LocostUSA.com

Well, the title sort of gives it away.
Here's the deal, I have a client that needs a safety control. So I created one.
Mark 1 Mod 0 is in a metal NEMA 3R box, overbuilt and a PITA to make, Mod 1 was a little easier fab because I used a different relay socket but I still don't like the enclosure.
Since I can use a NEMA 1 enclosure and found a neat little class 2 control circuit and SPDT relay on a board (really locost too, from http://www.functionaldevices.com/) I made a Mark 2 Mod 0.
The problem is, it's a 1.75X3 box piggybacked on top of a 4X4 box and I still think it needs to look better, I'd like everything in one enclosure.
So, anyone here got any suggestions? I'll like to order ten at a time. ...

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"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

first off, can you picture the two boxes and post?

then a picture of the location with any other equipment/enclosures close to the one you are making.

i used to design electrical enclosures for the military for use in air portable container bodies, these were aluminum boxes but the key to them looking good was to make all the enclosures the same or as near the same as possible, especially in depth from the wall.

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this story shall the good man teach his son,
and chrispin chrispian shall ne'er go by,
from this day to the end of the world.
but we in it shall be remembered.

Here's a couple of shots of the prototype.
Yeah, I know, binding posts?!?? The barrier strips I ordered were delayed. ..
Class 2 control circuit running a relay as a drop out safety circuit, tank empty = switch off, power to the outlet goes off and the feed pump shuts off.
The board is 79 mm by 40 mm and requires a 5 mm standoff.
I need a plastic plate that mounts in an outlet box, using the screw holes a switch uses to mount to the box, that will hold the board so that the front mounted LED presents thru the front cover.
I figure that I can use the mounting board as the voltage separator as well as a mounting board solving both issues at once with a single part and place the barrier strip thru the (out)side of the enclosure to fit everything in a 2 gang box.
The prototype is only 10 amp rated because I used a 18 gauge cord, 14 gauge would give me 15 amp limit imposed by the male GFCI plug on the cord and switching to a higher rated GFCI and 12 gauge wire would give it a 20 amp rating.
The locations vary widely and are scattered across the country and the panel configuration varies between them, my plan is to use a relatively small box with external mounting feet so the field tech doesn't need to open the box evereverever.
A few screws, wire up the safety switch, plug in the pump and plug in the control, all done with no muss or fuss.
All the required protections in one box. ..
The fuse holder on the bottom is a motor protection fuse called for by the pump manufacturer(none of the existing installs have the motor protection fuse, no one noticed the requirement. ...).

_________________
"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

Functional Devices also makes a cute little retrofit closet light control for when you need to assuage SWMBO. ..
http://www.functionaldevices.com/lighting-controls/lightcontrollers.php

_________________
"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett