Article 517 - Health Care

[Npstewart]

If you have a surgery center such as a plastic surgeons office, are you required to separate the life safety branch & the critical branch or can they just come from the same transfer switch?

Im having a hard time in article 517 distinguishing between the "hospital" requirements and "health care facilities"...

 

[roger]

Hospitals come under Health Care Facilities.

Health Care Facilities. Buildings or portions of buildings in which medical, dental, psychiatric, nursing, obstetrical, or surgical care are provided. Health care facilities include, but are not limited to, hospitals, nursing homes, limited care facilities, clinics, medical and dental offices, and ambulatory care centers, whether permanent or movable.

Part III of 517 is applicable.

Roger

 

[Npstewart]

Ok, so pretty much we would need three transfer switches.. One for normal loads, one for critical care, and one for the emergency fixtures?

 

[steve66]

I basically agree with Roger. But when someone says "Surgery Centers", I think more of a in and out surgery center that might be located in the mall right next to Sears or Kmart.

But if anesthesia is used, then yes, you need a critical branch and a LS branch, and an equipment branch.

These branches can share a single transfer switch if the total load on the generator is less than 150 KVA. But you still have to separate the three after they leave the xfer switch.

If its more than 150KV, then what Roger said. And the equipment branch is what the 3rd switch is for, not the normal branch. (I assume thats just a typo.)