IR 2340L5-V compressor wiring question

[titus211]

Howdy folks,

So my wife surprised me a few weeks ago with a new Ingersoll Rand 2340L5-V single phase compressor. Based on the IR instructions, I should wire it with 8ga THHN on a 40A breaker. So far so good.

Now I'm to the point of actually connecting the 8ga (stranded) wire to the compressor. Inside the pressure switch box (which seems absurdly tiny), there are screw terminals for each of the hot legs and the ground. At first I thought I could just twist the 8ga wire and put it behind the screw. I can't seem to do that without wires fraying or it just generally looking like ****.

Instead, I started looking for ring terminals for 8ga wire. Found some online (http://a.co/81DkDep), borrowed a crimper, and now have these crimped to the ends of the 8ga. But upon trying to connect these terminals, I find that they are actually a bit too big to fit in the plastic slot around the screws for the hot legs. So they won't fit unless I trim the "ring" part of these ring terminals.

Am I over complicating this? I tried searching for people with similar issues, but no one seems to cover the simple part of physically connecting the wire to the compressor. I figure there has to be a better way...

Any thoughts from the GJ experts? Thanks!

 

[seber]

Just trim the ring terminals with a file. Any part that extends beyond the screw head is excess anyway.

 

[6PTsocket]

seber is correct but do the 8 ga.terminals you bought have the right size ring end? Terminals have to be sized for the wire and the screw. Is the inside of the ring reasonably close to the screw or very loose?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[titus211]

The screw hole in the ring terminal is the correct size - #10. Just the overall size of the terminal is too large to fit in the switch box. I'll try trimming/filing them down to fit.

 

[matt_i]

Look at "mechanical lug" in Home Depot. There might be something which works for you there.

It is not a bad idea to investigate a motor starter and then you will have proper lugs to connect to. The pressure switch then just switches milliamps to pull in the coil of the magnetic device.

 

[redmondjp]

I googled this model, and Home Depot sell it but they claim that it includes a motor starter (and it should if it really draws 28A @ 240VAC) - it doesn't sound like yours does if you are wiring power directly to the pressure switch. Can you post a picture of your pressure switch? Most switches aren't rated to switch a true 5HP motor, which is one of several reasons why the motor starter is required.

 

[titus211]

redmondjp,

The Home Depot listing is wrong - no motor started included. Just a pressure switch (page 11, ref. no 7-12 here: https://www.ingersollrandproducts.com/dam/ir-products/documentlibrary/recip-support/SCD-749.pdf). I tried searching for this pressure switch item # for rating info on it, but couldn't find anything.
Don't have a photo handy, but can post one this evening.

Another note: according to the manual, "If the motor installed on your unit has a motor reset button, it does not require a magnetic starter."
That's the case with my compressor - there is a reset button on the motor. Not saying it wouldn't be an improvement to have one; just that I don't think it's required.

Thanks

 

[redmondjp]

Thanks for the update - technically what they have stated is correct - the red button on the motor is the overload (as opposed to short-circuit) protection which keeps the motor windings from becoming permanently damaged. This is typically done by the motor starter for larger motors (which don't have built-in overload protection).

Your compressor would still benefit from a motor starter or horsepower-rated contactor, just to keep the full motor current (esp. the very high starting current) from passing through the pressure switch.

But it should work OK as-is - just make sure that your connections are very tight and neat.