Cooler Door On Electric Room

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Fitzdrew516

Senior Member
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Does anyone see an issue with having a cooler door as the door to an electric room? The gear will be over 800A so I'm checking with the door manufacturer to see if they have a panic hardware option, but if it can be ordered with panic hardware does anyone know of any other restrictions that would disallow this? I'm read through all sections I think may affect it and haven't found anything.

Thanks,
- Drew
 

mgookin

Senior Member
Location
Fort Myers, FL
If it's required to be rated it's going to need to be labeled. I've seen different styles of cooler doors (clear glass in metal frame, metal clad foam, etc.)

Run this by your electrical plans examiner, building plans examiner and the fire marshal.
If you have an architect on the job, make him do it; that's his job.

Even if it doesn't have to be rated because of your gear, it may still be a rated wall for other reasons.
 

Fitzdrew516

Senior Member
Location
Cincinnati, OH
If it's required to be rated it's going to need to be labeled. I've seen different styles of cooler doors (clear glass in metal frame, metal clad foam, etc.)

Run this by your electrical plans examiner, building plans examiner and the fire marshal.
If you have an architect on the job, make him do it; that's his job.

Even if it doesn't have to be rated because of your gear, it may still be a rated wall for other reasons.

The architect works in the cube directly behind me so we are definitely on the same page :) I'm just making sure from an NEC standpoint that there is nothing else I am missing.
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
Sounds kind of cheesy to me, like someone just happens to have a cooler door laying around that they want to get rid of.

Other than that I don't see a real problem.
 

Fitzdrew516

Senior Member
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Sounds kind of cheesy to me, like someone just happens to have a cooler door laying around that they want to get rid of.

Other than that I don't see a real problem.

It's a design issue. The electric room shares a wall with a refrigerated space. If a cooler door is not installed there will be a condensation issue at the door due to the difference in temperature between the two spaces.
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
It's a design issue. The electric room shares a wall with a refrigerated space. If a cooler door is not installed there will be a condensation issue at the door due to the difference in temperature between the two spaces.
awww. So now that brings up another question, are you exiting through the cooler?
 

ADub

Senior Member
Location
Midwest
Occupation
Estimator/Project Manager
What's 800 amps have to do with it? 110.26(c)(2) and 110.33(a)(1) make no mention of 800 amps, 1200 yes. Unless I'm missing something.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

jumper

Senior Member
2014 changed from 1200 to 800.

I do not see that. I am on 2014.

(2) Large Equipment.
For equipment rated 1200 amperes
or more and over 1.8 m (6 ft) wide that contains overcur-
rent devices, switching devices, or control devices, there
shall be one entrance to and egress from the required work-
ing space not less than 610 mm (24 in.) wide and 2.0 m
(61⁄2 ft) high at each end of the working space

(1) Large Equipment.
On switchgear and control panels
exceeding 1.8 m (6 ft) in width, there shall be one entrance
at each end of the equipment. A single entrance to the
required working space shall be permitted where either of
the conditions in 110.33(A)(1)(a) or (A)(1)(b) is met
 

mgookin

Senior Member
Location
Fort Myers, FL
It's a big food plant. About half the building is refrigerated. It's not like they are exiting through a Bally Box or something. I appreciate the outside the box thinking though. :thumbsup:

That makes sense and I'm sure your architect has dealt with it before, as well as AHJ if this is an existing facility.

You have a refrigerated production area in which you need to create a non-refrigerated space for electrical equipment hence the cooler door, etc.
Curious: Cold ambient temperature is typically great for electrical and electronics, but condensation can be detrimental. Do you put a dehumidifier in that room to mitigate condensation?
 
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