Meltric DS30 Industrial Plugs & Receptacles

DS 30 DeContactors by Meltric and Sords Electric

Meltric's DS30 Industrial Plugs and receptacles offer safety, convenience and money savings opportunity for the industrial and commercial workplace.  By meeting NEC codes and NFPA 70E requirements, there is no equal in the quick connect industrial plug market. The dead front construction of the female receptacle, keeping the hot contacts secured from being accidentally touched is unique in the industry.

SAFETY - Dead Front Construction and a RATED Disconnect Switch 
CONVENIENCE - Quick Change outs over hard wiring
MONEY - No Special Suits - Quick Change Outs - SAFE!

Qualified maintenance workers can quickly connect or disconnect welding machines, motors, and other equipment in complete safety. Once the plug is removed it provides visual verficiation of deenergization. The safety shutter on the receptacle prevents exposure to live parts and maintains an NFPA 70E defined hazard risk category = 0. The need for cumbersome PPE to meet NFPA 70E standards can be avoided.

Meltric Decontactors (Switch Rated Plugs and Receptacles) can be used in the follwoing applications:

HVAC :
Workers are exposed to live parts and risk arc flash injury when opening and disconnecting standard blade type disconnect switches. Instead, to prevent accidents and simplify code compliance install UL/CSA switch rated plugs and receptacles from Meltric. They are a combination plug, receptacle and disconnect switch in one device. Meltric's receptacles/connectors feature a built-in switching function that ensures the contacts are safely deenergized before the plug can be withdrawn. Once withdrawn, the plug provides visual verification of deenergization. Arc flash safety is ensured and HVAC service work becomes safer and easier.

PUMPS :
Meltric Decontactor plugs and receptacles are ideal for pump connections up to 60 hp or 200 amps. Using Decontactors to connect power to pumps instead of hard-wiring can reduce downtime related to pump servicing by 50% or more. A qualified technician can safely disconnect power to the pump simply by removing the Decontactor plug which can then be easily locked out to ensure safety. The technician can then service the pump in complete safety. When service work is complete the technician can reconnect power simply by plugging the Decontactor plug back into the receptacle.

TRAILER :
Meltric's DECONTACTOR™ Series “trailer plugs” and receptacles are a combination plug, receptacle and UL/CSA approved disconnect switch in the same device. Decontactors are commonly used to connect power to trailers from a portable generator or from a shore power source. Safety features prevent exposure to arc flash and live parts. Code compliance is greatly simplified because the trailer plug safety features ensure an electrically safe work condition.

WELDING :
Workers risk exposure to arc flash when disconnecting standard welder plugs and receptacles. To prevent accidents install UL/CSA switch rated welder plugs and receptacles from Meltric. They are a combination plug, receptacle and disconnect switch in one device. Meltric’s receptacles/connectors feature a built-in switching function that ensures the contacts are safely deenergized before the welding machine plug can be withdrawn. Arc flash safety is ensured. By having the male plug already wired to the welder, moving the welding apparatus around the plant becomes safe and easy!

GENERATOR :
Workers risk exposure to arc flash when disconnecting standard generator plugs and receptacles. To prevent accidents install MELTRIC UL/CSA switch rated generator plugs and receptacles from Meltric. They are a combination plug, receptacle and disconnect switch in one device. Meltric’s receptacles/connectors feature a built-in switching function that ensures the contacts are safely deenergized before the generator plug can be withdrawn. Arc flash safety is ensured. With multiple recepatacle available on a generator, quickly connecting and disconnecting the right plug into the right receptacle is safe and easy.  Color coded voltage gaskets and "keyed" insertion means the right plug and receptacle go together every time and never a mistake.

CORD DROP and HOIST :
MELTRIC Decontactor plugs and receptacles are designed and rated to make and break electrical loads in complete safety while providing users with significant protection in the event of overloads or short circuits. Special protective equipment and training are not required to make and break connections. MELTRIC DECONTACTOR™ Series switch rated plugs and receptacles are ideal for connecting power to hoist systems. They ensure safety and enable plug and play hoist change-outs. An electrically safe work condition is ensured even when disconnecting under load plus NFPA 70E compliance is greatly simplified. NO SUITS, NO MESS, NO DANGER.

SHORE POWER :
Meltric's shore power plugs and receptacles are ideal for marine ship to shore power connections. Meltric industrial plugs and receptacles offer superior durability and safety relative to pin and sleeve or twist type devices. The silver-nickel, butt style contacts perform particularly well in harsh saltwater environments and safety features ensure protection from arc flash.

