Fire Pump Designs

[puckman]

I like to know if a fire pump system's wiring that was installed about 25 years ago needs to be updated in any way to a code standard [ fire, building or electrical] ? This would be for a county goverment property that requires a emergency generator .
The exisisting fire pump is connected ahead of the main breaker in the same service panel and if the utility trans loses power then the fire pump is left without an electrical supply. Another issue is the feed to fire pump control panel and pumps is about 150-200 feet from service installed in galvenize conduit passing through the building.
The electrical system has a emergency generator if utility loses power , but the fire pump does not have a alternate source of power.

Does anyone know if this type of installation needs to be changed , updated at anytime ?
Thanks for any help on this.

 

[hillbilly1]

I don't know about the fire code, but a lot of jurisdictions require the fire pump backed up too if the building is occupied during the outage. The good news is the generator does not have to be sized for locked rotor current, only large enough to start the pump, but many AHJ's require load shedding while the pump is running.

 

[nakulak]

I'd say you have at least 4 issues that will take some investigation to figure out:

-is the ahj your town of Ridgewood, or is the county the ahj (since it is a county building)
-what codes apply
-does the installation need to be updated (did it meet code when installed ?/is something happening to the building now that means it will have to be updated ?)
-does the occupancy require that the firepump is even required ?

 

[gadfly56]

I'd say you have at least 4 issues that will take some investigation to figure out:

-is the ahj your town of Ridgewood, or is the county the ahj (since it is a county building)
-what codes apply
-does the installation need to be updated (did it meet code when installed ?/is something happening to the building now that means it will have to be updated ?)
-does the occupancy require that the firepump is even required ?

1. It's either Ridgewood or the state. New Jersey has a uniform construction code and technically the state is responsible for enforcement but allows local jurisdictions to do it. Politically, the inspectors answer to the local jurisdiction, but on the technical side they answer to the state. How much fun is it having two bosses? :happyno:

2. Twenty-five years ago NJ was under the uniform construction code. Check NJ's website for what codes were in effect when. They have a table you can check out.

3. If the installation met code at the time the fire pump was installed then you have to check our own very special "Rehab Code". We went through something very similar and you can find the thread here. It's really going to depend on timing. My situation went back to the 70's when there was no article 695. In fact, the UCC hadn't been adopted yet, and the NEC was still pointing you to NFPA 20. In all likelyhood, the AHJ can't force an upgrade, but the county may want to anyway.

4. If you choose to install non-required fire protection, it has to be installed to meet the code in force at that time. Also, NJ won't allow you (generally) to reduce the level of fire protection even if that fire protection is not required. Once in, always in. Also, fire pumps aren't installed because the code requires them, they're installed because you need the extra pressure and flow to meet the hydraullic demand of the system. Most water systems in NJ haven't improved in terms of the demands they need to meet, so it's highly unlikely that you suddenly have more than enough water available at the street to meet current neeeds without the fire pump. It's entirely possible that now even with the fire pump you can't meet the hydraulic demand 25 years later.

 

[puckman]

Great information and i see i have a lot of reseach to find what department we were under at the time of installation.
Thank you all.