drywall applications. They are available in an assortment of sizes and materials to meet most applications.

Poleline equipment and hardware

Lightning arrestors are critical power system components, providing protection against steep-rising wave shapes generated by lightning and switching. They can be polemounted, located within distribution enclosures, or directly mounted at large motors and generators. They are available in three classes: distribution, intermediate, or station. Their application depends upon the degree of protection required and voltage level involved.

Fused cutouts, isolating switches, and brackets to hold distribution transformers, capacitors, reclosers, and lightning arrestors are also component parts of polelines.

Poleline hardware is highly specialized. Poles are generally of wood, but concrete, fiberglass, steel, and aluminum are also used. Wood poles up to 90 ft are available. Crossarms and their associated bracing are also varied. Insulators of glass, porcelain, or polymer support or deaden cable to crossarms or directly to the pole. Guy wires, anchors, and associated hardware provide the forces necessary to oppose those imposed on the pole by conductor tension, ice, wind, or other variables.

Capacitors

Besides being installed on polelines for power-factor correction on distribution lines, capacitors are widely applied for the same purpose within facilities. NonPCB liquid-filled units and dry types are available with enclosures for indoor and outdoor environments. Individual capacitors can be connected directly at a load, grouped at a MCC, or centralized in larger ratings to bulk-correct the power factor of a system. Many times these centralized systems are provided with automatic controls that switch them onto or off the line. This results in maintaining a specific power factor.

Enclosures

A wide variety of enclosures is available for containing and mounting electrical equipment. They can range from huge consoles in central control rooms to individual enclosures for control and instrumentation. According to application, they are suitable for indoor general-purpose use, oiltight, raintight, and explosion proof. Various materials include sheet metal, stainless steel, PVC, and fiberglass. Depending on the application, individual enclosures use optional mounting plates within the terminal strips or miscellaneous devices.

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