Medical receptacles

[Npstewart]

I am designing a little renovation in a existing medical building. We added a small patient care area. I would like to reuse the general receptacles on the wall. My question is, do I have to worry about special grounding to comply with 517? If the wiring is run in metal race ways would that not suffice? Also, would the grounding conductor inside the pipe need to be bare or can it be insulated (thats if I use the raceway as ground). thanks, please help, time is crucial!

thanks guys:-?

 

[raider1]

If this is a patient care area then 517.13 would apply.

That being said if the wiring method itself qualifies as an EGC in accordance with 250.118 then all you need to do is make sure that you also install an insulated copper EGC in the metal conduit.

Here is what 517.13 says:

517.13 Grounding of Receptacles and Fixed Electrical Equipment in Patient Care Areas.
Wiring in patient care areas shall comply with 517.13(A) and (B).
(A) Wiring Methods. All branch circuits serving patient care areas shall be provided with an effective ground-fault current path by installation in a metal raceway system, or a cable having a metallic armor or sheath assembly. The metal raceway system, or metallic cable armor, or sheath assembly shall itself qualify as an equipment grounding conductor in accordance with 250.118.
(B) Insulated Equipment Grounding Conductor. The grounding terminals of all receptacles and all non?current-carrying conductive surfaces of fixed electrical equipment likely to become energized that are subject to personal contact, operating at over 100 volts, shall be connected to an insulated copper equipment grounding conductor. The equipment grounding conductor shall be sized in accordance with Table 250.122 and installed in metal raceways or as a part of listed cables having a metallic armor or sheath assembly with the branch-circuit conductors supplying these receptacles or fixed equipment.
Exception No. 1: Metal faceplates shall be permitted to be connected to the equipment grounding conductor by means of a metal mounting screw(s) securing the faceplate to a grounded outlet box or grounded wiring device.
Exception No. 2: Luminaires more than 2.3 m (7? ft) above the floor and switches located outside of the patient care vicinity shall be permitted to be connected to an equipment grounding return path complying with 517.13(A).

Chris

 

[kwired]

You will also need to install hospital grade receptacles.

General Care Areas. Patient bedrooms, examining rooms, treatment rooms, clinics, and similar areas in which it is intended that the patient will come in contact with ordinary appliances such as a nurse call system, electric beds, examining lamps, telephones, and entertainment devices.

517.18 (covers general care areas)

(B) Patient Bed Location Receptacles. Each patient bed location shall be provided with a minimum of four receptacles. They shall be permitted to be of the single or duplex types or a combination of both. All receptacles, whether four or more, shall be listed ?hospital grade? and so identified. The grounding terminal of each receptacle shall be connected to an insulated copper equipment grounding conductor sized in accordance with Table 250.122.

 

[augie47]

You will also need to install hospital grade receptacles.

General Care Areas. Patient bedrooms, examining rooms, treatment rooms, clinics, and similar areas in which it is intended that the patient will come in contact with ordinary appliances such as a nurse call system, electric beds, examining lamps, telephones, and entertainment devices.

517.18 (covers general care areas)

(B) Patient Bed Location Receptacles. Each patient bed location shall be provided with a minimum of four receptacles. They shall be permitted to be of the single or duplex types or a combination of both. All receptacles, whether four or more, shall be listed ?hospital grade? and so identified. The grounding terminal of each receptacle shall be connected to an insulated copper equipment grounding conductor sized in accordance with Table 250.122.

Here, due to Exception2 in 517,18(A) HG has not been a requirement.

 

[kwired]

exception 2 relieves you from having to comply with Part A.

Part A only tells us that we need two branch circuits and one from normal supply and one from emergency system. It says nothing about hospital grade receptacles that requirement is in part B

 

[augie47]

I agree, the inspectors here don't tend to treat the examination table as a patient bed and it sounds like he has exam rooms.

 

[steve66]

The patient bed is defined in 517.2 as a critical care area, or an inpatient sleeping bed (overnigh stays). In my opinion, it doesn't sound like either would apply, so hospital grade wouldn't be required.