Plug and Play Electrical Connections for Mining Applications
Written by the experts at MELTRIC
Moving conveyors and other electrically powered aggregate processing equipment can be a challenging task. This is especially true when sand and grit can get in the threads of pin-and-sleeve connectors and make it labourious to get them apart when moves need to be made. MELTRIC Switch-Rated plugs and receptacles have made these site-to-site moves much easier for the aggregate/mining industry offering plug-and-play simplicity with internal self-cleaning contacts.
These CSA rated Switch-Rated plugs and receptacles simply twist and lock without any threads to worry about and the twisting motion, while locking the plug in place, also wipes the internal contacts clean making it invaluable in dusty environments. Qualified workers can quickly de-energize equipment, even under full load, with the press of a pawl on the receptacle, and reconfigure or relocate portable plants as needed.
The ease of disconnecting and reconnecting with MELTRIC devices speeds up and simplifies relocating equipment, servicing equipment like motors and/or pumps, operator safety, and procedures. The way these plugs and receptacles are engineered prevents operator access to live parts with a safety shutter and dead-front design plus a lockout hole on the plug for easy lockout/tagout. The safe, durable MELTRIC plugs and receptacles incorporate spring-loaded, silver-nickel butt-style contacts that provide consistently superior electrical performance over thousands of operations. In addition, they’re wear- and corrosion-resistant— factors that increase premature failure in pin and sleeve-type devices.
Aggregate Application
Another example of how MELTRIC Switch-Rated devices simplify site-to-site moves in the aggregate/mining industry is a local (near MELTRIC headquarters) asphalt paving/producing service. The company owns multiple asphalt plants and aggregate sources.
At one of the company’s quarries, power for portable crushers and conveyors is provided by a trailer-mounted 725 kW Cat diesel engine through a power distribution panel. Previously, connections between the panel and mobile equipment were made using pin-and-sleeve connectors. However, they were difficult to connect and disconnect. Their master electrician explained how sand would get in the threads making it impossible to get them apart.
Since converting to the MELTRIC plugs and receptacles, this aggregate operation has found that connections are easy to handle and have had no more issues with disconnecting their equipment. Their quarry produces washed stone and sand, using three portable crushers and two large permanent crushers. Material is transported via several troughed belt conveyors, including a 1,000-foot unit, a 500-foot, and several 250-foot conveyors. Jaw crushers and portable conveyors alike are connected to the distribution panel.
They add conveyors and follow the material until they get to the property boundary lines. The master electrician explained that the ease of disconnecting and reconnecting with MELTRIC devices speeds up and simplifies the moves. They are use MELTRIC devices on all their crushers, screens, and conveyors at the site, except for the few that are hard-wired and not moved.
The asphalt company frequently uses a portable crushing plant at temporary job sites. While it was recently set up to crush recycled concrete near a repaving project, it’s also used to crush limestone and provide crushed aggregate at asphalt plants. They had moved four times within several months and it took about eight hours to set up the plant at each new location. They credit MELTRIC plugs and receptacles for making the multitude of required connections much faster and easier than the pin and sleeve connectors they used to use.
In addition to increased electrical quality and time-saving ease-of-use, MELTRIC devices provide added safety benefits for workers. MELTRIC products’ dead-front construction and enclosed arc chamber prevent workers from accidental electrical exposure. These features ensure increased worker safety in all applications where MELTRIC plugs and receptacles are used.
Reliability, Durability, Versatility
MELTRIC Switch-Rated plugs and receptacles are temperature tested from -40° F to 140° F (SPeX temps vary), water resistant up to Type 4X/IP69/IP69K (ratings vary by model), and designed to be dependable in the harshest conditions. An abundance of amperage choices, limitless pin configurations, and numerous accessory options give MELTRIC devices the edge in almost any environment.
UL/CSA listings ensure safety, quality, and reliability. These devices include safety features such as dead-front shutters, built-in arc chambers, and spring-loaded silver-nickel contacts to ensure safety during connection and disconnection (features vary by device). MELTRIC features an entire line of CSA-rated Class 1, Div 2 devices designed to be dust, moisture, and gas resistant.
MELTRIC devices can be found throughout mines, mining operations, and cement works. Wherever you need watertight, reliable, and SAFE electrical and network connections, MELTRIC is there. For specific information on these plugs and receptacles in aggregate and mining applications, visit www.meltric.com/solutions/mining-aggregate.