u/BlkCdr

I’m planning to build out a home gym and I’m seriously considering a Gym Monster (2?) due to space constraints. I have decent square footage in my basement, but very low ceilings: 81.5” from the floor to the bottom of the ceiling joists. There are a couple weight based all in one racks that will fit, but just barely. I’d also be more willing to put a digital resistance machine upstairs in a spare room as supposed to a big, heavy, ugly power rack.

I’m wondering, what would I not be able to do with a Gym Monster that I would otherwise be able to do with a traditional power rack/functional trainer combo? I know lat pull downs are tricky due to not having a leg holder, although I’ve seen people using straps routed under the platform. What else is either not possible or not as good as traditional equipment? How do bench presses feel? Is it just a matter of getting used to the feel of digital resistance? I’m also concerned about durability, obsolescence and the possibility of a required subscription in the future. $4-5k is a lot easier to justify if you know that what you’re buying will essentially last forever.

When you need to swap phases to change motor rotation, what is considered best practice? Swap A/B or B/C? In the peckerhead? At the disconnect? If you’re using black wire, do you leave the original the phase tape as is so people in the future know that phases were swapped?

I’m an electrician who does a good bit of control work. Most of our projects are fresh and wastewater treatment. I come across intrinsically safe relays quite a bit, but I don’t really understand how they work.

For example, at a site I was at earlier this month, all of the level switches hit IS relays. The relays have 120vac supply and two sets of contacts. The wiring from the field lands on terminals that are jumped to two other terminals through resistors. What is electrically happening inside the relay? I’ve asked google, but he doesn’t seem to be able to give me the answer I’m looking for. I’ve asked a couple engineers that I work with, but they frankly don’t really seem to know either.