Equipotential plane in horse barns

[Martin196]

Maybe this is a stupid question, but I really haven't seen it addressed anywhere else. 547.10 Says that you must install equipotential planes in confinement areas with concrete floors where metallic equipment within reach of the animals may become energized. What do they consider a confinement area? I know some of this may be subjective to the AHJ however what is the common practice. I have a horse barn with a concrete floor in the bathroom, tack room, lounge and walkway. There are horse stalls adjacent to the concrete walkway however these stalls have a dirt floor. Is the entire barn considered a confinement area, or just the horse stalls? Would an equipotential plane be required throughout the barn or just on the metallic parts of the stall doors?

 

[jap]

Maybe this is a stupid question, but I really haven't seen it addressed anywhere else. 547.10 Says that you must install equipotential planes in confinement areas with concrete floors where metallic equipment within reach of the animals may become energized. What do they consider a confinement area? I know some of this may be subjective to the AHJ however what is the common practice. I have a horse barn with a concrete floor in the bathroom, tack room, lounge and walkway. There are horse stalls adjacent to the concrete walkway however these stalls have a dirt floor. Is the entire barn considered a confinement area, or just the horse stalls? Would an equipotential plane be required throughout the barn or just on the metallic parts of the stall doors?

If the horse barn has doors on it, I'd consider it a confinement area.

JAP>

 

[Cow]

I've put in many equipotential planes for dairy barns. Doors have nothing to do with confinement. We're on a project right now with 2200' long dairy barns with concrete floors and a roof, not a door in sight. The entire floor is an equipotential plane.

My suggestion is to ask your AHJ what they are expecting. They take it pretty seriously over here, but I know other places aren't as strict.

 

[ptonsparky]

The plane is for the animals, not you. Restroom, lounge and tack room are not where you would feed, house or confine the horse. Stalls with dirt floors don't count, but the walkways may. Those may need a gradient installed so Voltage diff from front to rear hoofs is not so great as they enter/exit the walkway.

 

[GoldDigger]

The plane is for the animals, not you. Restroom, lounge and tack room are not where you would feed, house or confine the horse. Stalls with dirt floors don't count, but the walkways may. Those may need a gradient installed so Voltage diff from front to rear hoofs is not so great as they enter/exit the walkway.

If you have, for any reason (perhaps utility MGN problems), significant earth currents or if you bond the equipotential plane under the concrete to the GES and neutral, then you really do need an equipotential grid under the dirt stall floors too!
Same with the dirt outside the building entrances, except there you need an equipotential ramp rather than a simple grid.

 

[retirede]

The intent is for concrete that the animals walk on have an equipotential plane. If all animal areas have dirt floors, it is not required, imo.

Based on my observations from when I raised cattle! The exact wording of the code may or may not agree with me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[kwired]

Maybe this is a stupid question, but I really haven't seen it addressed anywhere else. 547.10 Says that you must install equipotential planes in confinement areas with concrete floors where metallic equipment within reach of the animals may become energized. What do they consider a confinement area? I know some of this may be subjective to the AHJ however what is the common practice. I have a horse barn with a concrete floor in the bathroom, tack room, lounge and walkway. There are horse stalls adjacent to the concrete walkway however these stalls have a dirt floor. Is the entire barn considered a confinement area, or just the horse stalls? Would an equipotential plane be required throughout the barn or just on the metallic parts of the stall doors?

Unless the horses are going to use the bathroom, tack room, lounge and walkway, those are not a part of the "livestock confinement area".

"just on the metallic parts of the stall doors?" metallic parts on a door may not even be required to be bonded at all. The idea here is to minimize voltage potentials between objects in the vicinity of the animals. In particular anything that is bonded in any manner to the grounded conductor of the electrical system. Just a few volts potential between two objects may not kill the animals but can effect them and over time is hard on their health. Large animals have a longer distance between their front and rear feet then us humans can usually reach, and maybe even longer between their mouth and rear feet, so they can span across higher voltage gradients then we can.

 

[jap]

Doors have nothing to do with confinement.

Your saying doors have nothing to do with confinement, or, doors have nothing to do with where an equipotential plane is required ?


JAP>

 

[kwired]

Your saying doors have nothing to do with confinement, or, doors have nothing to do with where an equipotential plane is required ?


JAP>

Doors can add additional "confinement" but the animals may still be regularly in other areas of a larger "confinement", or even allowed to enter or exit a building/shelter whether there is a door or not at that exit point.

 

[jap]

Doors can add additional "confinement" but the animals may still be regularly in other areas of a larger "confinement", or even allowed to enter or exit a building/shelter whether there is a door or not at that exit point.

I agree.

JAP>

 

[augie47]

In this area, one out of 50 horse barns will have an grid. Not saying its not Code or a good idea, jut saying it is ignored here for the most part,

 

[kwired]

In this area, one out of 50 horse barns will have an grid. Not saying its not Code or a good idea, jut saying it is ignored here for the most part,

How many have concrete floors vs dirt floors?

Most "hobby horse barns" in this area are dirt floors. I suppose if you get around race horses or other high dollar horses they typically get nicer facilities. Just isn't many of those around here.