Here's what I did. I wanted a little storage space as well so it is bigger than need be. It's built elevated for ease of maintenance, to keep the pump up out of water (standing water can occur in this area of my property) and to keep critters from burrowing underneath to make homes. To insure good ventilation, the floor is constructed with spaces between each board and the side walls only go up as far as required to get under the eaves. BTW, you can buy small pump enclosures with ventilation fans built in. You can see an enclosure like that in my pics actually sitting inside the pump house.
Here's what I did. I wanted a little storage space as well so it is bigger than need be. It's built elevated for ease of maintenance, to keep the pump up out of water (standing water can occur in this area of my property) and to keep critters from burrowing underneath to make homes. To insure good ventilation, the floor is constructed with spaces between each board and the side walls only go up as far as required to get under the eaves. BTW, you can buy small pump enclosures with ventilation fans built in. You can see an enclosure like that in my pics actually sitting inside the pump house.
Bill, very nice work. I was thinking something similar due to potential snow depth up here.
Here's what I did. I wanted a little storage space as well so it is bigger than need be. It's built elevated for ease of maintenance, to keep the pump up out of water (standing water can occur in this area of my property) and to keep critters from burrowing underneath to make homes. To insure good ventilation, the floor is constructed with spaces between each board and the side walls only go up as far as required to get under the eaves. BTW, you can buy small pump enclosures with ventilation fans built in. You can see an enclosure like that in my pics actually sitting inside the pump house.
Bill, very nice work. I was thinking something similar due to potential snow depth up here.
Thanks for the kind words. FWIW, using a couple of landscape timbers and 4 lag bolts, I added a rack for a canoe last fall. This summer I will add a small section of floor across the covered portion of the landscape timbers for some additional storage. Also added a set of flood lights at the peak (wish they were higher). Sorry the picture is a little crooked (blame it on my bride the photographer. )
Here's my DIY compressor cabinet I built back in May, 2012 and still holding up fine. If you'd like more details let me know.
How about a BOM (Bill of Materials) and a write up on how you built it? Or a link to it if it's on here somewhere?
Is there a screen over the fan on the bottom?
Looks good!!!
Have you ever had snow get high enough to cause air flow problems thru the cabinet in the winter?
I like the manifold, but wouldn't hang it that way. Fix mount the manifold and run hose from the compressor to the manifold.
One thing you guy's should consider is from your branch circuit protection (main circuit breaker in your breaker box), is to toss in device protection at it's level. Rather than feeding 15 amps into something that will only eat 3 amps on a good day, fatten up his maximum meals he can eat 125% with an appropriate Fuse or Circuit Breaker. Yep, overeating amps has a tendency to cause that burned electrical smell.
Just have a boring Grey box here for the outdoor rig.
One thing you guy's should consider is from your branch circuit protection (main circuit breaker in your breaker box), is to toss in device protection at it's level. Rather than feeding 15 amps into something that will only eat 3 amps on a good day, fatten up his maximum meals he can eat 125% with an appropriate Fuse or Circuit Breaker. Yep, overeating amps has a tendency to cause that burned electrical smell.
Just have a boring Grey box here for the outdoor rig.
I like that idea. Just to be clear though, you are saying set a secondary protection at the device level of 125% of the device startup current, correct?
One thing you guy's should consider is from your branch circuit protection (main circuit breaker in your breaker box), is to toss in device protection at it's level. Rather than feeding 15 amps into something that will only eat 3 amps on a good day, fatten up his maximum meals he can eat 125% with an appropriate Fuse or Circuit Breaker. Yep, overeating amps has a tendency to cause that burned electrical smell.
Just have a boring Grey box here for the outdoor rig.
I like that idea. Just to be clear though, you are saying set a secondary protection at the device level of 125% of the device startup current, correct?
One thing you guy's should consider is from your branch circuit protection (main circuit breaker in your breaker box), is to toss in device protection at it's level. Rather than feeding 15 amps into something that will only eat 3 amps on a good day, fatten up his maximum meals he can eat 125% with an appropriate Fuse or Circuit Breaker. Yep, overeating amps has a tendency to cause that burned electrical smell.
Just have a boring Grey box here for the outdoor rig.
I like that idea. Just to be clear though, you are saying set a secondary protection at the device level of 125% of the device startup current, correct?
Nope!
You lost me then. My Gast pump specs says it runs at 3.8 amps with startup of 5.3 amps. What would you suggest setting the secondary protection at?
One thing you guy's should consider is from your branch circuit protection (main circuit breaker in your breaker box), is to toss in device protection at it's level. Rather than feeding 15 amps into something that will only eat 3 amps on a good day, fatten up his maximum meals he can eat 125% with an appropriate Fuse or Circuit Breaker. Yep, overeating amps has a tendency to cause that burned electrical smell.
Just have a boring Grey box here for the outdoor rig.
I like that idea. Just to be clear though, you are saying set a secondary protection at the device level of 125% of the device startup current, correct?
Nope!
You lost me then. My Gast pump specs says it runs at 3.8 amps with startup of 5.3 amps. What would you suggest setting the secondary protection at?
125% of the FLA (Full Load Amps) on the motor nameplate. This is not your starting current.
..... 125% of the FLA (Full Load Amps) on the motor nameplate. This is not your starting current.
Thanks. I am back with you again. So how do you keep from a nuisance trip during start? Some kind of time delayed fuse or is there a better protection device?
