MCC Replacement vs. Retrofitting

Not nearly enough information.

What needs to be refitted or replaced? Why are you considering doing it in the first place? Where are you? What local codes do you need to be concerned with? How old is your existing equipment?What is the manufacturer(s)? What are your automation control considerations? Etc. Etc. Etc.

We can offer tips, but this is not a "free consultancy" website. People get paid for doing that sort of work you know....

The following should be considered:

1. How old is the casing. if it is more than 15 years old then scrap it.
2. Is there enough room in the cabinet to cater for additional power feeders for the future, if not scrap it.
3. Is the existing have updated amp meters, volt meters etc. if not scrap it.
4. Is the palnt that is served by this MCC panel being updated, if so then proive a new panel as the existing panel reached near it's end life.
5. Finally, is there sufficnet funds for a new panel

MCC's are built to be serviced or retrofitted. You simply pull the "bucket" from the frame perform maintenance or replace the whole bucket then reinsert the bucket.

If your are considering replacing the frame because of damage or age, you face a major project with plenty of problems. Does the new equipment even fit in the existing area? Will the conductors land in the same places? Will the conduit fit? How much other material and equipment will I have to replace or repair to install a new MCC? And how long will I shut down the existing facility while doing this replacement?

I would advise you to find the MCC's manufacturers representative and discuss you options about retrofitting. If for some reason the MCC is beyond repair. You will need to talk to a consulting engineer and he should bring in manufacturers of that type of equipment to try to prevent a disaster. In this case planning ahead is the key to a successful project.

Hi,

In deciding whether to replace or refurbish the panel I think you will find that refurbishing will extend your downtime for the plant your MCC serves. The cost of refurbishing will cost nearly as much as a new panel. You will not have the facility of future expansion with the existing panel. You wil enjoy 25 years life for teh new panel.

Sotaking everythign into considerationIwould recommend that the panel be replaced unless of course the existing panel is only a few years old.

There's really not enough info here to give you a clear answer. What kind of 'control center', how old is it, how many motors are you controlling...?

My initial response though would be to say that, having experienced a retrofitted control panel, I strongly recommend simply replacing the controller. At one of my previous jobs we had a pit lift that ran on 6 motors. The system was originally installed in the mid 70's and had been retrofitted sometime in the 80's/90's. By the time I got there in 2001 no one new what the system had been or what actual changes had been made; the panel was a mess of bypassed relays and unused and poorly labeled wires that was starting to fail and was practically impossible to diagnose. These systems need to be readily serviceable to avoid prolonged shut-downs and lost productivity... retro-fitters are not likely to be as concerned with your maintenance needs as they are in getting out the door with their profit margin intact.

At the very least, if you decide to do a retrofit make sure your contractor has clear instructions to remove any unused wiring and components and to clearly label the new wiring etc..., providing diagrams etc... so you won't have to reverse engineer your system to maintain it.

Good Advice. I concur,replace the panel.

My thanks and appreciation for all participants for the valuable inputs. i think one good reason to replace the MCC is the obsolescence as it will not be supported by the vendor.

Regards,

Hamad