containerized living units

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

makalroy

Member
I am installing sleeping units, shower units, and latrine units. Sleeping units are a trailer with 4 rooms with there own entrance, a couple rec. and a light.

shower units are a trailer ( 1 room) 7 to 10 showers and a couple sinks. ( water heater is inside.)
they are supplied by generator, They dont have an out side disconnect on the unit, and the breaker box is inside the unit. (inside a bathroom)

What codes apply and would the panel inside be considered my service?

Are there any special grounding requirements?
 
makalroy said:
I am installing sleeping units, shower units, and latrine units. Sleeping units are a trailer with 4 rooms with there own entrance, a couple rec. and a light.

shower units are a trailer ( 1 room) 7 to 10 showers and a couple sinks. ( water heater is inside.)
they are supplied by generator, They dont have an out side disconnect on the unit, and the breaker box is inside the unit. (inside a bathroom)

What codes apply and would the panel inside be considered my service?

Are there any special grounding requirements?
Click to expand...

Although this shower does not meet the restrictions of the code, I believe it would be the intent to keep the panel out of there. Here is the wording

art. 240.24(E) Not Located in Bathrooms. In dwelling units and guest rooms or guest suites of hotels and motels, overcurrent devices, other than supplementary overcurrent protection, shall not be located in bathrooms.
Click to expand...

The service will probably not be in each unit unless there is a separate meter for each. I assume there is one meter somewhere on the property which feeds the different buildings.

You need to be aware of art. 225.30 and art. 250.32
 
Dennis Alwon said:
Although this shower does not meet the restrictions of the code......
Click to expand...

If there are sinks, then it is a bathroom, per NEC Art. 100 definition.

Dennis Alwon said:
The service will probably not be in each unit unless there is a separate meter for each. I assume there is one meter somewhere on the property which feeds the different buildings.
Click to expand...

What meters? They're on gennys.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
Although this shower does not meet the restrictions of the code, I believe it would be the intent to keep the panel out of there.
Click to expand...
IMO if it were the intent of the code to prohibit panel boards in rooms with showers they would have written it that way. Instead they chose to use the word bathroom which has a defined meaning.

But as another poster has mentioned the NEC defintion of a bathroom might be triggered.

OTOH, these units might well not be covered by the NEC, just like trailers aren't.
 
petersonra said:
.....OTOH, these units might well not be covered by the NEC, just like trailers aren't.
Click to expand...

And if it's military, there may be no AHJ (hence NEC) involved.

But this may also be flood / hurricane / other natural distaster preparation, so unless the OP clues us in, we're shooting in the dark here.
 
480sparky said:
If there are sinks, then it is a bathroom, per NEC Art. 100 definition.
Click to expand...

And since it is not a dwelling unit then panels would be allowed unless they are service disconnects. So you guys think this is a good idea???



What meters? They're on gennys.
Click to expand...
I missed that part.
 
Yes, There in Iraq

Yes, There in Iraq

We have been using British Standard, and now they want to change to NEC. ( good idea ) Power starts at generator, then to a MDP, then to the units breaker box, that is in the bathroom. Is the breaker box the service, or is it the MDP. The MDP is never any where near the unit, and supplys several units.
 
makalroy said:
We have been using British Standard, and now they want to change to NEC. ( good idea ) Power starts at generator, then to a MDP, then to the units breaker box, that is in the bathroom. Is the breaker box the service, or is it the MDP. The MDP is never any where near the unit, and supplys several units.
Click to expand...

I would think the MDP is the service which then feeds the different buildings. If you are following NEC then a 4 wires should be run from the MDP to each unit

These panels would need a main disco and would need ground rods connected to the ground bars in the panels.

Is it possible to use a WP panel outside the showers or is there a safe place for it.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
And since it is not a dwelling unit then panels would be allowed unless they are service disconnects. So you guys think this is a good idea???.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's a good idea. Whether or not it's a dwelling doesn't diminish the intent of the Code.


Dennis Alwon said:
....I missed that part.
Click to expand...

How could you?

G570.jpg
img_3genies.jpg
GenSetRig..JPG



:grin: :grin:
 
Last edited:
the MDP is the service entrance and should be located remotely..treat this installation like a trailer house in a trailer park because in essence that is what it is..

edited I would assume you are recieving these already constructed..and just wiring up the panels if I am correct..so wheather the panel is in the bathroom or not GFCI is a good choice for this type of install..I woud assume these are small service entrances like maybe 60 amps..
 
Last edited:
If you are applying the NEC to everything (generator, outside lines, transformers, MDP, trailers) then there is no service to speak of.

The 'service' is the point where the power company (following NESC rules) makes the connection to the customer (following NEC rules).

As I see it, the system that you are describing consists of feeders and disconnects, not service conductors and services.

The key consideration is 'where does the neutral get bonded to ground'. If you are keeping everything under the umbrella of the NEC, then you bond the neutral to ground at the generator, and run a _separate_ EGC with each feeder. At the trailers you are required to have a disconnect (and local grounding electrodes) of some sort, but you keep the neutral and ground _separate_ at the trailers.

A key point that would be subject to analysis that is beyond my skills: Will your systems be safer following the NEC mandated separate EGC and neutral with a single bond between EGC and neutral, or would they be safer if you followed NESC practise which includes grounding the neutral at multiple locations.

-Jon
 
Sounds more like RV than anything else.I would do what i could to get that panel out of the shower trailer or at min make sure its out of reach.I dought nec really has any of what your doing really covered.Take good care of our men,dont get them shocked.
 
dbuckley said:
makalroy said:
We have been using British Standard
Click to expand...
Thats odd, because...

makalroy said:
...shower units are a trailer ( 1 room) 7 to 10 showers and a couple sinks. ( water heater is inside.) ... and the breaker box is inside the unit. (inside a bathroom)
Click to expand...
Not permitted under British standards.
Click to expand...
Perhaps the reason for swapping standards :rolleyes:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top