class III battery room

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

k0y0te

Member
We are working on a national guard project that has a 'battery room'. According to the guard's design guide, the room needs to be designed as Class III per NEC 503.

I don't really agree with the classification (would have expected Class I), but the owner gets what the owner wants.

Now I'm getting questioned by the architect about the construction of the space (i.e. walls, ceiling).

The classifications are defined by NFPA, so is there an NFPA section that also gives some architectural requirement for classified spaces? There has to be some kind of architectural requirements, right?
 

Did the guard?s design guide really call out Article 503 specifically? If you believe it should be Class I, you are doing a great disservice giving the client what he wants.

What is the general building code? It will give instructions on ?hazard? rated rooms for fire ratings, egress, etc. In addition, there are some requirements in Article 480 with regard to surface preparations, ventilation, etc.

Are you really, REALLY sure they specify Article 503? That?s mind boggling.
 
Class I yes ...or not... if adequately ventilated. But it seems that you are working for the AHJ as well as the "owner".
 
As silly as it sounds, the guard's design guide specifically calls out article 503 and specifically calls out Class III design.

I?ve got the electrical requirements coved. The problem is, when the architect sees ?hazard class III? on the electrical drawings, he panics.

And as far as I can tell, the IBC hazard classifications don?t correspond to the NEC classes. Correct me if I?m wrong. I thought that NFPA might give some direction, but I haven?t found anything yet.

I guess that Mr. Architect is going to have to do his own code research.
 
k0y0te said:
I thought that I might add, there is enougth ventilation that this is not going to be a class I area.
Click to expand...
If there wasn't enough ventilation to avoid classifying the room Class I, you would already be in violation of Section 480.9(A). Jn other words, if you build the room to Art 480, is isn't classified I, II or III.

Side comment - there's virtually no difference between Class III, Division 1 and Division 2.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top