I have a customer that wants a storage building for water treatment chemicles. Items stored are caustic soda, hydroflouride, sulfuric acid, and citric acid, etc. The local inspector says that everything has to be corrosive resistant. The items inside the storage will be a 1500 watt fan forced space heater, and an exhaust fan. The chemicles are stored in seperate barrels, with a dividing wall between the bases and acids. No open containers will be in this area. What do you think abuot the corrosive heater and fan?
Corrosive storage
- Thread starter perlin68
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kingpb
Senior Member
- Location
- SE USA as far as you can go
- Occupation
- Engineer, Registered
It is what it is, provide what the inspector wants. It will be more money to you.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
110.11 Deteriorating Agents
Unless identified for use in the operating environment, no conductors or equipment shall be located in damp or wet locations; where exposed to gases, fumes, vapors, liquids, or other agents that have a deteriorating effect on the conductors or equipment; or where exposed to excessive temperatures.
Unless identified for use in the operating environment, no conductors or equipment shall be located in damp or wet locations; where exposed to gases, fumes, vapors, liquids, or other agents that have a deteriorating effect on the conductors or equipment; or where exposed to excessive temperatures.
kbsparky
Senior Member
- Location
- Delmarva, USA
I used to work for an outfit that installed and maintained pools and spas. They moved to a new facility and assigned a storage area for the electrical supplies. Next thing I knew, they started putting all the pool and spa chemicals in there.
You would not believe the immediate rusting that started to show on my electrical supplies .... ruining many items that were simply sitting there.
Installation of an exhaust fan got the air moving, but the rusting continued.:-?
My complaints of the corrosive atmosphere fell on deaf ears, begging them to assign a different area for the chemicals. I left working there shortly thereafter, and the place went to pot (but that's another story).:roll:
I agree with perlin68 that corrosion resistant equipment should be utilized in such an area. Anything else will rust out in short order.
You would not believe the immediate rusting that started to show on my electrical supplies .... ruining many items that were simply sitting there.
Installation of an exhaust fan got the air moving, but the rusting continued.:-?
My complaints of the corrosive atmosphere fell on deaf ears, begging them to assign a different area for the chemicals. I left working there shortly thereafter, and the place went to pot (but that's another story).:roll:
I agree with perlin68 that corrosion resistant equipment should be utilized in such an area. Anything else will rust out in short order.
kingpb
Senior Member
- Location
- SE USA as far as you can go
- Occupation
- Engineer, Registered
I guess I mis-understood the question.
It is obviously a corrosive environment, and therefore will need either stainless steel or pvc. Although even 316 SS is not good enough for many highly corrosive areas.
The NEC does not define chemicals, you must look in other NFPA sections. Who ever is building or specifying the building, e.g. architect or mechanical engineer, will be able to provide information on the nature of the chemicals. It is not typically the electrical responsibility to make these decisions. There are other factors like number of aire changes etc. Certain environments will also eat up copper, and conductors have to be tinned.
It is obviously a corrosive environment, and therefore will need either stainless steel or pvc. Although even 316 SS is not good enough for many highly corrosive areas.
The NEC does not define chemicals, you must look in other NFPA sections. Who ever is building or specifying the building, e.g. architect or mechanical engineer, will be able to provide information on the nature of the chemicals. It is not typically the electrical responsibility to make these decisions. There are other factors like number of aire changes etc. Certain environments will also eat up copper, and conductors have to be tinned.
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