SmartBank

LV Power Factor Correction Units Installation Instructions

Trinetics
March 2010

Caution:

The equipment covered by these installation instructions should be installed and serviced only by properly trained and qualified personnel. It is not the intent of these instructions to provide for every possible condition in connection with installation, operation or maintenance, nor to cover all details or variation in equipment options. Should problems arise which are not sufficiently covered herein or should further information be required, the matter should be directed to Maysteel.

SmartBank
Intro

Low Voltage Capacitors for Power Factor Correction

Thank you for purchasing Trinetics Smartbank low voltage power factor correction equipment. You have purchased the finest power factor correction equipment available! All capacitor cells are made with state of the art metallized polypropylene film encased in extruded round aluminum enclosures designed for low electrical loss and long life. Each capacitor or group of capacitors is enclosed in a painted steel enclosure fitted with a gasketed cover designed for easy installation. Smartbank low voltage capacitor banks are ETL listed as compliant with UL standard 810.

Notice / Cautionary Notes

Please note that the instructions in this document are intended to guide good practices for the receiving, inspection, installation, and maintenance of low voltage power factor capacitors. They are not intended to serve as an application guide or as a substitute for safe operating procedures. Read the guidelines presented in this document carefully and examine the equipment to become familiar with it prior to installing, operating, or performing maintenance. Work on your Smartbank unit must be performed by personnel who have been trained in the installation, operation, and maintenance of electrical power systems. Individuals who work on this equipment must have the training and experience with high energy circuits and components with an understanding of the hazards involved. Although care has been taken to provide accurate and authoritative information in this document, no responsibility is assumed by Maysteel LLC for any consequences resulting from the use of this material.

Pre-installation (incoming inspection, storage)

When taking delivery: o Check that all required products have been delivered and that the equipment has not been damaged in transit. Inspect mounting brackets and enclosure for breakage and/or dents. Check internal assemblies for broken fuses (if required), loose wiring, bent or broken terminals, or dented or bent capacitor cells. DO NOT USE DAMAGED ASSEMBLIES OR CELLS! Forward any claims to the carrier immediately by reporting the bill of lading number. The Bill of Lading contains the type of conveyance and the carriers name. Most carriers impose a 24 hour time limit for reporting lost or damaged goods, so act quickly! Notify your Maysteel Sales Representative if you receive a damaged unit. They will be able to assist you in obtaining a replacement unit and/or provide instructions regarding the disposition of the damaged unit.

Storage of the unit prior to use: o o o Store the equipment in a dry, ventilated location, protected from rain, chemicals, or water spray. Do not use or store capacitors in a corrosive atmosphere, especially where chloride gas, sulfide gas, acid, alkali, salt or similar substances are present. Stored equipment should be protected by a tarpaulin or other cover providing effective protection against water, dust, dirt, paint, etc.

If stored in a dusty environment, cleaning of the terminals is required prior to use to avoid a conductive path between phases and/or phases and ground.

Installation:
Location: Your Smartbank unit should be located in a cool, well ventilated location in order to maximize the operating life. Mechanical requirements of mounting the capacitor unit must also be considered. General guidelines for selecting a location include: o Leave at least 3 inches around all sides of the units and 12 inches above the top of the unit to allow air circulation. o o o o o o o Avoid placement near hot spots such as transformers, heating ducts, direct sunlight, furnaces, combustible materials, etc. Do not install in locations with large harmonic currents or voltages. Allow mechanical clearances to allow removal of the cover. Leave room as required to provide clear access for cable connections to the unit. The location should be free of excessive dirt and fluids. The location should be free of human interference. The bank can be mounted in locations up to 1800 meters (6000 ft) in altitude without derating. Consult Maysteel if you need to mount above this elevation.

Mounting: o All capacitor assemblies are provided with mounting brackets for mounting to either the floor or a wall. Brackets have .44 inch diameter holes to accommodate 3/8 screws or bolts for mounting the unit. Make sure that wall anchors and mounting surface are suitable to support the weight of the bank. o o o Assemble the mounting brackets to the side of the enclosure using 6- x20 thread forming screws which are provided. Your SmartBank unit is designed to be mounted in an upright position with the label facing towards the front of the enclosure. If mounting space is limited and you require a shorter height profile, your Smartbank unit can be rotated 90 degrees. The blown fuse indicator lights can be mounted in 2 different locations. Brackets are required to support the capacitors if this alternate mounting position is used. Contact the factory to obtain the required capacitor support brackets. Hold the unit up to the mounting surface and mark the mounting holes.

o o

If units are to be ceiling mounted, secure the unit on a platform and secure the platform to the ceiling leaving at least 12 14 inches above the unit for cover removal and access to internal wiring. Secure enclosure to a flat, hard surface with suitable anchors, washers and bolts using the mounting brackets provided.

