EPO System in Data centers

[faresos]

Hello every one,

Do lights, general receptacles and some security panels that are located at data center floor needs to be part of the EPO system? My understanding we only required to kill power to electronics equipment and HVAC system.

Thanks
,

 

[ron]

645.10
An approved means shall be provided to disconnect power
to all electronic equipment in the information technology
equipment room or in designated zones within the room.
There shall also be a similar approved means to disconnect
the power to all dedicated HVAC systems serving the room
or designated zones and shall cause all required tire/smoke
dampers to close.

Be sure you need to do this at all. Many new data centers do not use leniencies in 645 anymore so EPO's are not required.

 

[faresos]

645.10
An approved means shall be provided to disconnect power
to all electronic equipment in the information technology
equipment room or in designated zones within the room.
There shall also be a similar approved means to disconnect
the power to all dedicated HVAC systems serving the room
or designated zones and shall cause all required tire/smoke
dampers to close.

Be sure you need to do this at all. Many new data centers do not use leniencies in 645 anymore so EPO's are not required.

Thanks Ron.

By reading this article, it doesn't tell me I need to kill the power to lights, general receptacles and security panels within the data center space. The reason I asked that question is that I'm working on existing facility and the existing condition has the lights & receptacles on the EPO system, however, a new data center will be added to this facility and I do not see a reason why we need to kill the power to the lights and receptacles and some security panels. Am I reading this correctly? Thanks,

 

[baddriver]

I would say it depends how you interpret the word "equipment" in this sentence "An approved means shall be provided to disconnect power to all electronic equipment in the information technology equipment room".

Article 100 defines equipment as: "A general term, including fittings, devices, appliances, luminaires, apparatus, machinery, and the like used as part of, or in connection with, and electrical installation."

My interpretation is that yes, lights and receptacles are required to be disconnected under the wording of 645. But Ron's point stands. Are you sure you even need an EPO at all?

 

[GoldDigger]

But it refers specifically to electronic equipment not electrical equipment. Which requires a definition from somewhere.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[ron]

If the existing portions of the data center have EPO, then within the same fire partitions, you will need to be consistent. When I have provided EPO's in past projects, it has not included lights, receptacles and control / security panels, as they were not considered as "electronic equipment in the information technology equipment room".

 

[faresos]

I would say it depends how you interpret the word "equipment" in this sentence "An approved means shall be provided to disconnect power to all electronic equipment in the information technology equipment room".

Article 100 defines equipment as: "A general term, including fittings, devices, appliances, luminaires, apparatus, machinery, and the like used as part of, or in connection with, and electrical installation."

My interpretation is that yes, lights and receptacles are required to be disconnected under the wording of 645. But Ron's point stands. Are you sure you even need an EPO at all?

Normally I do not like to provide EPO system unless the client requires it. In the past, I have never put the lights or genera receptacles on the EPO (not sure If I was doing right though) but the exisitng facility has it already and not sure if its really need it.

Thanks,

 

[earshavewalls]

Number of EPO switches?

Number of EPO switches?

To get slightly off topic, but not really.....must there be a single EPO for the server/IT room for electronic equipment, or can there be two such shutoffs (dual power available)? If only one is permitted, a contactor may be used to provide simultaneous (one operation) shutoff. I cannot find anything in Art. 645 that prohibits a second EPO (not just for HVAC, but for electrical supply panels for the electronic equipment). If two separate EPOs are permitted for emergency shut off of all electronic equipment, do they need to be grouped or may they be remote from each other?

Any help here is appreciated. This is the first time anyone has asked me this question, and is the first IT room that is large enough to make this a possibility (takes up 1/2 of a full floor...about 10,000sqft).

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[ron]

To get slightly off topic, but not really.....must there be a single EPO for the server/IT room for electronic equipment, or can there be two such shutoffs (dual power available)? If only one is permitted, a contactor may be used to provide simultaneous (one operation) shutoff. I cannot find anything in Art. 645 that prohibits a second EPO (not just for HVAC, but for electrical supply panels for the electronic equipment). If two separate EPOs are permitted for emergency shut off of all electronic equipment, do they need to be grouped or may they be remote from each other?

The code requirements have changed for this over the last few code cycles. Check 645.10 in the version you are using for your project jurisdiction.

 

[dereckbc]

I agree with Ron on this one. The addition needs to be consistent with existing equipment operation. FWIW the key words in 645.10 is ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT. Lights and receptacles are not electronic equipment. Like Ron I have never put lights or receptacles on EPO disconnect in data centers. To take it one step further we generally try to avoid 645 like the plague due to expense and complexity of the installation, not to mention EPO other name of Employee Pissed Off button. :angel: