Indoor or Not?

[charlie b]

Last week I visited a marina for the purposes of kicking off an upgrade project. I noticed several possible code issues, and I have a question about one of them. A dry-type transformer is mounted on a support structure, high enough above the floating dock. On this dock, all the boats are completely enclosed in side-by-side boat houses. There is a roof covering the length of the pier, and it also protects the transformer from rain. The nameplate on the transformer says it is for indoor installations. Is this a violation? Is the presence of a roof sufficient to call this installation "indoor"?

 

[jumper]

IMO, indoor means four walls, a floor and a roof. A door would be a handy also.

I would call these boat houses outdoor, maybe damp location at best.

 

[tkb]

Does the transformer have the option of adding a 3R kit to it to make it an outdoor transformer? Most dry type transformers have this as an option.

I think that if this option is available for this transformer and since the transformer is under a roof and can’t get rained on, it shouldn’t be an issue.

 

[kwired]

Does the transformer have the option of adding a 3R kit to it to make it an outdoor transformer? Most dry type transformers have this as an option.

I think that if this option is available for this transformer and since the transformer is under a roof and can’t get rained on, it shouldn’t be an issue.

What does adding the rain shields (the 3R kit) to something already under a roof accomplish unless it is an "indoor wet location"? On top of that 3R is for rain, snow and sleet but not for hosedown or splashing water, so IMO the roof already covers the 3R conditions, if there is other hosedown or splashing water conditions then NEMA 4 or 6 enclosures or combinations like 4/12 would be necessary.

 

[tkb]

What does adding the rain shields (the 3R kit) to something already under a roof accomplish unless it is an "indoor wet location"? On top of that 3R is for rain, snow and sleet but not for hosedown or splashing water, so IMO the roof already covers the 3R conditions, if there is other hosedown or splashing water conditions then NEMA 4 or 6 enclosures or combinations like 4/12 would be necessary.

I didn’t mean to try to convert it to 3R, what I meant is that if the transformer could be converted to a 3R transformer, it wouldn’t need to be because it is under a roof.

I thought you were concerned about rain, you never mentioned hose down or splashing.

If splashing and hose down is a concern, maybe a shield of some kind would help?

I think the only thing that makes a dry transformer an indoor transformer is the enclosure.