Bonding and Grounding of Metal Temporary Tent Frames

[electsafeman]

Question:

Are there any UL standards or other recognized industry or military publications that require bonding and grounding of metal temporary tent frames to comply with the NEC?

 

[petersonra]

for what possible benefit?

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Hello Joe
Are you having any issues with the tent poles, such as shocks?

I do not see anywhere in the NEC where this would be requirement.


How has the weather been over there?

 

[electsafeman]

Tents

Tents

Hello Joe
Are you having any issues with the tent poles, such as shocks?

I do not see anywhere in the NEC where this would be requirement.


How has the weather been over there?

Pierre

No, I too agree that there are no rules anywhere in the NEC or in NFPA 102 and the British Standard EN 13782 that call for this, especially since they are temporary tents.

If we were to apply:

Article 525, Part IV. Grounding and Bonding

525.30 Equipment Bonding. The following equipment connected to the same source shall be bonded:

(1) Metal raceways and metal-sheathed cable
(2) Metal enclosures of electrical equipment
(3) Metal frames and metal parts of portable structures, trailers, trucks, or other equipment that contain or support electrical equipment

This new paragraph in the 2008 NEC (below) will satiisfy what is permitted by the NEC, and will not require bonding and grounding around "every joint and fitting" and require the installation of a ground rod!

The equipment grounding conductor of the circuit supplying the equipment in items (1), (2) or (3) that is likely to energize the metal frame or part shall be permitted to serve as the bonding means.

The weather here now is between 70 and 100 degrees, it is easy to deal with since it was over 120 degrees for many days in July and August.

I will go home in 11 days! What does your schedule look like?

 

[hurk27]

If the wiring is installed in a NEC compliant way, then I would say it would be remote that the tent poles or frames would not likely be energized, so I would be of more concerned to how the wiring is installed. and not worry about bonding every piece of metal around where electric is used. bonding the metal parts of a tent, would be like putting a band-aid on a much worse problem with the way the wiring is installed.

 

[mxstar211]

Question:

Are there any UL standards or other recognized industry or military publications that require bonding and grounding of metal temporary tent frames to comply with the NEC?

Another question is are they truly temporary? A lot of those tents have wood floors, and have been there for years, and will continue to be there for many years. They just get labeled as "temporary." I have been to Iraq twice; I did a year in 2005, and then I was there for the start up of TF SAFE in 2008, and saw many of the same tents still standing. Everything there gets labeled as temporary.

 

[electsafeman]

Tent Frames

Tent Frames

Another question is are they truly temporary? A lot of those tents have wood floors, and have been there for years, and will continue to be there for many years. They just get labeled as "temporary." I have been to Iraq twice; I did a year in 2005, and then I was there for the start up of TF SAFE in 2008, and saw many of the same tents still standing. Everything there gets labeled as temporary.

I agree and the previous rule up above from Article 525 covers this situation. Here is some additional information.

Standard for Grandstands, Folding and Telescopic Seating, Tents, and Membrane Structures, 2006 Edition

Chapter 8 Tents

8.1 General. [101:11.11.1]

8.1.1 The provisions of Chapter 8 shall apply to tents.

[101:11.11.1.1]

8.1.2 Tents shall be permitted only on a temporary basis.

[Life Safety Code 101:11.11.1.2]

Chapter 1 Administration

1.1 Scope. This standard addresses the following:

(1) The construction, location, protection, and maintenance

of grandstands and bleachers, folding and telescopic seating,

tents, and membrane structures

(2) Seating facilities located in the open air or within enclosed

or semi-enclosed structures such as tents, membrane structures,

and stadium complexes.

1.2 Purpose. The purpose of this standard is to provide minimum

requirements for life safety in relation to fire, storm,

collapse, and crowd behavior in tents, membrane structures,

and assembly seating as covered in Section 1.1.

1.3 Application. The requirements of this standard shall apply

to the following:

(1) New facilities

(2) Existing facilities where specifically noted

So noted and the tent frame is bonded via the EGC as described above, we do not need to install any additional conductors to bond the frames.

What site were you at?

 

[mxstar211]

I was at Q-West for the 2008 TF Safe deployment. I am in the 249th. I am sure you will be glad to get back to the states in a few days. Hopefully Kuwait isn't too bad for you. That is always the worst part.

Have you noticed much improvement over there yet? I know bonding was a difficult concept to explain/correct over there.

 

[electsafeman]

onding and Grounding

onding and Grounding

I was at Q-West for the 2008 TF Safe deployment. I am in the 249th. I am sure you will be glad to get back to the states in a few days. Hopefully Kuwait isn't too bad for you. That is always the worst part.

Have you noticed much improvement over there yet? I know bonding was a difficult concept to explain/correct over there.

Yes, a great deal; and the subject of grounding and bonding was, and still is on the top of the list.

The problems with having to deal with two different codes; the NEC 05, 08, and BS7671 16th and 17th editions and deviations.

Trying to ensure true "code compliance" is impossible; but they can get the "flavor and intent" of the purpose of those codes. I can go on for days!

 

[TwinCitySparky]

Hopefully you dont have something like this going on there...