GFI on commercial refrigerators

[ramsy]

The consumer products safety commission, list of required certification and testing for general use products, does not include refrigeration equipment, nor general appliances.

Maybe refrigerators & UL 471 are on another agency's list of test requirements?

 

[ramsy]

The consumer product safety commission also includes the National Electrical Code (NEC) as a voluntary standard, or among current staff activities in voluntary standards.

Current Staff Activities in Voluntary Standards

 

[kwired]

Ok, 110.3(C) does not clarify what shall be listed.

Does any such list exist?

Are some UL standards voluntary?

Is UL 471 enforceable?

UL 471 Standard for Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers

Aren't all the UL standards voluntary until either adopted as law or at least included in a particular design specification?

NFPA 70 isn't enforceable until a jurisdiction officially adopts it in some way, usually entered into or referenced to by lawbooks.

 

[roger]

Ok, 110.3(C) does not clarify what shall be listed.

Does any such list exist?

Depends on your state and local rules, here is what NC requires.

§ 66-25. Acceptable listings as to safety of goods. (a) All electrical materials, devices, appliances, and equipment shall be evaluated for safety and suitability for intended use. Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, this evaluation shall be conducted in accordance with nationally recognized standards and shall be conducted by a qualified testing laboratory. The Commissioner of Insurance, through the Engineering Division of the Department of Insurance, shall implement the procedures necessary to approve suitable national standards and to approve suitable qualified testing laboratories. The Commissioner may assign his authority to implement the procedures for specific materials, devices, appliances, or equipment to other agencies or bodies when they would be uniquely qualified to implement those procedures. In the event that the Commissioner determines that electrical materials, devices, appliances, or equipment in question cannot be adequately evaluated through the use of approved national standards or by approved qualified testing laboratories, the Engineering Division of the Department of Insurance shall specify any alternative evaluations which safety requires. The Engineering Division of the Department of Insurance shall keep in file, where practical, copies of all approved national standards and resumes of approved qualified testing laboratories.

(b) Electrical devices, appliances, or equipment used by the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety in institutional kitchens and manufacturing equipment used by Correction Enterprises are exempt from the evaluation requirement of subsection (a) of this section.

(c) The Department of Administration, Division of Purchase and Contract, shall not seek to enforce the provisions of subsection (a) of this section by any means, including requiring acceptance inspections or additional testing of electrical materials, devices, appliances, or equipment purchased by State departments, agencies, and institutions.

Roger

 

[ramsy]

Aren't all the UL standards voluntary until either adopted as law or at least included in a particular design specification?

NFPA 70 isn't enforceable until a jurisdiction officially adopts it in some way, usually entered into or referenced to by lawbooks.

Good point. As you & Roger point out, State-adopted standards should be checked, in addition to Federal CPSC, or OSHA requirements in the work place.

Not finding refrigeration equipment as Type of Products Requiring NRTL Approval by Federal OSHA in the work place, nor workplace
Specific References to OSHA Standards Requiring NRTL Approval within the Electrical Equipment category.

 

[LarryFine]

Remember, this code is about the receptacles, not what's plugged into them.

 

[ramsy]

Depends on your state and local rules, here is what NC requires.

Still looking for which States adopt UL 471 or ASHRAE 15. May be in the Mechanical Code?

Apparently, the Department of Defense (DoD) adopted UL 471 on March 23, 1976.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Still looking for which States adopt UL 471 or ASHRAE 15. May be in the Mechanical Code?

Apparently, the Department of Defense (DoD) adopted UL 471 on March 23, 1976.

I can't imagine any State or municipality adopting any UL product standard. They would accomplish that type of thing by requiring specific electrical equipment to be listed.
For example the code requires all appliances to be listed starting with the 2017 code.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I'm thinking it has to do with shock hazards during plugging or unplugging

It had to do with the fact that the EGC path on cord and plug connected equipment it often compromised.

 

[ramsy]

I can't imagine any State or municipality adopting any UL product standard. They would accomplish that type of thing by requiring specific electrical equipment to be listed.
For example the code requires all appliances to be listed starting with the 2017 code.

Thank you, found it at NEC 422.6
Household refrigerators NEC 440.3(C)
Commercial refrigeration appliances ???

 

[kwired]

For example the code requires all appliances to be listed starting with the 2017 code.

So EI can fail you based on fact he sees some small appliance like say a can opener that isn't listed?

Think they need to clarify exactly what appliances they want to include because the art 100 definition is pretty wide open to a lot of things.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

So EI can fail you based on fact he sees some small appliance like say a can opener that isn't listed?

