Food Service Equipment - Hoods

[Shockedby277v]

I am working on a kitchen that has several hoods. The kitchen fire protection plan calls for all electrical to be shutdown via contactor/shunt. My question ... is this a electrical code... building .... fire .... mechanical .... or other/multiple ....

My next question .... am I suppose to just shutdown equipment below the hood, or include what's adjacent .... do I shutdown convenience receptacles?? Lights?? Fans?? I don't know if my area is straight down from the edges of the hoods or if there is a cone/degree I need to follow to. I would love to just kill everything but I have 10 panels feeding this area and the circuits around the hoods make up a small portion ...

If I can get some direction before I write a RFI it would help greatly.

Thanks

 

[augie47]

In this area the requirement is in the mechanical code but is normally looked at by the fire marshall, building inspector and electrical inspector.
I have seen the requirements vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and dependent on the type of fire suppression system.
In general I have found that all heat producing equipment along with any make-up air supply fans must be disconnected while exhaust fans are not disconnected and in some cases are required to run. A few times I have seen authorities require a thermostat to automatically start exhaust fans.

If it's new construction, a vast majority of the hoods with fire suppression systems I see now days are supplied with factory assemblies that are pre-wired for the fans, etc.

Best to check with your building inspector or fire marshal for specific requirements in your area.

 

[texie]

In this area the requirement is in the mechanical code but is normally looked at by the fire marshall, building inspector and electrical inspector.
I have seen the requirements vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and dependent on the type of fire suppression system.
In general I have found that all heat producing equipment along with any make-up air supply fans must be disconnected while exhaust fans are not disconnected and in some cases are required to run. A few times I have seen authorities require a thermostat to automatically start exhaust fans.

If it's new construction, a vast majority of the hoods with fire suppression systems I see now days are supplied with factory assemblies that are pre-wired for the fans, etc.

Best to check with your building inspector or fire marshal for specific requirements in your area.

Well said. Your comment about factory controls is true, especially of late, with energy conservation and air handling in modern buildings. Many of the hoods I have been involved in lately, the controls are all prefabricated and in many cases very elaborate and go way beyond code minimums in controlling the air flows.

 

[gadfly56]

The requirements are usually in the mechanical code. Usually you can find a legit copy on line you can look through, based on the IMC. It may also be mentioned in the fire code. Reference to appliance shutdown is found in NFPA 17A and NFPA 96. If the building has a fire alarm system, the suppression system when activated must send a signal to the FACP. If there is no fire alarm present you must provide local annuciation to alert personnel that the system has been activated. I've always thought that the screams and shouting from the kitchen when that baby pops would be more than enough, but I'm just a designer, what do I know?

 

[kwired]

I am working on a kitchen that has several hoods. The kitchen fire protection plan calls for all electrical to be shutdown via contactor/shunt. My question ... is this a electrical code... building .... fire .... mechanical .... or other/multiple ....

My next question .... am I suppose to just shutdown equipment below the hood, or include what's adjacent .... do I shutdown convenience receptacles?? Lights?? Fans?? I don't know if my area is straight down from the edges of the hoods or if there is a cone/degree I need to follow to. I would love to just kill everything but I have 10 panels feeding this area and the circuits around the hoods make up a small portion ...

If I can get some direction before I write a RFI it would help greatly.

Thanks

As others mentioned, this is mechanical/fire codes and electrical codes have little to do with it other than the actual electrical installation methods themselves.

Generally all heat producing equipment needs shut down, this includes not just electrical equipment, but you may also have gas valves that this system closes if there are gas appliances involved. There may be things not required to be shut down but doesn't hurt if they are either. Often the exhaust fan is required to run though, I think because should there be a grease fire in the ducting it will be under better control with the fan running then with the fan stopped. Supply fans need to stop to help prevent feeding more oxygen to any fire you have though.

 

[kwired]

The requirements are usually in the mechanical code. Usually you can find a legit copy on line you can look through, based on the IMC. It may also be mentioned in the fire code. Reference to appliance shutdown is found in NFPA 17A and NFPA 96. If the building has a fire alarm system, the suppression system when activated must send a signal to the FACP. If there is no fire alarm present you must provide local annuciation to alert personnel that the system has been activated. I've always thought that the screams and shouting from the kitchen when that baby pops would be more than enough, but I'm just a designer, what do I know?

You would think having the fire suppression contents all over the cooking equipment would be a good indicator something wasn't quite right. Customers may not care for any food covered in this either.