MV SWG installation in e-house

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markanoids

Member
Location
Italy
Hello,

our e-house supplier placed a 4160V SWG with MV cable entry from bottom/rear back to e-house wall.
On the back of equipment I have removable panels (with screws/handles), to be used for cable installation only.
E-house is equipped with removable wall panel and MV SWG vendor says (but not states in a formal letter...) that this is not a violation of NEC 110.34 and others paragraphs.

This vault in e-house wall shall encompass the panels I suppose with no obstructions between removable wall and rear of the panel.

Thanks in advance for your replies.
 

markanoids

Member
Location
Italy
Yeah I am in Italy but we are building an e-house that will be UL field inspected here and shipped to Texas.

To manufacture/test a single equipment in accordance to NEMA/NEC/NETA/NFPA/UL/OSHA etc. is relatively easy, but to respect all installation requirement (NEC ARTICLE 110) is becoming a nightmare.
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
Yeah I am in Italy...
Welcome to the forum. :thumbsup:

No offense to Tony, but I just couldn't have all non-USA patrons be the only posters to this thread. :angel:

If this is a one off situation, then you know where it is going. Have your customer contact the local AHJ there in Texas with the details of your plight to see what they have to say about it. Being a manufactured unit, perhaps they may consider the removable wall panel no different than a SWG panel... but you gotta ask.
 

markanoids

Member
Location
Italy
is there an official way to raise a formal query to NEC? Also paying a fee...I do not know the exact procedure.

Someone I can contact with a sketch that can reply: NO this is a violation (or not)
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
I assume you’ve never worked on stuff for export. It’s the reason I questioned the OP about AEEG directives.
Correct.

My only concern was you didn't find my earlier comment as offensive. I've read many of your posts and appreciate your perspective in many of them.
 

Tony S

Senior Member
Not offensive in the slightest.

Trying to tally various codes and directives is a nightmare. To be honest I’m glad to be out of it.

The last big UK install I did was a machine designed in France, built in Germany with parts from America and Italy. It’s a wonder I have any hair left.
 
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markanoids

Member
Location
Italy
Not offensive in the slightest.

Trying to tally various codes and directives is a nightmare. To be honest I’m glad to be out of it.

The last big UK install I did was a machine designed in France, built in Germany with parts from America and Italy. It’s a wonder I have any hair left.

I understand that but I am just the project engineer / designer, I have to deal with sourcing and financial guys that have its own strategies. Consider also than an e-house has typically a dozen of different panels (MV, LV, battery & UPS and even control systems) so to have all of them manufactured by a local vendor is not realistic.

This fact to consider a removable panel "transparent" for rear access clearance calculation in accordance to 110.34 (110.73 maybe is applicable too? a removable panel in a metalic structure is a sort of a manhole...) is driving me crazy anyway :)
FYI equipment is Safegear from ABB, and ABB is informally stating that this is allowed - quite typical for shelter/e-house where space is a huge constraing, but (obviously) won't give any statement being installation out of their SoW.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
I understand the problem now.

You build to code but a local AHJ inspector doesn’t like it and your xxxx Km away.

No, but the NEC is not a federal rule or standard. It is just a private standard most areas in the US adopt. Many areas adopt the NEC with amendments, the state I live in has about 60 to 70 amendments to the NEC.

On top of that many sections of the NEC are left open to local interpretation such as 'nearest the point of entrance' or 'subject to physical damage'.

In my area they almost never cite subject to physical damage, other areas cite that often. Just local preferences and traditions.
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
No, but the NEC is not a federal rule or standard. It is just a private standard most areas in the US adopt. Many areas adopt the NEC with amendments, the state I live in has about 60 to 70 amendments to the NEC.

On top of that many sections of the NEC are left open to local interpretation such as 'nearest the point of entrance' or 'subject to physical damage'.

In my area they almost never cite subject to physical damage, other areas cite that often. Just local preferences and traditions.

To this day, the SEU cable on the side of my house has never been damaged and it's been there for 37 years. :cool:
 

Tony S

Senior Member
No, but the NEC is not a federal rule or standard. It is just a private standard most areas in the US adopt. Many areas adopt the NEC with amendments, the state I live in has about 60 to 70 amendments to the NEC.

On top of that many sections of the NEC are left open to local interpretation such as 'nearest the point of entrance' or 'subject to physical damage'.

In my area they almost never cite subject to physical damage, other areas cite that often. Just local preferences and traditions.

All codes/regulations/directives are open to interpretation and that is where the problem lies.

The machine I mentioned earlier didn’t meet the UK regulations or EU directives. I was told to “shut up and get on with it”.

Within a week it all went belly up all due to the designer not knowing local circumstances.

Two guesses as to who had to sort the mess out.
 

markanoids

Member
Location
Italy
I understand the problem now.

You build to code but a local AHJ inspector doesn’t like it and your xxxx Km away.

Maybe...it is a fact that he does not quote a specific violation.
Neverthless it seems that burden of proof is on my shoulders :weeping:

Do you have any reference of MV switchgears installed in shelters e.g. in photovoltaic plants, in the US?

I do not think in compact shelters you can found a 4ft clearance in rear, since you can simply open a door of the shelter if you need to work on incomer cables.
 
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