Help with Neslab RTE-140!!

[Nirajan]

Hi all,
I am new to this forum and had trouble even finding the link to post this new thread . Anyways, I have a Neslab RTE-140 Refrigeration bath but it is missing a power cord. The power plug is different from normal power plugs used around here in US. The pins are horizontal instead of being vertical. Does anyone have any idea about the type of plug or cord that this chiller uses? and where i might be able to find one? I tried getting the info from their company, but turns out the company is sold to Thermo scientific and even the chiller RTE-140 is obsolete and they don't sell it anymore. And their product support is not good at all. If anyone knows anything about this then please help me.

Thanks in advance..

[Brian_UK]

Can you not replace the socket with a more suitable one for your area?

Or how about hard wiring a new power cord?

[AndrewU]

Hi,
I'm also new to this forum as I was assigned to my company's refrigeration system only a few months back. I was previously assigned as a process engineer.
Anyway, I think what you are referring to is a BS 2363 or type G style of plug. We have those in our plant to avoid mistakes in plugging various equipment since some are 220V and some 110V. However, I think you should be able (unless you have some legal standards there) to put another type as long as the electrical supply and its rating matches that of the equipment.

[Nirajan]

Thanks guys!!
@Brian: Changing the socket or hard wiring it will be my last option

@Andrew: I think you are right about the plug. I googled it and it looks like a G-type plug. I will have to try finding it. What is this BS 2363? I did not find anything about it in the net. And is the G-type plug only used in the 220V system? because my system is a 110V system. And using a 220V cord will have to sustain a higher current than rated.

Thanks for the help.

[AndrewU]

Hi, the BS 2363 has horizontal prongs but they are thicker. You are right in that we normally use G-types here for the 220V outlets. However, unless you have legal restriction in your area, changing plug types should not be a problem. These plugs are normally around 15 ~ 20 A capacity but you can check before buying one. I think your equipment is within this range.

[et0]

Hi,
Anyway, I think what you are referring to is a BS 2363 or type G style of plug.

You're probably thinking of a BS1363 variant (standard *UK* mains plug which has the pins the wrong way around).

The OP is in the US so it will be some NEMA plug: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_5-15#NEMA_6 for example. (add http colon slash slash at the start to get the link - stupid forum)[Edit: not stupid, it saves a lot of grief from fools who want to wreck the forum]

Change it, but double-check what voltage the equipment is supposed to be running on, and what current it will draw!

[AndrewU]

Hi et0, Yes that's what we call BS 1363 here. I'm not familiar with the equipment's origin and it could be a NEMA 6 standard (forgot about them). Anyway, the main point is that the plug can be changed as long as the equipment specification is met.

[NH3LVR]

Welcome to the forum!
At the risk of losing my reputation as a industrial guy, I have worked on these.
This is a link to a manual http://www.chillercity.com/OPMANUAL/RTE140A.pdf.
I cannot do it right now, but was on the internet, perhaps at chiller city a series of articles called the evaporator that had a lot of information on these units.
Look at this site here. http://www.chillercity.com/manuals.php
If you need more help I can look later

[Nirajan]

Thank you all. The chiller was a 110V system. I couldn't find a proper plug so i changed the socket. Thank you very much for the help.

[Nirajan]

Thank you all. The chiller was a 110V system. I couldn't find a proper plug so i changed the socket and operated it. Thank you very much for the help.

[Nirajan]

The plug is not even a BS1363 or a NEMA-6 plug. Those plugs have a two horizontal pins and the center one is vertical. But the chiller's plug has all the pins placed horizontally (all of them are parallel with each other). I couldn't find a proper plug so i changed the socket and operated it. Thank you very much for the help.