Sewage lift station- Class I,Div I, Group C and D

Status
Not open for further replies.

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
I have a situation where a septic lift pump is located in a classified location. The pump is rated for Hazardous location. There is a J-box inside the hazardous location tank that is not a listed as classified box. The box leaks and fill of liquids. The connections are water/sewage damaged.
The control station many feet away has a proper seal-off.
The complete system was supplied by a competent manufacturer.
What I'd like to know if this seems a proper installation for a commercial location or did someone order the wrong material.

Is there a Junction box rated for being in the lift tank?

Thanks
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
All of the ones I have seen installed in this area have cords on the pumps and floats and the cords are long enough to extend beyond the tank.
The cords normally reach the control panel or at least a j box outside of the area.
 

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
So would you say that the cord needs to have a seal-off before it extends into the control panel?
This is my biggest concern, that the install is not correct and that I tell the owner how it should be. Then provide a proper fix.
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
On the ones I have inspected if the tank is shown as a classified area, then I require a seal off before it enters the control cabinet.
You are most likely aware, but 501.15(D) & (E) have provisions regarding removing the outer sheath when sealing.
 

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
Thanks for the info on the Removing the sheath, I was not aware of that. I don't do this type of work that often, The last time I wired a gas station was many years ago and the only common thread is that this location is classified.

To top this all off the floats and related controls are 120v
 
If the level control floats are installed in the hazardous CL.I, DIV. 1 location, and I would assume they are, they must be connected to Intrinsically Safe Relays (ISR) at the control panel or in an externally mounted enclosure to the control panel isolated from nonintrinsically safe devices. The wires from the floats, being Intrinsically Safe Wiring, must be physically separated or separated and secured by a distance of not less than 2" from other nonintrinsically safe wiring (NEC 504.30)
 
I have a situation where a septic lift pump is located in a classified location. The pump is rated for Hazardous location. There is a J-box inside the hazardous location tank that is not a listed as classified box. The box leaks and fill of liquids. The connections are water/sewage damaged.
The control station many feet away has a proper seal-off.
The complete system was supplied by a competent manufacturer.
What I'd like to know if this seems a proper installation for a commercial location or did someone order the wrong material.

Is there a Junction box rated for being in the lift tank?

Thanks

Do you have a drawing or document that indicates the extent of the Div. 1 and 2 areas? (There is no Div. 1 without Div. 2, unless it is a totally enclosed area.) Is that documentation generated, approved by an authority that is designated to do so. (A PE stamp or an AHJ approval, or similar should suffice.)The components of your system within those areas should be selected and installed accordingly.

What I am suggesting is that by trying to do the right thing you may be buying trouble for yourself if you don't do the work properly. Besidees what you identified there may be other violations and if something happens down the road, your corrections will be noted as well as the remaining violations that you should also have corrected.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top