Electrical Room Requirement

[Grouch]

I know that having the service equipment in an electrical room is optional. You don't need an electrical room. If an electrical room is needed to enclose the equipment, then you follow the clearance requirements in the NEC.

My question is, in NYC, if you have service equipment totaling 1000 KVA or larger (which triggers an EPR / advisory board filing), are you still required to have an electrical room?

 

[ron]

I have found in NYC that the use of an Electrical Closet is to get away from sprinkler requirements. Other than that, I am not familiar with any reason to have a dedicated Electrical Closet. If you have electrical equipment clustered in a common room, some AHJs will call it an Electrical Closet and cause trouble with fire ratings being required in NYC.

 

[Grouch]

I have found in NYC that the use of an Electrical Closet is to get away from sprinkler requirements. Other than that, I am not familiar with any reason to have a dedicated Electrical Closet. If you have electrical equipment clustered in a common room, some AHJs will call it an Electrical Closet and cause trouble with fire ratings being required in NYC.

So a dedicated electrical room is not required even for service equipment totaling over 1000 kva?

 

[ron]

So a dedicated electrical room is not required even for service equipment totaling over 1000 kva?

The language in the NYC Electric code does not require a dedicated Electrical Room in Section 230.64 Service Rooms or Areas, it just requires whatever room or area it is located to be constructed of noncombustible materials having a 2 hour fire rating and shall be of dimensions adequate to house the switchboard and to provide the following minimum clearances.......

I have had large services in the corner of a large open Basement.

In case it is needed, the amendments to the 2008 NEC for NYC are located here https://www.nyc.gov/assets/buildings/pdf/ll39of2011_electrical_code.pdf

 

[Grouch]

Got it... Thanks Ron!

 

[darekelec]

Work space requirement are amended for large equipment . 5’ and 7’ clearance

 

[hillbilly1]

Usually it is to keep the non-qualified out, but many of the old Lowes stores have electrical gear exposed to the general public, with just a plastic chain cordoning the area off.