Determine the best component locations for your installation by applying the following strategies.
Please review the list of best practices for installation below to help ensure maximum effectiveness of your Cutsforth Assurance Monitoring System:
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Avoid sharp bends and coils in the grounding wire whenever possible. Bending or coiling the conductor can create induction back on itself and reduce grounding effectiveness.
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The grounding conductor and signal cable shall be routed according to the shortest possible paths.
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For Series 3 Shaft Grounding Assemblies (SGA):
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The total ground conductor length from the SGA to the unit case’s ground termination point shall not exceed 5 ft (1.5 m).
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The total signal cable length from the SGA to the Cutsforth Monitoring System shall not exceed 30 ft (9 m). Deviations require sign-off by Cutsforth Engineering.
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The Cutsforth Shaft Grounding Assembly has a maximum operating temperature of 150°C (302°F).
The Cutsforth Shaft Grounding Assembly is installed on the same portion of exposed shaft as the previous grounding equipment.
The Shaft Grounding Assembly must be installed on the “uphill” side of the shaft rotation. Installing on this side of the shaft ensures that the rope does not bunch up or bind up inside the rope guide. The configuration on the left in the following illustration shows the correct orientation.
The goal for selecting a grounding location is to electrically bond the shaft to the unit case. The unit case is defined by the lower half of the turbine case, generator case, or coupler case near the SGA to which the shaft can be grounded. Cutsforth suggests drilling and tapping into the lower half of the unit case to create a grounding location close to the Shaft Grounding Assembly. The location at which the ground wire will terminate should have all paint removed and should be free of all contaminants to create a smooth, conductive surface. Structural steel and station ground are examples of unacceptable grounding locations. It is important to note that it is not necessary for the ground conductor to be grounded to an existing generator grounding pad.
The Assurance Monitoring System has a minimum/maximum operating temperature range of –20°C (–4°F) to 65°C (149°F). Avoid mounting the enclosure in areas where the temperature falls outside this range on a regular basis. If possible, avoid mounting the monitoring system in a location that experiences direct sunlight for extended periods of time throughout the day.
The monitoring system should be installed in a location that does not complicate generator disassembly during outages.
The monitoring system should be accessible to personnel for data collection using the local display or monitoring system test points, as well as for servicing and troubleshooting, as needed.
The monitoring system should be mounted in a location that does not experience excessive vibration. Mounting directly to rotating equipment, such as a generator or other vibrating structures, is not recommended. All cabling should be strain-relieved near input connectors. Take care to not directionally bias cable connectors when applying strain relief.
The Assurance Monitoring System enclosure is commonly installed using strut channel provided by the electrical contractor. Cutsforth recommends the use of a floor-mounted strut channel structure, as it is typically less susceptible to excessive vibration. If a wall-mounted structure is necessary, Cutsforth recommends using vibration-isolation mounting. The example image below shows a suitable location.
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Power Requirement |
Value |
|---|---|
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Voltage |
85–264 VAC |
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Recommended breaker size |
20 A |
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Recommended power cabling wire gauge |
12 AWG |
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Actual operational current draw |
~ 0.5 A at 120 VAC |
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Component |
Standard Recommendation |
Recommendation for High-Corrosion Environments |
|---|---|---|
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Conduit type |
Galvanized rigid metal conduit (RMC) |
Rigid Aluminum Conduit (RAC) |
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Conduit fittings type |
Malleable |
Aluminum |
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Strut channel type |
Hot dipped galvanized, back-to-back |
316 Stainless steel |
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Mounting hardware |
316 Stainless steel |
316 Stainless steel |
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Liquid flexible metallic conduit |
Type HCX |
Type HCX |
Cutsforth recommends that a duct seal be used to seal the inside of any conduit entering the Cutsforth monitoring system enclosure(s). The duct seal should be non-permanent in nature to accommodate future equipment or cable maintenance.