110.26 dedicated space

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Forde

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I'm working on a school installing a new 3000 amp switch gear.The problem is the pipe fitters have installed a recirculating pump in the space above the switch gear.The bottom of the pump is only 37" above the gear. I've told them we have a code issue and they insist that the pump must go there.I've even had the electrical inspector look at this and he has written them a code violation and told them to move it. The question now is if they move out from the footprint of the gear how far do they have to move? There is no clearance to move it up because of the bar joist are at 11'. It just doesn't seem right to have any water even around this area. We all know during replacement of the pump in the future there is going to be water every where.
 

infinity

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If they're above the gear by over 3' they only need to move it past the footprint of the gear.
 

stickboy1375

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1008698642_2.gif
 

charlie b

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stickboy1375 said:
Wouldn't they need 6' above the equipment? I'm not sure I understand your 3'...
The 3' statement was a simple recognition that there is 37 inches of distance now. If they keep the pump at that height, and move it from being above the board, it should be fine. I say ?should be,? because the height requirement for the working clearance area is 6? 6?. We don?t know the height of the panel. It is probably more than three and a half feet above the ground. Add that to the 37 inches that the pump now has above the top of the panel, and the pump would wind up being at lease 6.5 feet above the floor.

The 6' requirement is for the space directly above the gear. Nothing non-electrical can be in that space. However, if there is a pipe, pump, duct, or other mechanical component above the gear, there must be a drip shield underneath it.
 

Energize

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charlie b said:
The 3' statement was a simple recognition that there is 37 inches of distance now. If they keep the pump at that height, and move it from being above the board, it should be fine. I say “should be,” because the height requirement for the working clearance area is 6’ 6”. We don’t know the height of the panel. It is probably more than three and a half feet above the ground. Add that to the 37 inches that the pump now has above the top of the panel, and the pump would wind up being at lease 6.5 feet above the floor.

The 6' requirement is for the space directly above the gear. Nothing non-electrical can be in that space. However, if there is a pipe, pump, duct, or other mechanical component above the gear, there must be a drip shield underneath it.

Ok, it's morning, it's Tuesday, and my brain is not up to speed.

If nothing non-electrical can be in the space, why the requirement for a drip shield for stuff in that space? If you have to have a drip shield, then obviously you can have non-electrical items in that space. Last time I checked, electricity does not drip and would not require a drip pan.:smile:

It's like saying the speed limit is 65. But you can go as fast as you want if you wear a seal belt. What's the point?

edit for spelling
 

tallguy

Senior Member
Energize said:
Ok, it's morning, it's Tuesday, and my brain is not up to speed.

If nothing non-electrical can be in the space, why the requirement for a drip shield for stuff in that space? If you have to have a drip shield, then obviously you can have non-electrical items in that space. Last time I checked, electricity does not drip and would not require a drip pan.:smile:
If the potentially dripping item is 6'1" above the panel, it will comply with the code, but gravity will be in effect for that entire 6'1" distance nevertheless...
 

charlie b

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The space in which you can have no mechanical pipes is from the top of the panel to a point 6 feet above the top of the panel. You can have a pipe 6'1" above the panel, as tallguy said, but that requires the drip shield. The reason we need to keep the first 6 feet clear of pipes is that that is the area in which we run conduits. We need the space for "our pipes," so they are not allowed to use it for "their pipes."
 

tallguy

Senior Member
charlie b said:
Click on the link, "Click here to submit a technical question."
That just brings me back around to the Forum again... None of their general contact links go to Steve either.

Where exactly do these images come from that everyone's posts anyway?? I wouldn't know how to reference them since I don't know if they come from the website, online training, or what...
 

infinity

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tallguy said:
If the potentially dripping item is 6'1" above the panel, it will comply with the code, but gravity will be in effect for that entire 6'1" distance nevertheless...


That would not be true if the item didn't have a drip pan. Look at 110.26(1)(b).
 

infinity

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tallguy said:
That was the point!


I'm sorry if I misunderstood, but when you said that "it will comply with the code" it sounded as if the 6' 1" height would satisfy the NEC.
 

tallguy

Senior Member
infinity said:
I'm sorry if I misunderstood, but when you said that "it will comply with the code" it sounded as if the 6' 1" height would satisfy the NEC.
Ya got me there... I should have said "it will comply with 110.26(F)(1)(a)."

Sometimes this stuff seems nitpicky... but it is important to get things exactly right.

Recently started reading "Old Electrical Wiring" by David E. Shapiro, and he puts it well: "Safety begins with language..." and then goes on to discuss the term "neutral" and why he largely avoids it, noting that "sloppy language can lead you into making dangerous assumptions." Amen.
 

smithacetech

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Location
Utah
tallguy said:
Shouldn't the red print there then say "6 ft Min"??

Actually the drawing is correct. 6' is the highest/max of clearance required. The ceiling could be lower than 6'.

110.26(F)(1)(a) "......extending from the floor to a height of 6' above the equipment or to the structural ceiling, whichever is lower,......."
 

charlie b

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smithacetech said:
Actually the drawing is correct. 6' is the highest/max of clearance required. The ceiling could be lower than 6'.
I disagree. Certainly the ceiling could be lower. But that is not what the arrow is pointing to.

The thing pointing to the words ?6 ft Max? is a box labeled ?Dedicated Space.? Nothing prohibits the amount of space ?dedicated to the electrical installation? from being more than 6 feet above the panel. But the amount of space cannot be less than 6 feet (unless there is a structural ceiling that is lower than 6 feet above the panel). So calling this a ?max? is not appropriate.
 

smithacetech

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Location
Utah
What gets me is 110.26(F)(1)(b) which says you can have foreign systems in the dedicated space if leak protection is provided. But, in 110.26(F)(1)(a) says you cant have "leak protection apparatus" in this zone. Go figure.....
Also Is there any exception to 110.26(F) for industrial buildings? I would say no, but have seen this violation alot.
 

stickboy1375

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Location
Litchfield, CT
smithacetech said:
What gets me is 110.26(F)(1)(b) which says you can have foreign systems in the dedicated space if leak protection is provided. But, in 110.26(F)(1)(a) says you cant have "leak protection apparatus" in this zone. Go figure.....
Also Is there any exception to 110.26(F) for industrial buildings? I would say no, but have seen this violation alot.


Thats not what it says, it says if you have foreign systems in the area ABOVE the dedicated space then you must install protection for the equipment below.
 
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