# Heavy Switchgear



## petek57 (Mar 3, 2009)

Ran into an interesting problem recently and it involved heavy switchgear.

I was to demo a soft starter from a Electrical Room wall. It was quite heavy. Myself and my apprentice cobbled a block and wood underneath it to catch it while we unfastened it. When it came unfastened it did not balance properly on the support and did a slow fall from about 2'. It was not damaged and no one got hurt but still....

Does anyone have any ideas how this could be done better with just tools/equipment found normally on a construction site. Tips or tricks?


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

When performing any task, you do not attempt it with "tools and equipment normally found..." you do it with tools and equipment you PROVIDE and supply yourself.


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## goose134 (Nov 12, 2007)

Sounds like you and your partner got lucky. Chainfall maybe?


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Chainfall or cribbing is the only way I mount/dismount heavy crap on the wall. In some instances, you have to enlist the services of a rigger or millwright. Particularly for bigger transformers or tough access situations. Never be afraid to speak up and tell the boss, "We don't have the proper equipment to move that safely", even if you're not even sure what the proper equipment might be. Riggers are a heck of a lot cheaper than a workman's comp claim.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

A wheeled hydraulic engine jack comes in very handy, especially for heavy wall-mounted stuff.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Battery lift
Chain hoist
Come along
Duct lift
Engine lift

We are a small company and I own at least two of each


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

I was helping install a 1200A transfer switch in a big custom house and my shops owner shows up with a small craftsman car jack.  we tipped it against the basement wall and balanced it while he jacked it up to where we would fasten it. Needless to say it was scary and i wasnt about to be in the way if that thing went over.


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

There's only one thing to do when a big heavy piece of equipment gets loose... Move the hell out of the way! Let it hit the ground. I had a gung ho apprentice once that thought he would try to "catch" a sliding 150 kVA transformer. He tried. He got out of the way before it crushed him. No real damage to the tranny.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

I have a hydraulic jack that has come in handy a few times:thumbsup:


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## TheRick (Apr 13, 2008)

I use one of THESE they are not only good for lifting breakers up to be racked in....but are very handy for holding an enclosure in place while you are installing or removing it.


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## Rockyd (Apr 22, 2007)

The right equipment may save your life. Set 16,000 pound gear four floors up on a seven story building (no you couldn't set it in from the top).

Sometimes it's cheaper to set AC units with a helicopter (high rise replacement parts or BIG flat roofs).

Don't be afraid to think outside of the box, it may be the cheapest, and onlyway to do some jobs..


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

Rockyd said:


> The right equipment may save your life. Set 16,000 pound gear four floors up on a seven story building (no you couldn't set it in from the top).
> 
> Sometimes it's cheaper to set AC units with a helicopter (high rise replacement parts or BIG flat roofs).
> 
> Don't be afraid to think outside of the box, it may be the cheapest, and onlyway to do some jobs..


Seven stories up? WOW! :whistling2:

We have crane foundations higher than 7 stories. :laughing: You know you're high when you need a greenlee tugger to run an NM temp riser. Or when the wind takes a piece of plywood off the deck, and you can nextel the ground crew to watch out and they still have 20 seconds to clear the street...


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

This was an expensive "Get out of the way"


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

OMG!!! Not the cooler!


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## Jeff000 (Jun 18, 2008)

Ok first, what is that? And second? how the f? Did the self leveling break on the trailer?


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

Jeff000 said:


> Ok first, what is that? And second? how the f? Did the self leveling break on the trailer?


What is what? The thing on the truck is a transfomer, the thing in the background is Fort Calhoun nuclear station, one of my clients, This was back in 2002 if I recall correctly. This unit costs $6M, a $2 O-ring failed causing the hydralic self leving to fail, tilt a little and newtons laws took over after that.


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

You guys seem to like that one, here is another one I loved. I dont know any more than what the website says. you need to scroll down a little. 

http://www.cargolaw.com/2002nightmare_noturn.html


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Hey Zog got any more pic's?


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## BDB (Jul 9, 2008)

In the picture where they are already in the water, love the way everyone is just walking away :thumbup:


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

william1978 said:


> Hey Zog got any more pic's?


Tons of stuff, what you want to see?


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## Jeff000 (Jun 18, 2008)

Zog said:


> Tons of stuff, what you want to see?


yes please. 
How damaged would a transformer that big be falling on its side?


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

Jeff000 said:


> yes please.
> How damaged would a transformer that big be falling on its side?


This one was scrapped, funny thing it came all the way from Austria and the crash happened 100 ft from the final destination, so the customer didnt accept it, they got a new one about 2 years later. 

This is a decent sized oil filled unit, but they are shipped without the oil. The insulation is destroyed when the coils shift during the fall, not much that can be done on site.


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## Jeff000 (Jun 18, 2008)

Zog said:


> This one was scrapped, funny thing it came all the way from Austria and the crash happened 100 ft from the final destination, so the customer didnt accept it, they got a new one about 2 years later.
> 
> This is a decent sized oil filled unit, but they are shipped without the oil. The insulation is destroyed when the coils shift during the fall, not much that can be done on site.


Wow that sucks, I bet being out a transformer for 2 years would suck enough too. 
Out of curiosity, what size wire would connect to that?


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

Jeff000 said:


> Wow that sucks, I bet being out a transformer for 2 years would suck enough too.
> Out of curiosity, what size wire would connect to that?


Not too big considering it is 230kV


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

Here is a transformer I commisioned a few years back, this one was a beast. Gives you a better idea of what the one above that fell off the truck would look like after all the accessories are installed. The cooling fins, conservator tank, and bushings are shipped seperatly and installed on site, then filled with oil, this one took 7 tanker trucks of oil to fill it.


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