# Sometimes IEC actually is a better choice



## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

I’m not sure where to post this but this is one of our plants “MCC” cabinets. This is factory as near as I can tell, mid 80’s timeline, just before IEC hit the shores. I love my NEMA stuff, but this is wrong on a multitude of levels.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

From a mere price standpoint, I think it's always better. Service factor? Not my concern. Fast easy paycheck? Yep. I get better than 5 years out of them every time in my experiences. Usually more. What me worry?



P.S. Before showering me with all the hate, consider your GM vehicle and it's highly undesirable plastic door handles. But we keep buying them don't we?


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## oliquir (Jan 13, 2011)

IEC is a lot better in those point, size, price and security, iec are finger safe, those old nema are very dangerous when doing live troubleshooting
This panel doesn't follow manufacturer specs, they need some spacing between each starter.


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## tmessner (Apr 1, 2013)

We use all IEC. just over size when necessary. It is cheaper and way easier to change out an entire IEC contactor that to change the contacts on a nema


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

I like IEC as well. Small and reliable. Great price too.
Seems its hated around here. I have an idea why, but this is not the controversial forum.


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## bill39 (Sep 4, 2009)

What is wrong in your picture has nothing to do with NEMA or IEC, but with lack of spacing between components and properly sized wire duct.

It is a design problem not a component problem.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

bill39 said:


> What is wrong in your picture has nothing to do with NEMA or IEC, but with lack of spacing between components and properly sized wire duct.
> 
> It is a design problem not a component problem.


Yes and no. Yes there is a lack of space between components . No that Hoffman box is undersized, so you couldn't get more space between components...... unless.......... You switched em all to iEC. 


So then, the problem is the size of the box. Yes? No?


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## bill39 (Sep 4, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> Yes and no. Yes there is a lack of space between components . No that Hoffman box is undersized, so you couldn't get more space between components...... unless.......... You switched em all to iEC.
> 
> 
> So then, the problem is the size of the box. Yes? No?


The definitive answer is....well, maybe.

It depends on how much physical space was available when the location for the box was picked out, plus what were the customer’s spec’s, if any. Were IEC components even permitted? 

Sizing the enclosure is often the last thing to be done. I hate having to shoe horn things into an enclosure only to see the fitters or HVAC folks spread out like there’s no tomorrow.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

John Valdes said:


> I like IEC as well. Small and reliable. Great price too.
> Seems its hated around here. I have an idea why, but this is not the controversial forum.


I think they both have their place. 

Really large high amp loads you can't beat NEMA.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

bill39 said:


> What is wrong in your picture has nothing to do with NEMA or IEC, but with lack of spacing between components and properly sized wire duct.
> 
> It is a design problem not a component problem.



Yup, can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

macmikeman said:


> Yes and no. Yes there is a lack of space between components . No that Hoffman box is undersized, so you couldn't get more space between components...... unless.......... You switched em all to iEC.
> 
> 
> So then, the problem is the size of the box. Yes? No?



It's just a piss poor design.


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## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

To everyone, there was room for a larger enclosure on the iron work, but the available space wasn't used for whatever reason. Later plants use a larger Hoffman box with IEC components with room to spare inside. Why this is made like this is anybodies guess. Honestly a 12"x12"x8' wire trough with combos kearneyed on to a cable bus would be an improvement over this, but this is what I've got. This is a glimpse into the wonderful r-mix world and my day to day doings. @John Valdes, at first blush I thought what about IEC vs NEMA would be a controversial topic that would need to be in Controversial, then I thought, yeah, it'll end up 6 pages long and way over in the weeds. I may start a thread about it in Controversial.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

460 Delta said:


> I’m not sure where to post this but this is one of our plants “MCC” cabinets. This is factory as near as I can tell, mid 80’s timeline, just before IEC hit the shores. I love my NEMA stuff, but this is wrong on a multitude of levels.


DANGER 3 PHASE lol.

This just went from order to chaos. Either lazy or underfunded maintenance or something worse.


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## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

Southeast Power said:


> DANGER 3 PHASE lol.
> 
> This just went from order to chaos. Either lazy or underfunded maintenance or something worse.


Really none of the above, ignorance mostly. I buy voltage stickers and the Danger Arc Flash Hazard stickers like I own stock in a sticker plant and still only a fraction of my plants are marked.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

460 Delta said:


> Really none of the above, ignorance mostly. I buy voltage stickers and the Danger Arc Flash Hazard stickers like I own stock in a sticker plant and still only a fraction of my plants are marked.


Doesn't look like there is space even for a sticker.


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## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

Then I run into a mess like this in IEC, the starter is too big for the enclosure, the control fuses are in the wire trough and the control wire that’s white randomly is running on top of everything. I landed # 6 on the terminals and it is officially full now.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

It's only dangerous when it's 460 delta. If it's 240 delta it's fine.


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## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

460 Delta is dangerous, 
I see.


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