Life Safety Power

[mshields]

We have a client who wants to use his generator in an existing building to provide life safety power in his new non-high rise building. He wants to know how he should run LS feeder from the Generator to the building. To complicate matters, the LS electric room is to be on the second floor (as is the normal main electric room). I told him that it needs to be two hour rated per Mass code from the generator to the LS service entrance room (beyond that as well - but that's another story)

So essentially, we'll have a LS disconnecting means in the new building feeding an ATS.

First of all, is this ok so far?

Does the code address this specific situation?

Secondly, does the disconnect for LS power need to be near point of entrance into the building just like normal service entrance? If it's not do I need to encase it in concrete? Is this not relevant since the feeder needs to be 2 hour rated regardless?

In lieu of concrete can I convert to MI cable at the service entrance? It seems to me that the box where you'd make the conversion could not itself be 2 hour rated so it strikes me as a bad idea.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Design Electric Inc.]

Life Safety Power

Per Art. 700.12.B.6, exterior generators with Internal OCP..Feeders are not required to have additonal disconnecting means upon entry into faciltiy as long as the generators internal OCP is readily accessable.

 

[Design Electric Inc.]

Life Safety Power

NEC 700.9 (D)(1) only requires one of six options in as far as feeder installations.
If your faciltiy has a fire suppression system, perhaps sprinkled, then I dont see where the NEC is requiring any Fire Rating..
Once again check your AHJ!!
Good Luck

 

[iwire]

Mike is this generator rated for life safety?

Also is there a spare breaker on the generator for this additional feeder?

You can not supply life safety loads from a breaker that also supplies non life safety.