Is slop sink allowed in electrical room?

[smallfish]

Is a slop sink,generally used for washing mops, which has eight inch high sink walls measured off the finished floor and located on the wall about 8 feet opposite a 1200 amp 120/240 volt main distribution service panel allowed in an electrical room?
Thanks

 

[iggy2]

I have always maintained there is no such thing as an "electric room". Electric equipment requires code required clearances - but just putting some electric equipment in a room does not an electric room make it, and prevent it for being used for other purposes. The only exception I have run across is for legally required emergency systems, which must be in a dedicated room.

 

[xformer]

I have always maintained there is no such thing as an "electric room". Electric equipment requires code required clearances - but just putting some electric equipment in a room does not an electric room make it, and prevent it for being used for other purposes. The only exception I have run across is for legally required emergency systems, which must be in a dedicated room.

I understand your point Iggy2, But 110.26B indicates that working space about electrical equipment shall not be used for storage.

just saying...

As the OP points out the distance between the panel and the sink is 8 ft... that should be plenty of room...

 

[gadfly56]

I understand your point Iggy2, But 110.26B indicates that working space about electrical equipment shall not be used for storage.

just saying...

As the OP points out the distance between the panel and the sink is 8 ft... that should be plenty of room...

Yes, I would think that puts it well outside the working space. Unless there is some building code prohibition, but I confess I don't know of any such.

 

[iggy2]

... But 110.26B indicates that working space about electrical equipment shall not be used for storage.

Agreed. I'm looking at this in the context of the electric 'room'. It's not an electric room, it's an electric (working) 'space', per 110.26B.

We get the questions all the time from Architects - Does an electric room have to be 2 hour? Can the stair go over the electric room? (Yes, but please don't...) Can the electric room door open onto the corridor? Etc.

 

[jtinge]

I only know of two NEC references that mention ?electrical equipment rooms?:

1) 110.26(F), which indicates a locked electrical equipment room can be used as a method (locked enclosures also) for controlling equipment access to qualified persons, and

2) Article 695 Fire Pumps, Exception to 695.6 (A)(2)(d) which states:

The supply conductors located in the electrical equipment room where they originate and in the fire pump room shall not be required to have the minimum 2-hour fire separation or fire resistance rating, unless otherwise required by 700.10(D) of this Code.

I think a designer can dedicate a space as an electrical equipment room, but I don?t find an NEC requirement to have one.

 

[texie]

I have always maintained there is no such thing as an "electric room". Electric equipment requires code required clearances - but just putting some electric equipment in a room does not an electric room make it, and prevent it for being used for other purposes. The only exception I have run across is for legally required emergency systems, which must be in a dedicated room.

I agree. While I see many installations along these lines that comply with the NEC, that does not mean it is the best design choice. I've seen some real doozies that comply but maybe not a wise design choice.

 

[MasterTheNEC]

Is a slop sink,generally used for washing mops, which has eight inch high sink walls measured off the finished floor and located on the wall about 8 feet opposite a 1200 amp 120/240 volt main distribution service panel allowed in an electrical room?
Thanks

I see the responses but I am not sure I see the answer. My response would be Yes, it would be allowed in the room as long as it does not impinge on any of the working clearances and spaces for the electrical equipment. As stated before, an electrical room is simply a room with electrical equipment within it.

Now an engineer may specific that it not be within the room and if that's the case follow the engineers mandate and be done with it. I used to get the question about an electrical panel next to a sink all the time, inspectors would fail it and I would ask; does the panel have all of the working space clearances and meet all the provisions of 110.26? When they said yes I would say, what's the problem then?

Sometimes we get used caught up in "what just does not feel right" versus what is just minimum code right and then blur the two together based on personal opinion. Base Code is what it is, the safest code built to the minimum standards permitted...period.