Can a Portable Class I, Div 2 instrument (Example: Flashlight) be used in Div 1?

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DM2-Inc

DM2-Inc

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I was asked to help someone understand why, or if, a portable instrument such as a flash light, build to Division 2 standards, can be used in a Division 1 location. I'm not sure that it can and would guess that it can't, however being that it's portable, I'm guessing it can't be used in such a location.

The confusion came about in trying to understand that if the device fails in a Class I, Div 2 location but doesn't cause an explosion, would it not also perform similarly in a Div 1 location?

Is it all about cost of constructing the part, and the probability of a failure?
 
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Theoretically, portable/transportable equipment is not covered by Articles 500 to 516 because they are not part of an "installation". See the definition of Electrical and Electronic Equipment in Section 500.2. However check the FPN/IN too. There are other references, particularly lighting, to portable equipment throughout Articles 500 to 516.

In short though, an item marked only for Division 2, is limited to Division 2. See Section 500.8(C)(2).
 
DM2-Inc said:
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The confusion came about in trying to understand that if the device fails in a Class I, Div 2 location but doesn't cause an explosion, would it not also perform similarly in a Div 1 location?
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Not necessarily. Remember, ignitable gases/vapors are not commonly present in Division 2.
 
Somewhere I had heard that the division between a Division 1 and 2 locations, had to do with the number of hours that the gas was present. If I remember correctly it was 0 to 1000 hours was Division 2, above this was Division 1. I however never been able to find out where this came from.

Is this true, and if so, where did it come from?
 
You may have heard that, but it isn't in the NEC. While it is a commonly cited in several CENELEC Euronorms (EN) it isn't in the basic IEC standards either. You can. Read up a bit here.
 
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