MOTORS :
Using Meltric Decontactor plugs and receptacles to connect motors instead of hard-wiring can help to reduce equipment change-out downtime by as much as 50%. Optional integral auxiliary contacts can be used to communicate motor temperatures back to a control center so preventative maintenance can be performed before motor failure occurs.When replacement motors are pre-wired with Meltric Decontactor inlets or plugs, a mechanic can safely perform the electrical connections simply by unplugging the old motor and plugging in the new one. SAFE, QUICK, EASY. Meltric Makes It Easy!

Sections 430.102 – 430.109 of the National Electric Code require approved disconnecting means to be located in a readily accessible location within sight of the motor and driven equipment. With their UL & CSA ratings for “Motor Circuit Disconnect Switching” and “Branch Circuit Disconnect Switching”, Decontactor devices are an approved ‘line of sight’   disconnect switch for meeting this requirement.

DS30 Horsepower ratings:

120 volt single phase: 3/4 HP with a Gasket color of Yellow.
240 volt single phase: 2 HP with a Gasket Color of Orange.
208 volt three phase: 3 HP with a Gasket Color of Blue.
240 volt three phase: 3 HP with a Gasket Color of Orange.
480 volt three phase: 10 HP with a Gasket color of Red.

Common DS30 Part numbers:


33-34076  33-38076  33-34073-4X  33-38073-4X  33-34043  33-38043
   
3PH12  FH311  MP3  MB334  31-3A053-808-34  FDP3  

See all the DS30 plugs, receptacles, handles, boxes, angles, specialty pawls, lockable inlets and receptacles and Spare parts, click on MELTRIC DS30.

800-929-2845
www.sordselectric.com

GFCI's and Grounding ~ NFPA

Sords Electric Sells Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters for safety in homes and commercial estashblishments.

The ground-fault circuit-interrutper (GFCI) was developed in the 1960’s based on a concept by Professor Charles Dalziel of the University of California at Berkeley. The GFCI became a success soon after it was developed into a commercial product by a handful of companies, including several circuit breaker manufacturers. The GFCI was first required by the Code in 1968 for underwater swimming pool lighting fixtures. Backyard swimming pools were becoming popular at that time as more and more city dwellers were moving to the more spacious suburbs. In subsequent years the Code was revised to add the required use of GFCIs to other areas of the house, especially locations where people would be standing on earth or cement ground, or near water. By the 1980’s, receptacle type GFCIs were also becoming popular. Just 25 years after the GFCI was first introduced, the number of accidental electrocutions in the U.S. had dropped in half, even though the use of electricity had more than doubled in that same time period.

These are the locations in and around the home when GFCIs were first required:

1968 - Swimming Pool Underwater Lighting 

1971 - Receptacles Near Swimming Pools 

1973 - Outdoor Receptacles 

1975 - Bathroom Receptacles

1978 - Garage Receptacles 

1981 - Whirlpools and Tubs 

1987 - Receptacles Near Kitchen Sinks 

1990 - Receptacles in Unfinished Basements and Crawl Spaces 

1993 - Receptacles Near Wet Bar Sinks 

1996 - All Kitchen Counter-Top Receptacles 

2005 - Receptacles Near Laundry and Utility Sinks

Circuit grounding was one of the more hotly contested topics in the early history of electrification. In the early 1890’s, the New York Board of Fire Underwriters had condemned the practice of grounding the neutral as a dangerous practice, especially in a 3-wire Edison (120/240 Volt) system. The Edison utility companies, on the other hand, found just cause to ground their supply systems, even as others thought the utilities were doing this to just save copper and money at the cost of an increased fire risk. The great debate continued for over a decade, but in 1903 the Code was revised to recommend that these circuits be grounded, and finally in the 1913 Code a mandatory circuit grounding requirement was included for circuits like the popular residential Edison 3-wire system.

The most common way to ground a residential wiring system has always been to use the building’s metal water piping as a grounding electrode. The early Codes permitted water-piping systems of 3-Ohms or less to ground to be used as an electrode, which was usually the case if the metal water pipe extended several feet into the ground. In 1923, the Code first mentioned electrodes of driven rod or pipe. The 1925 Code further referred to these driven electrodes as “artificial” electrodes, and required them to be at least 8 feet long, with minimum diameters of 1⁄2 inch for a rod and 3⁄4 inch for pipe. It also noted that if only one of these artificial electrodes had a resistance of greater than 25 Ohms to ground, then two artificial electrodes had to be provided spaced at least six feet apart.

