Dedicated conduit?

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PrimaryElectric

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Dade county fire inspector said today that I need a dedicated conduit for the 120V circuit feeding the fire alarm panel. I told him the code is a dedicated circuit, not conduit. He disagreed. I asked him what code article says dedicated conduit and he said to look it up myself and left. Should I rum some more pipe?
 
I have had issues with this in the past and we just did it. Art 700 deals with emergency systems but I think that is a system that is a seperetly derived power source if the regular building power is interupted. In that case you cannot share conduits for "emergency" circuits. I think when I dealt with it last, the "FIRE" inspector refrenced a county code so we just did it.
 
The fire alarm panel is circuit 8 and the musak panel is circuit 10. The two panels are side by side. My electrician ran both circuits in one homerun.
 
infinity said:
Would this requirement come out of NFPA72?
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I don't have my NFPA 72 here (and I'm not going try to find it in the online document) but I do believe this is where the requirement comes from.

Roger
 
I looked saw where the circuit needs to be dedicated and protected mechanically but I did not see where the conduit needed to be dedicated Chapter 4 is mostly where I looked.
 
Never have been questioned on this issue. The only requirement that has ever been thrown at me was that the breaker be painted red and have a lock on it.
I hate to say this but you are in Dade county.
I feel your pain.
It is hard to tell what those guys will come up with sometimes.
I am more than content to stay in Palm Beach and Broward.
Good Luck.
 
:smile: I think section 4.4.1.4.1 which requires a deicated circuit for the primary power supply has been combined with 4.4.1.4.2.1 which requires the deicated branch circuit(s) to be machanically protected.

Either that or it is a local thing
 
Consider yourself lucky. Here all FACPs it's min. 3/4 gal, 3 #10 solid no matter what the electrical requirements of the FACP are, supplied by lockable fuse cutout only, tapped off the line side of the main. And no, no other conductors or systems permitted within that pipe.
 
LawnGuyLandSparky said:
Here all FACPs it's min. 3/4 gal, 3 #10 solid no matter what the electrical requirements of the FACP are, supplied by lockable fuse cutout only, tapped off the line side of the main.
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That makes sense....:roll: ......might as well require it run back to the power company substation.

We all know a 10 solid is much more reliable then a 12 stranded supplying a few amps of current. :roll:

Do they realize the FACP has days of battery back up and AC failure alarms?
 
While I strongly feel that this code forum should have the power to veto any inspectors code interpretation, I have a very fine electrician running a dedicated conduit today on overtime so that I may receive a final inspection on this project for Monday. Cost to run a dedicated conduit to a fire alarm panel on overtime...$400. Price for competent Dade County fire inspectors...priceless.
 
iwire said:
That makes sense....:roll: ......might as well require it run back to the power company substation.

We all know a 10 solid is much more reliable then a 12 stranded supplying a few amps of current. :roll:

Do they realize the FACP has days of battery back up and AC failure alarms?
Click to expand...

When this code was enacted, gong codes were initiated by the pull stations, and batteries were a luxury, probably still in jars.
 
LawnGuyLandSparky said:
Consider yourself lucky. Here all FACPs it's min. 3/4 gal, 3 #10 solid no matter what the electrical requirements of the FACP are, supplied by lockable fuse cutout only, tapped off the line side of the main. And no, no other conductors or systems permitted within that pipe.
Click to expand...

Might I ask what "old fashioned" jurisdiction requires this?
 
I feel your pain Primary.......... I have done this in the past too. YOu have to weigh your options, and you have to ask yourself is it all worth it??? I love when the FIRE guys try and get involved with NEC. It seems when they do WE are the ones that end up paying!!!!!!!

GL
 
LawnGuyLandSparky said:
New York City, specifically in schools, and every building built by any city, staste or federal agency.
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In NYC today, you can use standred EMT piping (1/2 inch if you want) for the power and ground or for the entire system if you want to use THHN vs 150c.

We do it all the time and it is written in the code.

Also, don't forget we have to run the ground "through" the fuse cutout and bond it.

The have come a long way in updating the code, they still got alot more to go.
 
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