Life safety circuits in different conduits?

[kenman215]

Got in a disagreement with my PM today over this:

We're on 2008 NEC here. I have a Genset with ATS feeding a Life Safety panel, which feeds all exit/emergency lighting, fire alarm, etc. I was always under the impression that code dictated that life safety circuits were not permissible to be run in the same conduit as normal power circuits, justification being that you don't want a fault on a branch circuit possibly affecting life safety. Am I wrong in this? Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Take a look at 700.9(B). Note that this only applies to emergency systems as defined in 700.1

(B) Wiring. Wiring of two or more emergency circuits supplied from the same source shall be permitted in the same raceway, cable, box, or cabinet. Wiring from an emergency source or emergency source distribution overcurrent protection to emergency loads shall be kept entirely independent of all other wiring and equipment, unless otherwise permitted in (1) through (4): ...

 

[roger]

Got in a disagreement with my PM today over this:

We're on 2008 NEC here. I have a Genset with ATS feeding a Life Safety panel, which feeds all exit/emergency lighting, fire alarm, etc. I was always under the impression that code dictated that life safety circuits were not permissible to be run in the same conduit as normal power circuits, justification being that you don't want a fault on a branch circuit possibly affecting life safety. Am I wrong in this? Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

Are you talking about a hospital Life Safety Branch?


Roger

 

[kenman215]

Are you talking about a hospital Life Safety Branch?


Roger

Not hospital life safety, like I said exit/emergency lighting, fire alarm, elevators, and carbon monoxide detection and ventilation on the parking levels.

 

[roger]

Not hospital life safety, like I said exit/emergency lighting, fire alarm, elevators, and carbon monoxide detection and ventilation on the parking levels.

The term "Life Safety" is only used in article 517 so you and your PM were both wrong.

Now, as far as you saying "like I said, "exit/emergency lighting, fire alarm, elevators, and carbon monoxide detection and ventilation", read 517.32 for what the "Life Safety Branch" is allowed to feed.

So, in your favor article 700 and the Life Safety Branch are basically the same but, to be correct in an argument the term Life Safety should only be used for Hospital systems.

Roger

 

[kenman215]

The term "Life Safety" is only used in article 517 so you and your PM were both wrong.

Now, as far as you saying "like I said, "exit/emergency lighting, fire alarm, elevators, and carbon monoxide detection and ventilation", read 517.32 for what the "Life Safety Branch" is allowed to feed.

So, in your favor article 700 and the Life Safety Branch are basically the same but, to be correct in an argument the term Life Safety should only be used for Hospital systems.

Roger

Thanks for the clarification. It's a common misuse of the term, and obviously I'm a guilty party in that. I think it stems from spending more time looking at prints then the code book. Every set of architectual plans I've ever seen has all exits on the "life safety plan," along with fire enstinguiser locations and the like. And every time I do a genset to transfer switch to emergency panel set up, the emergency panel is always designated as life safety. Perhaps a little over/incorrectly used? So right argument, wrong nomenclature.

 

[roger]

So right argument, wrong nomenclature.

Correct but, to go along with Don's post and if you do want to use the Life Safety Branch to rub the PM's nose in it, your reference for separation is 517.30(C)(1).


Roger

 

[kenman215]

Correct but, to go along with Don's post and if you do want to use the Life Safety Branch to rub the PM's nose in it, your reference for separation is 517.30(C)(1).


Roger

And what would make you think that I'd get any degree of pleasure in rubbing my PM's nose it? It's not like he had me running 5 concurrent jobs for the bulk of last year...

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[roger]

And what would make you think that I'd get any degree of pleasure in rubbing my PM's nose it? It's not like he had me running 5 concurrent jobs for the bulk of last year...

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

And your point is?

You start a thread where you and a PM are arguing about code issues that are in black and white now you're all defensive.:blink:

Roger

 

[kenman215]

And your point is?

You start a thread where you and a PM are arguing about code issues that are in black and white now you're all defensive.:blink:

Roger

Was actually meant to be sarcastic. I'm probably not as well versed on the emoji keyboard as I should be. Sorry for the confusion. I do appreciate the input and actually relish the opportunity...

 

[George Stolz]

A wink forgotten can ruin a conversation. :happyyes:

 

[packersparky]

A wink forgotten can ruin a conversation. :happyyes:

A wink inserted can ruin a nose.

 

[roger]

Was actually meant to be sarcastic. I'm probably not as well versed on the emoji keyboard as I should be. Sorry for the confusion. I do appreciate the input and actually relish the opportunity...

Ohhhh, well in that case have fun and sorry I missed it.

Roger