In 1951 the Code was revised to indicate that if there was 10 feet or less of metal water pipe in contact with the earth, or if there was the likelihood of the metal water piping system being disconnected, then the grounding system needed to be supplemented with an additional electrode. Ten years later, in 1971, the Code further strengthened that requirement by stating that a water pipe electrode must always be supplemented with an additional electrode, which in most cases meant adding a rod or pipe electrode to the house’s grounding system. In 1999 the Code was again revised to require this water pipe supplemental rod or pipe electrode to have a resistance to ground of 25 Ohms or less, or be augmented by an additional electrode. Also in recognition of the increased use of non-metallic water pipe, the 1993 Code was revised to state that interior water pipe more than 5 feet from the entrance to the building shall not be used as part of the grounding electrode system.

Homes built before the 1960’s had most of their original 125 V receptacle outlets of the non-grounding type (2-prong) (see Fig. 14). In 1947, the Code first required grounding type (3-prong) receptacles for the laundry. In 1956 the required use of grounding type receptacles was extended to basements, garages, outdoors and other areas where a person might be standing on ground. Finally, in 1962 the Code was revised to require all branch circuits to include a grounding conductor or ground path to which the grounding contacts of the receptacle must be connected. That effectively discontinued the use of non- grounding type receptacles except for replacement use in existing installations were a grounding means might not exist.

The permission for neutral grounding, the practice of using the neutral conductor as an equipment grounding conductor, was first permitted in the 1947 Code for electric ranges. At around that time many electric utilities were promoting the use of residential 240 V cooking for the post WWII housing boom, and many were even offering to install an upgraded service to older homes at no charge. However, there were no NM cables available at the time with conductors of sufficient ampacity to handle these higher amperage branch circuits. There were, though, service entrance cables of sufficient size, but they had a bare neutral conductor. This special Code permission allowed the frames of these large appliances to be grounded through the uninsulated grounded neutral conductor of the Type SE service entrance cable used to supply the branch circuit. The use of neutral grounding was also extended to electric clothes dryers in 1953. However, almost 50 years later, this special permission for neutral grounding was taken away in the 1996 Code for all but existing branch circuit installations.

Visit Sords Electric for our full list of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters

216-765-4230

www.sordselectric.com

GFCI ~ manual reset vs. automatic reset

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter or a GFCI is a switch designed to protect people from electrical shocks and electrocution.  The GFCI monitors the current flow into and out of an appliance or circuit and if the current is not equal, the GFCI will switch or trip in milliseconds.  After a trip the GFCI needs to be reset by pushing the "reset" button on the GFCI.  GFIC's are  required in homes in the bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms.  

A GFCI can come in wither manual reset mode or automatic reset models.  In this discussion regarding auto vs. manual reset is not after a GFCI trips due to a fault, but when the GFCI's circuit loses power or is initially powered up or plugged in.  GFCI's in homes that are wired into the wall are all AUTO reset GFCI's.  The GFCI after a power outage will reset itself with an electrical coil so that it is "ready" to go.  An auto reset GFCI should always be used for indoor use when the load is not a dangerous.  

A manual reset GFCI is usually used for outdoor power equipment or on the job site electrical tools and applications.The manual reset GFCI will need to be "reset" when the GFCI is plugged in or when power is applied to the curcuit.  The GFCI will trip when power is removed from the circuit or unplugged.  The GFCI will also trip when a fault is detected.  In both cases the GFCI will need to be manually reset.  Most of the GFCI's that we sell are manual reset GFCI's.

Sords Electric

Facebook

GFCI ~ Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter

A "GFCI" is a ground fault circuit interrupter. A ground fault circuit interrupter is an inexpensive electrical device that, if installed in household branch circuits, could prevent over two-thirds of the approximately 300 electrocutions still occurring each year in and around the home. Installation of the device could also prevent thousands of burn and electric shock injuries each year.

The GFCI is designed to protect people from severe or fatal electric shocks Because a GFCI detects ground faults, it can also prevent some electrical fires and reduce the severity of others by interrupting the flow of electric current.

In the home's or other building's wiring system, the GFCI constantly monitors electricity flowing in a circuit, to sense any loss of current. If the current flowing through the circuit differs by a small amount from that returning, the GFCI quickly switches off power to that circuit. The GFCI interrupts power faster than a blink of an eye to prevent a lethal dose of electricity. You may receive a painful shock, but you should not be electrocuted or receive a serious shock injury.

In homes built to comply with the National Electrical Code (the Code), GFCI protection is required for most outdoor receptacles (since 1973), bathroom receptacle circuits (since 1975), garage wall outlets (since 1978), kitchen receptacles (since 1987), and all receptacles in crawl spaces and unfinished basements (since 1990).

Owners of homes that do not have GFCls installed in all those critical areas specified in the latest version of the Code should consider having them installed. For broad protection, GFCI circuit breakers may be added in many panels of older homes to replace ordinary circuit breaker. For homes protected by fuses, you are limited to receptacle or portable-type GFCIs and these may be installed in areas of greatest exposure, such as the bathroom, kitchen, basement, garage, and outdoor circuits.

