ATS Used As A Raceway?

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scotteng

Member
Location
Apollo Beach, FL
Occupation
Professional Engineer
I have a distribution system that was installed in the mid '80's. When first installed, it had an emergency generator with a single transfer switch feeding a single "emergency" panel (which fed both emergency and optional standby loads). Sometime about 10 years ago, a renovation occurred that added a generator distribution panel with two feeder breakers which in turn fed back to the original transfer switch (now deemed the optional stand-by ATS) and a new emergency ATS. The issue is this...the feeder that once fed the original ATS was looped through that ATS to get to the new generator distribution panel. Is it permissible to use an ATS as a raceway for emergency circuits? I understand emergency and non-emergency can be in an ATS together, but is there any interpretation regarding emergency circuits that simply use the ATS as a raceway?
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
I have a distribution system that was installed in the mid '80's. When first installed, it had an emergency generator with a single transfer switch feeding a single "emergency" panel (which fed both emergency and optional standby loads). Sometime about 10 years ago, a renovation occurred that added a generator distribution panel with two feeder breakers which in turn fed back to the original transfer switch (now deemed the optional stand-by ATS) and a new emergency ATS. The issue is this...the feeder that once fed the original ATS was looped through that ATS to get to the new generator distribution panel. Is it permissible to use an ATS as a raceway for emergency circuits? I understand emergency and non-emergency can be in an ATS together, but is there any interpretation regarding emergency circuits that simply use the ATS as a raceway?

Sounds like a non compliant hack job to me. I can't imagine many AHJs knowingly allowing this. I think it fails the spirit and intention of the rule and one could argue that the exception only applies where required for the ATS connections, not just because it was convenient.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Sounds like a non compliant hack job to me. I can't imagine many AHJs knowingly allowing this. I think it fails the spirit and intention of the rule and one could argue that the exception only applies where required for the ATS connections, not just because it was convenient.

What code section would you site?

I think we found a hole in the code.
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
Sounds like a non compliant hack job to me. I can't imagine many AHJs knowingly allowing this. I think it fails the spirit and intention of the rule and one could argue that the exception only applies where required for the ATS connections, not just because it was convenient.
I'm with iwire on this one. Where exactly is the code violation?

It sounds like someone found a way to make chicken salad despite the ingredients he was given.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Here is the code section from 2011

700.10 Wiring, Emergency System.

(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 (5):

(1) Wiring from the normal power source located in transfer
equipment enclosures

IMO given the wording above the OPs set up is legal even if not meeting the intent.
 
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