E300 Digital Expansion Module

[OhioAviator]

Hello fellow sparkies,

I did a search on this site for a similar question and, finding none, thought I'd post it here.

Is it possible to 'shoehorn' a single E300 digital expansion module into a 1-space factor Allen Bradley IntelliCenter bucket that gets its 120 Vac control power from a separate source, i.e. no internal control power transformer inside the bucket? Our Allen Bradley rep. tells us that if we order that configuration, the factory will automatically add one-half space factor to the bucket no matter what and will automatically throw the order into the 'Engineered' category instead of the 'Quick Ship' category. I keep looking at this and can't stop thinking that there's sufficient room to shoehorn in that single digital expansion module inside that one-space factor bucket once we take delivery of the MCC on site.
All comments and suggestions are certainly welcome.

Thanks!
--J. R.

J.R.

Galatians 2:20

 

[jraef]

It’s pretty tight in there already. As I recall, in the first release of the E300 in MCC buckets it was 1-1/2 space factors all by itself, but they quickly did a redesign to make it fit in 1SF. There also might be a heat rise issue WRT unit space fill, which would prevent them from doing it at the factory without voiding UL. That wouldn’t stop you from doing what you want with the gear once you own it though. We all know that adding an I/O block to a starter is not adding heat, so it’s just a “volume” issue with UL if it wasn’t tested that way in the listing process.

I have a Size 1 bucket with an E300 in a test lab at work, I’ll take a picture of it Monday and post it for you. (Hopefully I remember)…


" We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know." -- W. H. Auden

 

[OhioAviator]

Hi jraef,

Thank you so much for your reply and your offer to photograph a 1SF bucket on Monday. I would greatly appreciate that.
Since we intend to order the MCC with separate control power, which eliminates the control power transformer and fuse block inside the bucket, I'm thinking that might free up enough space to install a single digital 4-pt expansion module. Your photo on Monday will certainly help (if you remember). Believe me, the older I get the worse my CRS (can't remember squat) seems to get.

Many thanks...

J.R.

Galatians 2:20

 

[jraef]

IIRC, the CPT is mounted under the contactor, so eliminating it doesn’t really free up any useable panel space. Having only a single pole fuse block might though.


" We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know." -- W. H. Auden

 

[OhioAviator]

Well, crap. I didn't realize the CPT got moved under the contactor. It didn't used to be there, but the last time I worked in an MCC bucket was ages ago and it was probably pre-Intellicenter. Thanks.

J.R.

Galatians 2:20