A GFCI should be used whenever operating electrically powered garden equipment (mower, hedge trimmer, edger, etc.). Consumers can obtain similar protection by using GFCIs with electric tools (drills, saws, sanders, etc.) for do-it-yourself work in and around the house.

Circuit breaker and receptacle-type GFCIs may be installed in your home by a qualified electrician. Receptacle-type GFCIs may be installed by knowledgeable consumers familiar with electrical wiring practices who also follow the instructions accompanying the device. When in doubt about the proper procedure, contact a qualified electrician. Do not attempt to install it yourself.

The portable GFCI requires no special knowledge or equipment to install.

All GFCIs should be tested once a month to make sure they are working properly and are protecting you from fatal shock. GFCIs should be tested after installation to make sure they are working properly and protecting the circuit.

To test the receptacle GFCI, first plug a nightlight or lamp into the outlet. The light should be on Then, press the "TEST" button on the GFCI. The GFCI's "RESET" button should pop out, and the light should go out.

If the "RESET" button pops out but the light does not go out, the GFCI has been improperly wired. Contact an electrician to correct the wiring errors.

If the "RESET" button does not pop out, the GFCI is defective and should be replaced. 

If the GFCI is functioning properly, and the lamp goes out, press the "RESET" button to restore power to the outlet.

GFCI's should be used in Commercial and industrial enviroments as well.  NEC code requires the use of GFCI's with all portable electrical tools, that need to be plugged in, within a plant or on a job site.

Related products for commercial properties and job sites are our cable mats.

Switch Rated Plugs and Receptacles

Meltric's Decontactor Series products are a combination electrical plug and receptacle and disconnect switch in the same device. Decontactors are designed to allow users to safely make and break connections under full load even in overload and short circuit conditions. Protection from exposure to live parts and arc flash is ensured at all times during the operation of the device. Decontactors make it easy to provide plug & play connections for all your downtime critical equipment. They can be easily configured for use in a wide variety of applications such as for use as inline connectors/switches or they may be mounted on wall boxes, distribution panels or even directly on equipment.

ARC flash protection is a trademark of the Meltric product line. Decontactors are a combination plug, receptacle and disconnect switch. With Decontactors installed, workers can safely and easily make and break electrical connections under full load. The receptacle's dead front prevents access to live
parts and thus, exempts workers from needing to follow OSHA/NFPA 70E specified work procedures associated with performing energized electrical work. Drawing an arc during plug removal is an inherent hazard with traditional pin and sleeve and twist type devices. Meltric Decontactors are designed to eliminate this hazard by isolating the making and breaking of the contacts in enclosed arc chambers and by ensuring that the plug contacts are deenergized and isolated from live parts before the plug can be removed.

When a Decontactor's 'OFF' button is pushed, its spring-loaded operating mechanism instantly opens the contacts to break the circuit and ejects the plug to the 'OFF' position. The quick breaking of the contacts (15 milliseconds) minimizes arcing; any that does occur is safely contained within the arc chamber.

Dead Front Construction: Meltric Decontactors have a dead front design to protect users from accidental exposure to live parts and arcing. The dead front is accomplished with a safety shutter on the receptacle along with enclosed arc chambers and a skirted plug casing. Since there is no access to live parts, Meltric products simplify compliance to the NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace.

Silver-Nickel Contacts : Meltric uses solid silver-nickel contact surfaces on almost all of its plug and receptacle product lines. The 85% silver/15% nickel composition of the contacts add the beneficial physical properties of nickel to the excellent electrical characteristics of silver.

This silver-nickel material provides significant advantages
over the brass materials used on most other types of plugs and receptacles.

Silver-nickel maintains its low contact resistance and superior electrical properties even after oxidation and tarnishing. Silver-nickel withstands arcing very well and only welds at extremely high pressure and temperature. Thanks to the influence of the nickel, silver-nickel provides excellent wear resistance. Silver-nickel performs wells in and withstands wet and corrosive environments.

Meltric Plugs come in 20, 30, 60, 100, 200, 250, 300, 600 amp versions. They come in plastic and metal housings and in NEMA 4 and Explosion Proof ratings. The switches can be cord mounted or mounted to a junction box.

Meltric makes multi-pin plugs, up to 37 pins and use of some pins can be for control. The order that the contacts mate is, Ground first, neutral, phases, and then auxiliary.

Meltric's most popular series is their DSN series in 20, 30 and 60 amp deContactors.

Other key benefits:

Simplify Code Compliance

Avoid Costs of disconnects

Reduce Change-Out Times

Website

Facebook