Phase rotation/Quality control

[rich000]

Am I making a mountain out of a mole hill?

New building with 3 phase service coming in. Power company sent in CCW rotation, no big deal. So all the power coming off the MAIN switchboard is CCW (Brown-Orange-Yellow). This board feeds several motor loads and ATS's.

Rather then switch the phases at the incoming point, the EC decided to swap the phases at the generator and have CCW rotation going to the ATS's. 2 of the ATS's feed other switchboards. The EC swapped phases at the input to these switchboards, so now these switchboards are CW (Brown-Orange-Yellow).

So as you go through the building, some places are A-B-C is Brown-Orange-Yellow and other's it is B-A-C is Brown-Orange-Yellow.

They used colored wiring not phase tape.

While not an actual violation, I believe in the future after several site manager turnovers, this could be an issue.

What say you?

Thank you.

 

[pete m.]

I agree that it is not a code violation but I fail to see how this would become an "issue" at a later time.

The rotation could be checked at any time in the future prior to connecting more equipment.

Pete

 

[iwire]

So as you go through the building, some places are A-B-C is Brown-Orange-Yellow and other's it is B-A-C is Brown-Orange-Yellow.

I think that is a violation.

408.3 Support and Arrangement of Busbars and
Conductors.

(E) Phase Arrangement. The phase arrangement on
3-phase buses shall be A, B, C from front to back, top to
bottom, or left to right, as viewed from the front of the
switchboard or panelboard. The B phase shall be that phase
having the higher voltage to ground on 3-phase, 4-wire,
delta-connected systems. Other busbar arrangements shall
be permitted for additions to existing installations and shall
be marked.

Exception: Equipment within the same single section or
multisection switchboard or panelboard as the meter on
3-phase, 4-wire, delta-connected systems shall be permitted
to have the same phase configuration as the metering
equipment.

 

[pete m.]

I think that is a violation.

I guess I'm confused. The OP stated that the contractor used colored insulation on their conductors. Perhaps I mis-understood what was written but the way I read it the B-O-Y scheme was the same in each switchboard, panelboard, etc.. meaning Brown on A, Orange on B and Yellow on C in respect to the buss arrangement.

Pete

 

[tryinghard]

The colors are standard but the rotations jacked up, I think the rotations should match I don?t know of a code issue but it?s certainly best practice. In your case there?s not one source it?s multiple, utility, & 2 other sources (ATS controlled) so the rotation cannot be changed at one location for all. Also the rotation may not matter to the components in this building but again its best practice to match rotation throughout. Was commissioning (start up) done in the status you?ve described or has any been done yet? If it has not been done yet get em to match.

Colored feeders look nice but unless rotation is done before termination the traditional B-O-Y could be compromised and if this is a 120/240V system the orange stinger matters code wise.

 

[iwire]

some places are A-B-C is Brown-Orange-Yellow and other's it is B-A-C is Brown-Orange-Yellow.

The bold underlined part is a violation of 408.3(E)

 

[tryinghard]

rich000,
A=Brown, B=Orange, C=Yellow having a counter clockwise rotation - this needs to remain throughout.
Your case sounds like a wye system if so orange color is not a code issue just the arrangement of phases.
Sounds like the EC terminated the ATS loads wrong by swapping A & B