COPS questions Article 708

[whiggins]

This article seems very different from other areas of the code. I'm struggling to understand a couple of things.

I've got a dedicated electrical room. In this room is a 480V switchboard and a step-down transformer that feeds a panelboard. The panelboard feeds three parallel UPS units connected with a tie panel. The tie panel feeds a UPS switchboard. Feeders from the UPS switchboard leave this room and serve panelboards located in an emergency management department.

If I'm reading correctly, all the feeders [708.10(C)(1)] within this room need to be in rigid conduit AND two-hour fire rated [708.10(C)(2)]. Am I reading that correctly? I can understand the feeders leaving this room, but in this room that doesn't make sense to me. The electrical equipment in the room certainly isn't two hour rated. There is nothing in the room to damage conduit such that rigid conduit would be required.

Who ultimately makes the decision of when this COPS article applies? This is an emergency management center located in a 60s vintage municipal office bldg. There is little in the building that complies with the NFPA 1600 standard. I suppose we can make this piece of the puzzle comply, but it seems like a lot of extra money to spend when so many other things could take the building out of service.

 

[mgookin]

...

Who ultimately makes the decision of when this COPS article applies? ...

708.1 paragraph 2 starts out: Critical operations power systems are those systems so classed by municipal, state, federal or other codes by any governmental agency having jurisdiction or by facility engineering documentation establishing the necessity for such a system.


You need to verify with your client that it applies.

 

[qcroanoke]

708.1 paragraph 2 starts out: Critical operations power systems are those systems so classed by municipal, state, federal or other codes by any governmental agency having jurisdiction or by facility engineering documentation establishing the necessity for such a system.


You need to verify with your client that it applies.

+1
And the AHJ's involved.

 

[whiggins]

We are inquiring of the owner about the possible classification of the facility. I'm guessing it will be no.

After reading this code section, it certainly seems to go over the top, especially the feeder section.
Rigid conduit and a 2-hour rating would add significant cost to this project. It seems most fires
(especially in an electrical room) are going to put you out of service even with rigid conduit and
2-hour ratings.

I've been in two local 911 centers, both don't comply with this code. If the Feds make this mandatory
in the future, there will be big money spent to bring existing facilities into compliance.

 

[ron]

I do a lot of datacenter work and none of them want COPS compliance ..... at least after they see the associated cost from the design side and the inevitable construction.

 

[qcroanoke]

I do a lot of datacenter work and none of them want COPS compliance ..... at least after they see the associated cost from the design side and the inevitable construction.

It all looks good until the cost gets thrown on the table.