In an apartment building I was in there is a fire pump supplied from one of the house panels. It is a 20HP motor on a 208V 3Ø system. It is fed from a 100A breaker in one of the 225A house panels. I don't have any experience with fire pumps or their associated electrical but I'm curious if there is anything wrong with this situation. If I understand correctly, the breaker needs to be able to hold 6x FLC indefinitely. The pump breaker and even the house panel main breaker will not hold that current for very long. The fire pump controller is service entrance rated. Shouldn't the fire pump controller be fed from the service before the switchboard, panelboards, etc.? Is there something wrong with this or is there more to this that I am missing? Again, I have no experience with fire pumps. I just happened to notice this and I am curious. Thanks!
Fire pump fed from house panel
- Thread starter acolella
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
- Occupation
- Master Electrician
Interesting, NFPA standard 20 on fire pumps requires them to be tested weekly, who is paying that cost for power?
And as you pointed out, don't have a service disconnect, they are fed direct from the POCO. As you pointed out, if there is a service disconnect, it has to be rated to carry locked rotor current.
And as you pointed out, don't have a service disconnect, they are fed direct from the POCO. As you pointed out, if there is a service disconnect, it has to be rated to carry locked rotor current.
gadfly56
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
The standard for testing fire pumps is NFPA 25, and except for limited classes of electrically driven fire pumps, the frequency is monthly.
8.3.1.2* A no-flow test shall be conducted for electric motor–
driven fire pumps on a test frequency in accordance with
8.3.1.2.1, 8.3.1.2.2, 8.3.1.2.3, or 8.3.1.2.4.
8.3.1.2.1 Except as permitted in 8.3.1.2.2 and 8.3.1.2.3, a
weekly test frequency shall be required for the following elec‐
tric fire pumps:
(1) Fire pumps that serve fire protection systems in buildings
that are beyond the pumping capacity of the fire depart‐
ment
(2) Fire pumps with limited service controllers
(3) Vertical turbine fire pumps
(4) Fire pumps taking suction from ground level tanks or a
water source that does not provide sufficient pressure to
be of material value without the pump
8.3.1.2.2 A monthly test frequency shall be permitted for elec‐
tric fire pumps not identified in 8.3.1.2.1.
The building owner is paying for the power since the pump is fed from one of the house panels. That’s got me wondering now, when fire pumps are fed directly from the service, are they usually metered?
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
- Occupation
- Master Electrician
The one I wired was supplied from a ground level reservoir so it was tested weekly. Sorry, its NFPA 25.
gadfly56
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
If they are metered, they have to be arranged so that if the meter is pulled, the fire pump can still operate.
vincedigital
Member
- Location
- caribbean
- Occupation
- electrical cad technician
can you feed a fire pump on a house panel? shouldn't it be fed directly from the utility company?
Fred B
Senior Member
- Location
- Upstate, NY
- Occupation
- Electrician
Depends if it a legally required fire pump or as a supplemental fire protection. Fire pump is one of the exceptions that allows (not mandates) a seperate utility service to power the pump and fire protection equipment 250.2(A)(1). AHJ may require such if it is by building code legally required.
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
Usually fire pump’s service larger single tenant or metered buildings where the fire pump service is routed through the same CT’s as the building service at the transformer, so it gets metered that way. Haven’t done any apartment buildings, so not familiar how they would meter it.
- Status