# 400 hp electric motor



## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

Assuming you are going to stay there to witness the start-up and check rotation, currents, etc., I would count on a full day on site. The actual time to wire it is probably no more than an hour, maybe two if you have to clean things up a lot. But invariably someone will not be ready and you will have to stand around waiting to check the motor. 

So I'd quote them a full day and give some back if everything goes perfectly and you are out of there in time to squeeze in another call that day.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Motor rotation could be an issue, too. 

Bring your rotation meter.

They've got the budget, no doubt.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Bgw223 said:


> Hello I have a customer wanting me to come terminate a 400 hp electric motor. Wiring is already in place as this is a motor rewind. What would be a fair price to drive an hour one way and terminate this motor? This is an industrial plant.
> Thanks


It depending on how easy you can get into this large motor and expect a full day if you run into some issue but typically if done right it should take about half day the most. 

Of course bring the rotation tester and make sure you double check the nameplate and connection to make sure it is correct especially right after it been rewinded by motor shop. also bring the clamp on ampmeter or a ampmeter that can wrap around the phase conductor to read the current of the motor.

Check the O/L setting to make sure it is correct for this motor.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

Cost + Profit = Customer Price


Did that help?


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

400hp generally isnt starting across the line so i would book all day to it just in case.

If the motor is on a vfd be aware if the drive wants to do a ID run. (during a ID run the motor may turn backwards or forwards. So if you get excited and shut the motor down before its finished the ID run you may find it amusing to swap 2 phases and see the motor still running backwards)


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

400hp @480 VAC 3-phase that puppy will be a beast.

Is this a medium voltage situation?


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

telsa said:


> 400hp @480 VAC 3-phase that puppy will be a beast.
> 
> Is this a medium voltage situation?


Put that in a Chevy Volt!


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

About 3 years ago, we wired a 600HP 480v turbine pump that was added onto an existing pump station. It was installed on a VFD with an optional across the line bypass starter.


The first time it ran on bypass, it burned the connections off the adjacent power co. pole that fed the transformer. They repaired the connections.


At this point, they proceeded to try it in bypass again. This time the overhead power co. wiring a few poles away melted or otherwise burned in two and fell off the poles.


They came to the conclusion across the line was not an option.


Job was engineered with power co. involvement from the start. Some things just don't turn out the way they're figured.


No real point to this story, other than I saw someone post about motors at this size aren't typically started across the line and it reminded me of this story. I would say that would be an accurate statement in this case.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Awful big motor. How often do you work with motors this size?


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

John Valdes said:


> Awful big motor. How often do you work with motors this size?


For me it is kinda semi routine for large motors but I do not know what voltage the OP saying for his large motor so I will say a 50/50 split between 480 or MV set up typically either 2300 or 4160 volts but if the OP mention medium voltage set up then it will be a automatic full day work for termation and megger test. 

That is very important part is get the megger and make sure the conductors is up to stuff otherwise replace it.

I just got done working on 600 HP sychronous motor not too long ago. ( main city water pump ) that dont dare to start across the line otherwise hellva a brownout event when it crank it up.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

John Valdes said:


> Awful big motor. How often do you work with motors this size?



That's the only 600HP 480v we've dealt with as far as I know. I'd be happy not to see another one. Anything past 500HP should be MV, in my opinion.

But, 500HP and down, several times a year. Seems like you go a while without anything, then you work on a few of them in a row.


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## Bgw223 (Jan 18, 2019)

The motor is on a soft start. I work with motors from 1/2 hp to 500 hp at the plant I work at full time. We have over 300 motors in use. I do some side work but usually light commercial and residential. So I am not sure what the usual rate for industrial work is.


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

Cow said:


> About 3 years ago, we wired a 600HP 480v turbine pump that was added onto an existing pump station. It was installed on a VFD with an optional across the line bypass starter.
> 
> 
> The first time it ran on bypass, it burned the connections off the adjacent power co. pole that fed the transformer. They repaired the connections.
> ...


