# Cable shovels and Electric Haul trucks



## gord (Sep 7, 2009)

I'm trying to find some info on Bucyrus 495 & 595 cable shovels,P&H 4100 AC & DC cable shovels and Komatsu 930E Electric haul Trucks. I have an interview for a training position to work on the above equipment and would like to get some idea on how the electrics work on these things like maybe a one line diagram what voltages or schematics prettymuch anything.
Any info would be helpful.


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

gord said:


> I'm trying to find some info on Bucyrus 495 & 595 cable shovels,P&H 4100 AC & DC cable shovels and Komatsu 930E Electric haul Trucks. I have an interview for a training position to work on the above equipment and would like to get some idea on how the electrics work on these things like maybe a one line diagram what voltages or schematics prettymuch anything.
> Any info would be helpful.


 Gord! P M me. I worked 7 years at Hilton Mines in Bristol Quebec.

We had a Bucyrus Erie shovel, and P and H shovels too.

This was way back in 60s and 70s. 

Probably you best bet is to try and find manuals for this equipment.

I will try and help you as much as I can. But it's been a while.

One thing I can tell you, this equipment was run with trailing cables.

Primary voltage was 4160 volts.


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## Mr.C (Dec 20, 2009)

I work on them and draglines everyday all over the country. You can't possibly learn enough about them here to get ready for an interview, however I recommend you convey to the interviewer that you have a strong electronics background as well as motor control and distribution. Don't forget about plc maintenance skills and familiarity with static bridges and MG sets. Also brush up on your dc theory as a majority on the equipment out there is still dc. As a last note yes alot of shovels used to be 4160v but since copper isn't cheap for a trailing cable most have been converted to 7200v. Good luck with your interview and as a hail mary know how an SCR and IGBT work.


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## gord (Sep 7, 2009)

Thanks for that info I'm just trying to get an idea of the equipment used on these beasts.
What is the difference between a 4160v cable and 7200v cable?


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## Mr.C (Dec 20, 2009)

Alot of shovels were 4160v but the price of copper convinced mines to tap the power at 7200v so they could use smaller conductors.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Mr.C said:


> Alot of shovels were 4160v but the price of copper convinced mines to tap the power at 7200v so they could use smaller conductors.


The higher the voltage the smaller the wire.


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## deltawye232 (Aug 17, 2021)

We had 4 P&H Shovels at Chino Mine in Silver City. I think they had 7 in Arizona. Dual 1500 HP hoist motors, tandem DC speed controllers. The scariest thoughts are of Blast Suits and charging capacitors over 700 V weekly test. 67 ton bucket capacity fit a pickup in the shovel. We had so much fun and money came out of the ground. This girl hit our line grid 50kv her haultruck raised the bucket with her lunchbox. Safety Meeting. We had 10 linemen Had to stick the truck on the hill. All 4 tires smoked rubber burned. We were 4160 then started swapping multi phase formers 7160/480/240/120 from 4160 4/0 extension cables lengthened. Potheads and HIPOT test cables. changed venue. Did Freeport go to AC? I figured the better motor would be brushless DC. I changed a couple motors and a thousand brushes in a few shovels 600VDC. My fave was the 46.


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## deltawye232 (Aug 17, 2021)

MSHA 4100 CERT operation. P&H Drill 40'
Blast zone blue cones Bend 4" RMC Thread 6" Cryogenic Gas, Cell, I/O racks, Class I Hazardous Locations





Intrinsic safety - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

"We had 4 P&H Shovels at Chino Mine in Silver City."

I worked in Tyrone with 2 4300's and 1 frankenshovel based on the 4100. Took my green card test on the 4100. Instructor told me that I could move the shovel 500 feet. I told him that I would never move the shovel more than 50 feet, forwards and back. That is why the mine employs shovel runners. They know the way the machine works way better than I do.

There were 13 or so P&H shovels in Morenci.

Our 4100 was 4160v and the others were 7200v. All of our cables were the same kept paying attention down to a dull roar. We had portable subs some on wheels most on skids. Some of the subs had not moved for decades. Subs were 43000 to 7.2 or 4.16kv depending on the location. Most of the electrical distribution equipment was `50's vintage

All of our shovels were ac to dc.
I have been told that Joy Global who bought P&H as gone to all AC equipment because they can get the fine control now days.

All of the drives were ABB and of a variety not seen much any more and hard to get.

I hope you realize that this is an mostly outside job that is 24-7-365. My mine closed on Christmas for 24 hours. I was at the mine doing work orders. 
Tyrone had electric trucks and got rid of them, our trucks were Cats in the 200 ton range.
Best of luck


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