Think they need to clarify exactly what appliances they want to include because the art 100 definition is pretty wide open to a lot of things.

It is my opinion that the vast majority of Article 422 is outside the scope of the NEC and would be tossed out. Cord and plug connected is not installed, and the scope of the NEC is the installation of electrical equipment and systems.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Thank you, found it at NEC 422.6
Household refrigerators NEC 440.3(C)
Commercial refrigeration appliances ???

I don't have any idea if commercial refrigeration equipment is an appliance or not. In a skim of UL 471, the word "appliance" did not jump out at me.

 

[kwired]

It is my opinion that the vast majority of Article 422 is outside the scope of the NEC and would be tossed out. Cord and plug connected is not installed, and the scope of the NEC is the installation of electrical equipment and systems.

Agree except there is cord and plug equipment that is fastened in place or located in dedicated spaces that kind of seems to get more attention on this than something that is readily moveable yet still fits the definition.

 

[hbiss]

TomYing-what is the code section that exempts dwelling unit refrigerators from GFCI protection?

If the receptacle is more than 6 feet from the edge of the sink. Usually they are inaccessible behind the refrigerator also but doesn't have to be.

-Hal

 

[Jraef]

Aside from regulatory agencies, most insurance policies for commercial and industrial (and even some residential) facilities will include a rider requiring NRTL listing of any electrical equipment. Basically if a non-listed device is determined to be the cause of an accident, they can refuse to cover the damages. A LOT of people don't realize that.

 

[cpickett]

I’m doing some work at a bar that is buying a glass washer that will be located behind the bar counter. I had told the owners that it will need to be on a GFCI when we were in the planning stage.

The owner texted me today with info that the sales rep told him it can’t be on a GFCI. I asked him to see if he could find out the reasoning. I haven’t heard back but I’m guessing it’s similar to the OP’s situation?

If the mfr is sure it won't work with a GFCI (high leakage current), then that sure doesn't make me want to buy the thing! Especially a washing machine for an area that will have water splashed all around.

Unlike AFCIs, GFCIs work every time and when they trip, it's usually for a good reason! I don't like getting shocked...

 

[TomYing]

Thanks everyone for your input and opinions. I come from a commercial equipment manufacturing background and the number one reason commercial refrigeration manufacturers don't like GFI's, other than the fact that they are not always reliable. Is that in a commercial refrigeration setting, literally thousand of dollars of food could be spoiled and lost over night, commercial ranges tripping can possibly provide undercooked food, neither an acceptable scenario. Commercial appliances are in the business of providing 'safe food'. Kitchens are eclectically and electronically noisy.

NEC made rulings by saying protect everything without drilling down to the causal and impact of the rule. So I guess there is no real answer other than to try to follow the commercial manufacturers installation recommendations and try to discuss and reason with the local safety inspectors for approval or solution,

 

[roger]

Thanks everyone for your input and opinions. I come from a commercial equipment manufacturing background and the number one reason commercial refrigeration manufacturers don't like GFI's, other than the fact that they are not always reliable. Is that in a commercial refrigeration setting, literally thousand of dollars of food could be spoiled and lost over night, commercial ranges tripping can possibly provide undercooked food, neither an acceptable scenario. Commercial appliances are in the business of providing 'safe food'. Kitchens are eclectically and electronically noisy.

NEC made rulings by saying protect everything without drilling down to the causal and impact of the rule. So I guess there is no real answer other than to try to follow the commercial manufacturers installation recommendations and try to discuss and reason with the local safety inspectors for approval or solution,

Sounds like you don't like the answers you have received. You can try to get around the code but be prepared to take all the liability that goes with it. It would behoove you to read the ROP's that brought the rule into the code.

Roger

 

[synchro]

Thanks everyone for your input and opinions. I come from a commercial equipment manufacturing background and the number one reason commercial refrigeration manufacturers don't like GFI's, other than the fact that they are not always reliable. Is that in a commercial refrigeration setting, literally thousand of dollars of food could be spoiled and lost over night, commercial ranges tripping can possibly provide undercooked food, neither an acceptable scenario. Commercial appliances are in the business of providing 'safe food'. Kitchens are eclectically and electronically noisy.

There are devices that can indicate and/or notify that a power outage has occurred from a tripped GFCI or another cause. The alert can be a local audible alarm. Or some products will send an alert via a wi-fi or cellular network to their server, which will then provide a notification to the customer about the outage with a phone call or text message. These typically also provide a history of the outages so you can know when they occurred and their duration.
So the bottom line is that the problems mentioned with food can be largely overcome without sacrificing the safety provided by the required GFCI's.