Whenever someone wants a soft start or a VFD with an Across-the-Line bypass starter, I always ask the question "Can you even start it across the line?". That's because I have run into this exact scenario more than once. Usually it's the PoCo transformer fuses that blow. 



I put in a 900HP 460V whole log chipper with a soft starter and DC injection brake once and I KNEW that the utility transformer was too small to start it on Bypass, but nobody listened to me. The PoCo went through about 10 sets of fuses before deciding I was right so it was a colossal waste of time, but I was getting paid by the hour, so lucky me!


I'm quoting on a project right now with 4 x 1000HP 460V pumps that will have VFDs on them, if I get it those will be the largest LV motors I will have ever done. The consultant originally wanted Soft Starters as bypass for the VFDs just in case, but I told him to crunch the numbers on it even with soft starters, I didn't think they would have enough power. He did and I was right. The project was actually two pumps, there are now four because 2 of them are full back-ups.


My biggest motors were 15,000HP for the New York City WWTP outfall pumps, the ones that pump the treated water way out into the Atlantic ocean, but they were 6.9kV (on soft starters).


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Bgw223 said:


> The motor is on a soft start. I work with motors from 1/2 hp to 500 hp at the plant I work at full time. We have over 300 motors in use. I do some side work but usually light commercial and residential. So I am not sure what the usual rate for industrial work is.


So this is a side job?


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

JRaef said:


> I'm quoting on a project right now with 4 x 1000HP 460V pumps that will have VFDs on them, if I get it those will be the largest LV motors I will have ever done.



Unless I'm mistaken, 1000HP 480v motors have to weird. And special order. And miserable to wire.

I would certainly think a 1000HP 2400v or 4160v motor would be a lot more common??? And practical!!!

All I know is, I'd rather make up one set of okay sized MV wire, than run multiple conduits with 500thhn because someone thought 480v equipment was the way to go still, at this size.


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

Cow said:


> Unless I'm mistaken, 1000HP 480v motors have to weird. And special order. And miserable to wire.
> 
> I would certainly think a 1000HP 2400v or 4160v motor would be a lot more common??? And practical!!!
> 
> All I know is, I'd rather make up one set of okay sized MV wire, than run multiple conduits with 500thhn because someone thought 480v equipment was the way to go still, at this size.


I hear you. But in this case, the issue is that at the end user, there is nobody qualified to work on MV equipment and they don't want to have to rely on outside contractors for maintenance. The plan is to use 4 x 750kCMIL XHHW cables per phase. Fun times...


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## Bgw223 (Jan 18, 2019)

Yes this was a side job. I am in the process of transitioning into full time contracting. I ended up a total of 5 hrs in . So not counting what little materieal I probided I charged profit of $500 he was happy. So I can get more work and referals. It ended up being on VFD he was mistaken about it being a soft start. 
And 480 volt is very common in this area.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Bgw223 said:


> Yes this was a side job. I am in the process of transitioning into full time contracting. I ended up a total of 5 hrs in . So not counting what little materieal I probided I charged profit of $500 he was happy. So I can get more work and referals. It ended up being on VFD he was mistaken about it being a soft start.
> And 480 volt is very common in this area.


With my luck that motor would have been a on a Wye/Delta starter.
The drive made that job MUCH easier.


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## Bgw223 (Jan 18, 2019)

Yes it most certainly did make it easier. Im not too fond of the wye delta starters myself. I am going back to the same place troubleshoot an electron/hydrolic solenoid issue on a excavator. 


John Valdes said:


> Bgw223 said:
> 
> 
> > Yes this was a side job. I am in the process of transitioning into full time contracting. I ended up a total of 5 hrs in . So not counting what little materieal I probided I charged profit of $500 he was happy. So I can get more work and referals. It ended up being on VFD he was mistaken about it being a soft start.
> ...


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## Tonedeaf (Nov 26, 2012)

I say 2500-3000$ depends in 460 or MV
two men 1 day


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Tonedeaf said:


> I say 2500-3000$ depends in 460 or MV
> two men 1 day


You must be deaf. The job is already done. :smile:


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