Attaching Non-Electrical Equipment to the sides of Industrial Control Panels

[eric9822]

A question came up today regarding attaching copper air lines and and an air dump to the side of an electrical control panel. Assume the side of the panel is fixed in place and the air dump and the air lines don't infringe on the dedicated equipment space or the working space. Is this install code compliant? I think it is. Anything in the code I am missing?

 

[pfalcon]

Common practice to run conduit, tubing, and devices alongside an industrial machine enclosure. No violation per se. Problems arise from how it may be implemented as you noted.

Cannot infringe on the working space.

Cannot reduce the rating of the enclosure.

By common industry practice only components that are part of the enclosure, such as an HMI or grace port, will be physically attached to the enclosure. So typically you wouldn't anchor the supports for air lines to it. But it's not sacred.

 

[jxofaltrds]

A question came up today regarding attaching copper air lines and and an air dump to the side of an electrical control panel. Assume the side of the panel is fixed in place and the air dump and the air lines don't infringe on the dedicated equipment space or the working space. Is this install code compliant? I think it is. Anything in the code I am missing?

I have a problem with it. Not sure if it is a code violation until I research it but parallel paths come to mind.

 

[jim dungar]

I have a problem with it. Not sure if it is a code violation until I research it but parallel paths come to mind.

It seems you reach for just about anything to support your opinion.

The only parallel paths would be grounded.

If 'piping systems' and electrical enclosures were not allowed to be connected together, how would you ever wire a solenoid valve/manifold? What about a simple pressure switch on a residential water pump?

 

[jxofaltrds]

It seems you reach for just about anything to support your opinion.

The only parallel paths would be grounded.

If 'piping systems' and electrical enclosures were not allowed to be connected together, how would you ever wire a solenoid valve/manifold? What about a simple pressure switch on a residential water pump?

WOW!

Yes I was wondering about objectionable current being placed on the copper lines.

 

[John120/240]

The problem that I see is that for maintenance-repair you have to get other trades to remove

their stuff from your equipment. The picture in my mind is a dock leveler control box with

air lines attached to the side. No way. For functionally associated equipment i see no problem

 

[kwired]

WOW!

Yes I was wondering about objectionable current being placed on the copper lines.

Where is objectionable current going to come from unless there is an improper neutral/ground bond involved, or improperly grounded SDS within the control panel, both of which are resolved by correctly grounding those items.

 

[kwired]

The problem that I see is that for maintenance-repair you have to get other trades to remove

their stuff from your equipment. The picture in my mind is a dock leveler control box with

air lines attached to the side. No way. For functionally associated equipment i see no problem

Same goes for attaching electrical equipment to other items that have no association.

 

[jxofaltrds]

Where is objectionable current going to come from unless there is an improper neutral/ground bond involved, or improperly grounded SDS within the control panel, both of which are resolved by correctly grounding those items.

Correctable-yes. Sounds like it is possible!?

 

[kwired]

Even if you are intentionally avoiding direct contact with say an air line and an electrical cabinet - if you mount them both on a metal object, or there are metal objects conecting them somehow you have a conductive path between them.

 

[jxofaltrds]

Even if you are intentionally avoiding direct contact with say an air line and an electrical cabinet - if you mount them both on a metal object, or there are metal objects conecting them somehow you have a conductive path between them.

Correct. I'm just thinking this through.

 

[pfalcon]

All your metallic objects in an area should already be tied to a common ground. Major industrial plants create a grounding grid from the building steel. All your air lines, electrical conduit, hydraulic lines, coolant lines: If they're metal they're tied to the building steel. If you anchor your metallic lines/conduit to the electrical enclosure then you must bond them together. You don't want to create arc points. You want them at the same ground potential that will help trip OCPD if something shorts.

 

[kwired]

Correct. I'm just thinking this through.

Don't strain your brain on this, you have enough experience this is an easy one.

 

[eric9822]

Thanks for the input. In this case the air dump is associated with the control panel, both feed the same machine. It has been a common practice to mount air dumps on the sides of control panels when it is associated to the control panel. The reason the issue came up was because on a new installation the associated airlines were run in a manner that violated both the working space and the dedicated equipment space of the control panel and some other nearby control panels. When it was pointed out someone asked if it was even OK to mount the air dump on the panel. I said "no problem, just move the air lines" but wanted to confirm. Thanks again.