# Relay magic



## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

I helped install this in 1997 with Softwarehouse access control. Since then they have split the building and have the original SWH, someone added Amag, (small boxes on top of the others) and ours, (the black cans). They wanted to keep some doors operating with these relays for mantraps and hydraulically locking doors. Most of these relays are for warning buzzers and lights on panels in three manned areas. Now they wanted to add Hirsch panels as their choice so we screwed the new access cans to the existing access cans. I know, right...It looks sh1tty but it works as they wanted. Truly, it was the only way we could do it. We are essentially using the old cans as J boxes.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

That relay can is 6 ft X 4 ft and the wiring used to look mint but 14+ years of technicians tugging wires, adding wires, etc.

:no:


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

What does this control, lighting, temperature etc. ?


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## lefleuron (May 22, 2010)

When I see a panel that looks like that, I have three immediate thoughts.

1. It was designed badly and works like crap.

2. It was built with cheap crap that often fails.

3. They let monkeys work on it.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

dronai said:


> What does this control, lighting, temperature etc. ?


Old timey indicator lights, hydraulic doors and gates. Man traps vault tremblers, etc. for three different guard stations.

You should see the hydraulic doors work.

First they unlatch with hydraulics then the door lifts up about six inches then swings out. When it hits a limit switch the green traffic light comes on. after the truck enters, it has to stop free of the gate so it can swing back and lock. All done with PLC's now but they were originally timer relays.


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## varmit (Apr 19, 2009)

Sounds like the "big house" in McAlester?


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## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

actually that relay panel is not too bad ( a bit of a mess for sure)
Ive seen worse and spent the day cussing while trying to sort tangled spaghetti.
working in a large contactor panel can be a trip too worse if none of the conductors are labeled and documentation is non existent.


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## lefleuron (May 22, 2010)

gnuuser said:


> actually that relay panel is not too bad ( a bit of a mess for sure)


 Thats my point. A cabinet that looks like that has a problem, one of three mentioned above.

Most likely? its got a bad case of monkey butt.:laughing:


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## bullmike (Jun 13, 2011)

Looks like a BSEE design . That is the way the EE at my facility would be want it to look like .


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