..... 125% of the FLA (Full Load Amps) on the motor nameplate. This is not your starting current.
Thanks. I am back with you again. So how do you keep from a nuisance trip during start? Some kind of time delayed fuse or is there a better protection device?
Yes, the fuses for motors are time delay.
I use circuit breakers where possible, just because if they trip you can reset them rather than replace a blown fuse, and also you can use them easily to start and stop a motor. Needs to be a UL-489 rated device and I select the trip curve based on % inrush current, but usually for AC motors it would be a "D" curve.
..... 125% of the FLA (Full Load Amps) on the motor nameplate. This is not your starting current.
Thanks. I am back with you again. So how do you keep from a nuisance trip during start? Some kind of time delayed fuse or is there a better protection device?
Yes, the fuses for motors are time delay.
I use circuit breakers where possible, just because if they trip you can reset them rather than replace a blown fuse, and also you can use them easily to start and stop a motor. Needs to be a UL-489 rated device and I select the trip curve based on % inrush current, but usually for AC motors it would be a "D" curve.
Ok, Im lost on what you guys are talking about. I will be running basically the same pump a GAST OR THOMAS that uses the same AMPS from a plugged in extension cord that will go to a 20 AMP circut breaker in a panel I have down by my pond. It will be the only item on this 20 AMP breaker. This is what is currently installed.
what kind of electrical breaker or device should I be using to help this motor? Is this something in my breaker panel or something on the other end of my extension cord in the small home i build for my pump?
eventually I will put an underground line but the area in questions will be ripped up for a home build so no underground lines at this time.
Here's my DIY compressor cabinet I built back in May, 2012 and still holding up fine. If you'd like more details let me know.
How about a BOM (Bill of Materials) and a write up on how you built it? Or a link to it if it's on here somewhere?
Is there a screen over the fan on the bottom?
Looks good!!!
Have you ever had snow get high enough to cause air flow problems thru the cabinet in the winter?
+1 I like it!
Thanks guys!
Are you sure you want all this???
As far as a BOM, I don' know the exact dimensions of the box off hand, but the pump, manifold and fan came from the late Ted Lea. Once I received those I started on the cabinet, making it just big enough to house everything.
I'm not a craftsman by any means, more of a challenge-seeker so there's a lot of WAG's involved in most of what I do and/or build. No written plans, just an idea and "go from there".
I believe I used 3/8" ply but may have been 1/2", and I didn't use treated ply as I knew I would be sealing and painting it, and used 1x2's as inside perimeter supports and also for the hinged lid.
I'm also guessing I didn't go through a full 4x8 sheet of ply and maybe 20' of 1x2. Other than that the materials consisted of: Screws Wood putty Paint Dryer vent PVC that I buried the electrical in 2-240v outlets and gang boxes
I have a screen over the dryer vent intake but not on the underside of the fan as it usually runs 24/7. Although I'm not running it this winter so I covered it on the inside.
I've not had snow high enough to cause air-flow problems but if I had to do it again, or if I knew I'd be there long enough, I would raise the cabinet due to the dust on windy days likely being drawn in, due to close proximity of the ground.
As far as the manifold, it's very light-weight aluminum so it's not like there's a lot stress involved coming from the airline to the motor. And from outside the cabinet I connected heater hose from the weighted tubing before it enters the cabinet and connects to the manifold. I also cut oversize holes in the bottom of the cabinet and inserted small pieces of larger heater hose as an insulator due to any vibration and not wanting the airline heater hose rubbing directly against the wood. This also relieves any tension from where the airline attaches to the manifold as it's a very tight fit coming through the bottom of the cabinet.
My system is 240v and since building the fish house, I ran the Tri-Plex from the power pole directly to a 100A distribution panel in the fish house. The panel has breakers for the 240v compressor pump and lights and outlets for the fish house. And there's another panel for the well pump.
Here's the pics of the cabinet when I built it:
As I'm sure that's more information than any of you really wanted, if you have any more questions, just let me know,,,,, but beware as you know I can get wordy
PS - So much credit on building this cabinet goes to the late great Ted Lea. it was with his guidance that the air flow from the fan and vent passes over the motor, using heater hose to enter the cabinet, and to "insulate" it to prevent rubbing.
Ok, Im lost on what you guys are talking about. I will be running basically the same pump a GAST OR THOMAS that uses the same AMPS from a plugged in extension cord that will go to a 20 AMP circut breaker in a panel I have down by my pond. It will be the only item on this 20 AMP breaker. This is what is currently installed.
what kind of electrical breaker or device should I be using to help this motor? Is this something in my breaker panel or something on the other end of my extension cord in the small home i build for my pump?
eventually I will put an underground line but the area in questions will be ripped up for a home build so no underground lines at this time.
Dave
Need to know the EXACT motor name plate rating, then you could install a Class CC Fuse (be the least expensive) or an appropriate Circuit Breaker local to the motor installation.
I've never seen anyone here do device level protection on a homemade rig tho, they just buy a new motor when they smoke.
If LL had an appropriate circuit breaker on the compressor he posted in this thread, when it had a mechanical failure, most likely would have saved the motor. Compressor rebuild was in vain because the motor took a fatal hit.
Well, my motor says it's thermally protected, and that's fine for it's purpose when the motor get's too hot, but that won't stop the amps from killing it way before that thermal switch even wakes up.
In my gig, I have to do device/people level protection on everything I do, so maybe this is too much here as I am not in control of the outcome.