Micki
Member
- Location
- New Zealand
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer
We design and build industrial machinery for international markets (North America / Europe / Asia / Oceania). We try to create designs where only minimal changes need to be done to comply with all relevant standards for each market. We also try to avoid intrinsically safe circuits wherever possible.
The machines have an internal Class II, Div 2 Location (Zone 22 for EU).
It's incredibly hard to find sensors with ratings for all markets (NA HazLoc Class II, Div 2 and ATEX Zone 22 and IECEx Zone 22).
Question: Is a photoelectric sensor that is not identified / marked for Class II, Div 2 acceptable if it is 'dusttight' (it has an IP65 rating, unfortunately no NEMA rating. The sensor is also ATEX and IECEx rated for Zone 22, however I know this is not recognized in the US)?
As I understand a sensor would fall under NFPA 70, Article 502.150(B) (Signaling, Alarm, Remote-Control and Communication Systems; and Meters, Instruments, and Relays). How is the term 'dusttight' generally interpreted and who makes the call if something is acceptable? Is the IP code system generally accepted in the US? Is the final interpretation all up to the AHJ?
We did use an intrinsically safe PE from Banner in the past that is rated Class II, Div 2 - unfortunately this sensor is only rated for gas atmospheres under the ATEX & IECEx schemes so we can't use it outside North America, it's a pain because just about all intrinsically safe photoeyes we found are only gas rated for EU.
Does someone know of a through-beam or retroreflective photoelectric sensor with Class II, Div 2 marking that doesn't require an intrinsically safe circuit?
The machines have an internal Class II, Div 2 Location (Zone 22 for EU).
It's incredibly hard to find sensors with ratings for all markets (NA HazLoc Class II, Div 2 and ATEX Zone 22 and IECEx Zone 22).
Question: Is a photoelectric sensor that is not identified / marked for Class II, Div 2 acceptable if it is 'dusttight' (it has an IP65 rating, unfortunately no NEMA rating. The sensor is also ATEX and IECEx rated for Zone 22, however I know this is not recognized in the US)?
As I understand a sensor would fall under NFPA 70, Article 502.150(B) (Signaling, Alarm, Remote-Control and Communication Systems; and Meters, Instruments, and Relays). How is the term 'dusttight' generally interpreted and who makes the call if something is acceptable? Is the IP code system generally accepted in the US? Is the final interpretation all up to the AHJ?
We did use an intrinsically safe PE from Banner in the past that is rated Class II, Div 2 - unfortunately this sensor is only rated for gas atmospheres under the ATEX & IECEx schemes so we can't use it outside North America, it's a pain because just about all intrinsically safe photoeyes we found are only gas rated for EU.
Does someone know of a through-beam or retroreflective photoelectric sensor with Class II, Div 2 marking that doesn't require an intrinsically safe circuit?
