Electrical Controls - Motor Starters, VFDs, Soft Starters, Disconnects, Circuit Breakers, & Programmable Controllers
Here is a basic truth: wherever motors are used, they must be controlled. What isn't so basic is selecting and installing the right controls.
That's where we come in.
Our team has decades of experience in developing electrical controls for cotton gins and industrial plants. We can design a custom motor control system that fits your exact needs, optimizes space and power, maximizes efficiency, facilitates troubleshooting, and decreases downtime.
Lubbock Electric is an authorized distributor for Schneider Electric brands, including Square D, which has a strong reputation for quality and innovation.
Whether you need to get a stand-alone motor starter, replace damaged or obsolete control components, or build a new motor control system, our team can assist you. Rest easy knowing that with Lubbock Electric, both the products and the installation are 100% guaranteed.
Variable Frequency Drives (VFD), also called Variable Speed Drives or Adjustable Speed Drives, are motor control devices that provide overload protection to an AC motor by controlling the direction and speed of its rotation throughout the run cycle. Like soft starters, VFDs reduce the mechanical and electrical stress on the motor and increase its service life.
VFDs are ideal for applications that require operational speed control at all times, smooth motion, and energy management. Many VFDs, like Schneider Electric's Altivar drives, can interface with programmable controllers, which makes automation, data acquisition, and asset monitoring possible.
A traditional "Across the Line" motor starter immediately connects motor terminals directly to power, subjecting the motor to the full voltage of the power supply. As a result, a high starting current (often 6-8 times the motor's full load current) flows through the motor. Soft starters decrease the voltage at the start, reducing the the initial current and torque and allowing for a gentle ramp up in speed.
When an "across the line" magnetic starter or combination starter is the most suitable option for your application, Lubbock Electric can provide a solution. Magnetic starters are easily customizable with contactors, starters, and overload relays. Another benefit is that magnetic starters can be serviced by simply replacing contacts and coils.
A popular solution here in West Texas are pump panels, which are specifically designed for irrigation and oil field motors and are available in NEMA sizes 0-7.
If your business utilizes multiple motors or you are looking to expand operations, we recommend replacing discrete starters and disconnects with a motor control center (MCC). Having an MCC diminishes the risk of loose connections and uses fewer wires, making them comparatively safer.
Our team can design a custom MCC for your company. We can also incorporate "intelligent" devices in your new MCC that control and monitor the operation of your motors; monitor power quality, energy consumption, and system operation; and communicate with a process control system.
Safety Switches and Disconnect Switches de-energize an electrical circuit by disconnecting motors and machinery from their power source. Disconnect switches allow for emergency stops, repairs, and maintenance. Having a disconnect in close proximity to a motor is required in all industrial plants by the National Electrical Code.
Fusible disconnects provide protection from short circuiting and overcurrent in addition to opening and closing the circuit. Only if your circuit includes a Short Circuit Protective Device (SCPD), such as a circuit breaker or fuse, should a non-fusible disconnect be used. Your best option is to work with our team of electric professionals to select and install disconnects for your facility.
Large power overloads on your circuit could potentially damage electrical equipment or cause a fire. Circuit breakers are designed to protect an overloaded electrical circuit by interrupting the flow of electricity. Think of them as automatic "off" switches that trip when they detect faults, such as overloads, short circuiting, or low voltage.
Fuses are also commonly used for this purpose. One major difference is that while fuses must be replaced after interrupting an overloaded circuit, circuit breakers can be reset and reused. Fuses and circuit breakers are not interchangeable for all applications, so it is best to consult one of our industrial electricians.
The team at Lubbock Electric can advance your machine controls to greater heights. With programmable logic controllers (PLC) and programmable automation controllers (PAC), we can build a framework for data acquisition, predictive maintenance, and systems improvement. Our team is very experienced in integrating Schneider Electric's Modicon M340 PAC with state-of-the-art human machine interface (HMI) technology. Learn more about our automation services.
Electrical Controls - VFDs, Soft Starters, Pump Panels, Electrical Supplies, & Programmable Controllers
Here is a basic truth: wherever motors are used, they must be controlled.
What isn't so basic is selecting and installing the right controls.
Our team has decades of experience in developing electrical controls for cotton gins and industrial plants. We can design a motor control system that meets your needs, optimizes space and power, maximizes efficiency, and facilitates troubleshooting.
Whether you need to get a motor starter, replace damaged or obsolete control components, or build a motor control system, our team can assist you. With Lubbock Electric, both the products and the installation are 100% guaranteed.
Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) provide overload protection to an AC motor by controlling the direction and speed of its rotation throughout the run cycle. VFDs reduce the mechanical and electrical stress on the motor and increase its service life.
VFDs are ideal for applications that require operational speed control at all times, smooth motion, and energy management. Many VFDs, like Schneider Electric's Altivar drives, can interface with programmable controllers, which makes automation, data acquisition, and asset monitoring possible.
A traditional "Across the Line" motor starter immediately connects motor terminals directly to power, subjecting the motor to the full voltage of the power supply. As a result, a high starting current flows through the motor. Soft starters decrease the voltage at the start, reducing the the initial current and torque and allowing for a gentle ramp up in speed.
When an "Across the Line" magnetic starter or combination starter is the most suitable option for your application, Lubbock Electric can provide a solution. Magnetic starters are easily customizable with contactors and overload relays. Plus, they can be serviced by simply replacing contacts and coils.
For irrigation and oil field motors, we can provide specifically designed pump panels in NEMA sizes 0-7.
If your business utilizes multiple motors, we recommend replacing discrete starters and disconnects with a motor control center (MCC). Having an MCC diminishes the risk of loose connections and uses fewer wires, making them comparatively safer.
Our team can design a custom MCC for your company. We can also incorporate "intelligent" devices in your new MCC that control and monitor the operation of your motors and communicate with a process control system.
Disconnect switches allow for emergency stops, repairs, and maintenance. Having a disconnect in close proximity to a motor is required in all industrial plants by the National Electrical Code.
Fusible disconnects provide protection from short circuiting and overcurrent in addition to opening and closing the circuit. Only if your circuit includes a Short Circuit Protective Device (SCPD), such as a circuit breaker or fuse, should a non-fusible disconnect be used. Your best option is to work with our team of electric professionals to select and install disconnects for your facility.
Large power overloads on your circuit could potentially damage electrical equipment or cause a fire. Circuit breakers are designed to protect an overloaded electrical circuit by interrupting the flow of electricity when they detect faults, such as overloads, short circuiting, or low voltage.
Fuses are also commonly used for this purpose. While fuses must be replaced after each use, circuit breakers can be reset and reused. Fuses and circuit breakers are not interchangeable for all applications, so it is best to consult one of our industrial electricians.
With programmable logic controllers (PLC) and programmable automation controllers (PAC), we can build a framework for data acquisition, predictive maintenance, and systems improvement for your operations. Our team is very experienced in integrating Schneider Electric's Modicon M340 PAC with state-of-the-art human machine interface (HMI) technology. Learn more about our automation services.