Electrical operating conditions: o Smartbank LV units are designed to operate at or below rated voltage. Units can be operated below rated voltage but the output kVAR will be less than the rated kVAR. Contact Maysteel when derating units for reduced voltages.

Caution!
Never apply fixed capacitor banks to a system that contains an excess of harmonics. Harmonics are generated by a variety of equipment including welders, variable frequency drives, motor starters, etc. Power outages and/or equipment damage may result from improper application of power factor capacitor banks.

Capacitors within the Smartbank LV units are rated for operation at 10% above rated nameplate voltage (including harmonics but not transients) for short time intervals.

Caution!
Connecting capacitors to a voltage greater than nameplate values will reduce life expectancy and could cause dangerous conditions. Check nameplate values for voltage, frequency, and phase to ensure system compatibility.

Smartbank LV units are designed to operate at 60 Hz. Units can be operated at 50 Hz but the output kVAR will be less than nameplate kVAR. Contact Maysteel if you intend to operate at 50 Hz.

Connection: o o Remove the enclosure cover. Be careful to retain the screws since they will be used to re-attach the cover. Smartbank LV enclosures are designed to allow cable or conduit entry from either the bottom or the back. Possible entry locations are marked with decals on the outside of the enclosure; one in the bottom and one in the back. o Feeder cables must be rated a minimum of 135% of the capacitor nameplate current. This figure provides tolerance for potential over-capacitance (0 to 10%), over-voltage (0 to 10%) and nominal harmonic currents. The sum of these currents should not exceed 135% of the capacitance rated current listed on the nameplate. Table RECOMMENDED WIRE SIZES AND FUSING FOR 3 PHASE, 60 HZ CAPACITOR BANKS provides recommended wire sizes and fuse values for 3 phase, 60 Hz capacitor banks in accordance with the guidelines provided in the National Electric Code, Article 460.

Drill or punch a suitably sized hole at the location in either the bottom or back of the enclosure, at the location marked with green circular decals, to facilitate cable or conduit entry. Feeder wiring must be protected as it passes through the entrance opening through the use of a cable or conduit connector or insulating grommet. Train cables away from the capacitor discharge resistors or fuses (if provided). Connect incoming cables to the terminals provided with the unit. There are 5 holes in the terminal, one to accommodate #6 AWG to 3/0 wire and four to accommodate #4 AWG to #14 AWG wires. The following graphics, located on a decal inside of the enclosure, defines connection points for incoming power leads.

o o

Torque settings for connection terminals are as follows: o Slotted screw in #14 - #4 holes: #10 to #14 wires 35 in-lbs. #8 wire 40 in-lbs. #4 to #6 wires 45 in-lbs. hex screw in #6 3/0 hole: #4 to #6 wires #1 to #3 wires 1/0 to 2/0 wires 3/0 wires 110 in-lbs. 150 in-lbs. 180 in-lbs. 250 in-lbs.

Connectors on capacitor: 10.6 in-lbs

o o

Ground the bank with the supplied grounding lug and torque the connection to 100 inlbs. Ensure that all contaminants are removed from within the enclosure and all cables are secured. Improper or loose connections will cause terminal overheating and possible early failure of the capacitors. Replace the enclosure cover prior to connecting power to the unit. Hand tighten the 832 x 5/16 thread forming screws to secure the cover. The unit is now ready to energize.

Protection: o The national Electrical Code, Article 460, guides the installation of capacitors. Capacitors used in Smartbank LV units meet all of the requirements of the code relative to discharge resistors and over current protection. Capacitors are provided with self-healing technology and overpressure disconnectors. These devices are not intended to fulfill the NEC requirements for over current protection in each ungrounded conductor. Smartbank LV units are available with optional current limiting fusing with fault interruption ratings up to 200 kA. Fused units are provided with neon type blown fuse indicators. Fuses can be installed at the factory or in the field. A complete kit, consisting of fuses, indicator lights, all required mounting hardware and installation instructions is available. As shown below, fusing can be added without removing the wiring to the capacitors.

Single fuse connected to these posts

Power to capacitors connected to one of these posts

Incoming power connected to one of these posts

Second fuse in parallel fusing connected to these posts

RECOMMENDED WIRE SIZES AND FUSING FOR 3 PHASE, 60 HZ CAPACITOR BANKS

(Wire sizes based on 135% of rated current in accordance with the National Electric Code, Article 460)

kVAR 2.5 5.0 7.5 10.0 12.5 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 37.5 40.0 45.0 50.0 60.0 75.0 80.0 90.0 100.0 120.0

240 Volt AC Wire Size 90 C-Type THHN, Rated XHHW Current or Fuse (amps) equiv.* (amps) 6 14 10 12 12 20 18 10 30 24 8 40 30 8 50 36 6 60 48 4 80 72 90 108 120 144 2 1/0 3/0 3/0 3/0 125 150 200 200 250

480 Volt AC Wire Size 90 C-Type THHN, Rated XHHW Current or Fuse (amps) equiv.* (amps) 3 14 6 6 14 10 9 14 15 12 12 20 15 10 25 18 10 30 24 8 40 30 8 50 36 6 60 48 54 60 72 90 96 108 120 144 4 4 2 2 1/0 2/0 3/0 3/0 3/0 80 90 100 125 150 175 200 200 250

Rated current based on operation at rated voltage, frequency and kVAR. * Consult National Electrical Code for other wire types. Above sizes based on 35 C Ambient Operation. (Refer to NEC table 310-16) Note: Fuses furnished within the capacitor bank may be rated at higher value than shown in this table. The table is correct for field installations and reflects the manufacturer's suggested rating for over current protection and disconnect means in compliance with the National Electric Code.

A properly rated disconnect switch or circuit breaker must be provided to safely isolate the capacitor bank from the circuit if service is required. For units connected to the load side of the motor starter (locations B and C), the NEC allows the motor starter to provide isolation and overcurrent protection for the capacitor and cables. For units connected to the line side of a motor starter (location A), a suitably sized fused disconnect switch or circuit breaker must be supplied to provide isolation and protection for the conductors.

Main Feed

Fused Safety Switch or Breaker

Motor Feed

Motor Starter (contactors)

Overload Relay

Motor

Breaker or Fused Safety Switch

Smartbank Capacitor Bank A o o

Smartbank Capacitor Bank B

Smartbank Capacitor Bank C

If the Smartbank unit is connected between the motor starter and the overload relay (position B), the motor overloads do not need to be resized. If the Smartbank unit is connected between the motor overload relay and the motor (position C), the motor overload relay size or setting must be reduced to reflect the lower current draw by the motor. Measure the current drawn by the motor with and without the capacitor energized and reduce the overload relay by the difference between the amounts measured. Caution: If the capacitor bank is applied to motors which are subject to jogging, reversing, plugging, or open transition compound starting, it is recommended that you connect the bank between the motor starter and the disconnect at location A. In this position the capacitor bank is energized even when the motor is not operating. The breaker or fused safety switch provides the appropriate means for the required removal capacity per Code.

Follow-up inspection and maintenance:

Warning!
A properly rated disconnect switch or circuit breaker must be provided to safely isolate the capacitor bank from the circuit if service is required. Always disconnect power from the Smartbank unit prior to removing the cover

Warning!
Capacitors store potentially lethal voltage even when disconnected. The use of improper maintenance procedures can result in serious injury or even death. All SmartBank capacitor units include integral discharge resistors to reduce terminal voltage to less than 50V within 1 minute. Before handling equipment or removing terminal cover, wait at least 1 minute after disconnecting from service, remove terminal cover, then short and ground each capacitor terminal with an insulated tool.

o o

Recommended practice is to measure and record current at time of installation to: 1) be certain that fuses are not blown and 2) serve as reference against future readings. Routine inspection should be conducted 24 hours after installation, then yearly thereafter. o Check all cable connections for proper torque settings. The torque settings defined in the following table apply:

#10 to #14 wire #8 wire #4 to #6 wire #4 to #6 wire #1 to #3 wire 1/0 to 2/0 wire 3/0 wire

#4 to #14 port 35 in-lbs 40 in-lbs 45 in-lbs

#6 to 3/0 port

Capacitor connector 10.6 in-lbs 10.6 in-lbs

110 in-lbs 150 in-lbs 180 in-lbs 250 in-lbs

Ground lug 100 in-lbs 100 in-lbs 100 in-lbs 100 in-lbs 100 in-lbs 100 in-lbs 100 in-lbs

o o

Confirm that no dust, dirt, or debris has accumulated within the terminal chamber. Measure voltage and current on all phases to make sure that readings are balanced. Check readings against initial values to determine if there have been significant changes. Confirm that terminal voltage is less than 110% of nameplate rated voltage. Confirm that operating current is less than 135% of nameplate rated current for the assembly. If current is in excess of 135% of the nameplate rating, check the following: 1. Voltage at the terminals is less than 110% of the rated nameplate voltage 2. Ambient temperature is within the allowable range. See location ambient temperature above. 3. The unit has sufficient space to allow air flow around the enclosure. 4. The unit is not connected in a circuit with variable frequency drives, motor starters, or other devices that generate harmonics. 5. Using proper equipment, measure the harmonic current and voltage of the unit. Contact Maysteel if the voltage harmonic distortion is in excess of 3% or harmonic current distortion is in excess of 5%.

o o

Disconnect the capacitor unit if current is in excess of 135% of the nameplate rating. Capacitor current in excess of 135% of the nameplate rating may indicate excessive harmonics on the network.

