What happens to the electrical when equipment moves?
Every machine, rack or panel has power wired to it, and that wiring rarely reaches the new location. We disconnect the equipment safely, move or extend the circuits, reconnect it and confirm it runs correctly. Here is the order we follow:
- Confirm the new location can supply what the equipment needs: voltage, phase and amperage
- De-energize and lock out the circuit before anyone touches the equipment
- Disconnect and label the conductors so nothing gets reconnected wrong
- Relocate disconnects and conduit, then extend or replace conductors, with any splices made in accessible boxes
- Reconnect, check motor rotation on three-phase equipment and test
- Update the panel schedule so it matches what is actually connected
What equipment do we relocate?
- Production machinery, compressors and pumps
- Kitchen and lab equipment
- Server and network racks
- Panels, disconnects and subpanels
Moving a panel is a larger job than moving a machine, because every circuit it serves has to be rerouted. We scope it separately.
What goes wrong when equipment moves without a plan?
- The new circuit is undersized for the equipment
- A three-phase motor spins backward because two conductors were swapped
- Equipment ends up without the clear working space the NEC requires in front of electrical gear, which is generally at least 3 feet deep and 30 inches wide
- Extension cords and temporary wiring become permanent
- The panel schedule no longer matches the building, so the next electrician is working blind
If you are moving a lot of equipment into a space and are not sure the power will keep up, a load study can show how much margin the panel really has. Adding new circuits is covered under branch circuit installation.
This work is part of our Commercial Electrical Services.
Arizona ROC #153656 (CR-11) | Over 40 years in business
