wireperson
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
how does an ansul system is wired? how many circuits do I need?.
ansul system
- Thread starter wireperson
- Start date
- Status
Too vague of a question.
How you wire it and how many circuits depends on what you want the system to do. Typically, they shut off the make-up air and keep the exhaust running. You can route the circuits through the system, or use shunt-trip breakers, or a contactor of some sort. Some systems turn off all lights and electrical under the hood. Some are tied to fire alarms so if the system discharges, the FAS is initiated.
How you wire it and how many circuits depends on what you want the system to do. Typically, they shut off the make-up air and keep the exhaust running. You can route the circuits through the system, or use shunt-trip breakers, or a contactor of some sort. Some systems turn off all lights and electrical under the hood. Some are tied to fire alarms so if the system discharges, the FAS is initiated.
Last edited:
quogueelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- new york
I would try to follow the licenced and insured fire alarm contractors drawings but thats just me being me .
ultramegabob
Senior Member
- Location
- Indiana
Ansul hoods need to be wired so that if the fire suppression is set off, all the power for any sources of heat on the cooking equipment is shut off to prevent re-igniting the fire, make up air must be shut off to stop bringing in fresh air to fan the fire, and the exhaust stays on to draw out any smoke. The exhaust must also be capable of coming on automatically even if the unit is not turned on, in case a fire starts after the kitchen staff has left, it is usually triggered by a spring loaded cable with a solder joint that will melt during a fire allowing it to set off the fire suppression.
In my area, it is also required to shut down the lights under the hood. some areas require a horn and strobe to be activated. you usually use either shunt trip breakers or contactors to shut circuits down, and they are triggerd by a microswitch mounted on the side of the fire suppression tank valve.
In my area, it is also required to shut down the lights under the hood. some areas require a horn and strobe to be activated. you usually use either shunt trip breakers or contactors to shut circuits down, and they are triggerd by a microswitch mounted on the side of the fire suppression tank valve.
goldstar
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Dittos to what's already been mentioned. Check the discharge head on the Ansul tank or the system control. They are usually provided with multiple sets of dry form C contacts (I've seen up to 4). If you have to perform more functions you'll have to install add'l relays or contactors as was previously mentioned.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
The typical requirements are, as stated above, that the exhaust fan must turn on (called night mode) or stay on, the make-up fan must shut off or stay off, lights and gas and/or electrical equipment under the must shut off, and a horn/strobe or a building alarm must sound.
The ones I do are usually updating to existing systems, so there's no one way to wire them. Some have only exhaust, some have both make-up and exhaust. Some have gas appliances (which require a solenoid-valve reset box), some have electric, some have both.
Around here, the gas must shut down even with manual exhaust shut-off, which means relighting standing pilots every morning (and customers hate), although I have recently done a couple with a thermostat on the hood, and a couple with a low-presure bypass.
The systems we see have two SPDT micro-switches in the control box for us to use to make everything above happen. No connections can be made in the box, so a junction box must be mounted close by, and typically connected to the box with 1/2" FMC for the wires.
In smaller hoods, the motor(s) may be 120v, and most micros can control them directly. (After all, they're not used for daily operation.) In most larger hoods, they'll be 240v and/or 3 phase, requiring contactors that get switched the same way. The lights are only 120v.
If the appliances are already fed from shunt-trip breakers, or from a panel with a shunt-trip main, you only need to give them a voltage to trip. If not, you either need to install them, or use contactors (or a panel cvontrolled by a contactor) to shut them down.
Also, there may be one switch for both make-up and exhaust, or separate switches. Larger hoods may have more than one of each fan, and may be controlled by one, two, or more switches. I did one a couple of years ago that had two make-up and two exhaust switches.
Again, it depends on the equipment installed. For the control wiring, one circuit is enough, and often supplies the lights as well. To give any more help, I'd need to know the details of each motor, appliance, etc.
This isn't something you want to do if you're not 100% sure about what is involved. Life safety and property damage are at risk from a fire, and there are reasons the requirements are there to minimize the danger.
- Status