To determine if a capacitor is operating effectively, measure each phase with a clamp-on ammeter and compare the measured current with the rated current listed in the table RECOMMENDED WIRE SIZES AND FUSING FOR 3 PHASE, 60 HZ CAPACITOR BANKS. Phase currents should be balanced. If any abnormal reading (or zero) is shown, turn off the power to the capacitor, wait at least one minute for the charge to bleed off, then short between all terminals to be certain that the capacitor has discharged completely. Use an ohmmeter to check the capacitor cells. Zero the ohmmeter by touching the probes together. Measure ohms between all phases on the

capacitor terminals. If the ohmmeter reads zero, the capacitor is shorted and must be discarded. If the meter goes to zero quickly and then moves back toward mid-scale, the capacitor is probably good. o The most common cause of capacitor unit outage is a blown fuse caused by misapplication resulting in excessive current. If your unit is equipped with blown fuse lights, the light will glow when the fuse blows. Before replacing the fuse, make sure that the capacitor(s) are not shorted. o o Wait at least one minute so the charge can bleed off. Use an ohmmeter to check the capacitor cells. Zero the ohmmeter by touching the probes together. Measure ohms between all phases on the capacitor terminals. If the ohmmeter reads zero, the capacitor is shorted and must be discarded. If the meter goes to zero quickly and then moves back toward midscale, the capacitor is probably good and blown fuses should be replaced with the same value fuse. If fuses continue to blow, take steps to determine the cause. If the ohmmeter needle does not move, the capacitor element is open circuited. If this is the result of interrupter action inside the capacitor case, the cell cover will be bulged outward on the end with the connections and discharge resistors. Replace the cells, retest and operate. Fuses (if supplied) must be replaced with the same type and rating as those originally shipped in the unit. Contact Maysteel if a replacement fuse is required.

Location Ambient Temperature: There are 2 important ambient temperatures that must be evaluated for proper operation of your Smartbank LV unit. Location ambient temperature is the temperature of the air in the area where the capacitor will be operating. It is the ambient temperature in the area before the capacitors are installed or when the capacitors are installed but not energized. Operating ambient temperature is the temperature of the surrounding air when the unit(s) are energized. Your Smartbank capacitor unit is designed for use in a maximum operating ambient temperature range of -40 C (-40 F) to +50 C (+122 F) but the amount of time in operation at elevated temperatures should be limited to the following: 1. 24 hour mean: 2. 1 year mean: +40 C (104 F) +30 C (86 F)

Care must be exercised in selecting an installation location. If there is a question as to the operating ambient temperature in location of choice, it is suggested that temperature measurements should be taken in accordance with the following NEMA instructions: 1. 2. Let units operate for at least 24 hours before taking temperature measurements. The operating ambient temperature should be measured by taking the average readings of 3 thermometers located as follows: a. One thermometer level with the top of unit(s). b. One thermometer 12 inches above the bottom of the unit(s) c. One thermometer midway between a and b positions above.

All 3 thermometers should be located 12 inches (horizontally) from the unit(s). If the maximum operating ambient temperature limit is exceeded, units should be disconnected from the AC line. Contact your sales representative at once for advice on required corrective actions.

Service parts: o Under normal operating conditions, a capacitor will have a nominal life of 15 to 20 years. Premature decline in capacitor performance is usually a result of a problem with the application or environment. Capacitors in the Smartbank LV units can easily be replaced if necessary. Contact Maysteel if a replacement capacitor is required. Fuses (if supplied) must be replaced with the same type and rating as those originally shipped in the unit. Contact Maysteel if a replacement fuse is required.

Disposal: Smartbank LV capacitor elements are constructed with metalized polypropylene all-dry dielectric and contain no fluids. None of the materials used in the construction of the Smartbank LV capacitors are listed as hazardous materials however incineration or disposal should be in accordance with Federal, State, Provincial and Local regulations. Warranty: Smartbank LV units are warranted to be free of defects and workmanship in accordance with standard Maysteel LLC terms and conditions unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by authorized Maysteel personnel. Contact Maysteel or any authorized Maysteel representative for details of standard warranty terms and conditions. Notes: Connection to voltages and frequencies above the rated values will reduce life expectancy of your Smartbank LV device and could be dangerous. Consult Maysteel for advice if you encounter unusual operating conditions. Operation at voltages and frequencies below rated values will result in kVAR values that vary from nameplate ratings. The kVAR ratings can be calculated with the following formulas: o For operation at reduced voltage: Actual kVAR = Rated kVAR (Actual Voltage/Rated Voltage)2 o For operation at reduced frequency: Actual kVAR = Rated kVAR (Actual Frequency / Rated Frequency)