Life Safety Transfer Switch

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Shockedby277v

Shockedby277v

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Michigan
Is there a new rule that the life safety transfer switch needs to be seperated from other electrical equipment and emergency power transfer switch? From what I am being told it doesn't just need to be seperated but also needs to be in a 1 hour fire rated room. Anyone else run into this before?
 
I can't remember the exact reference. It might be in NFPA 101. The rule says something along the lines of you can't put emergency gear in the same room as normal gear. The one-hour barrier requirement is in the same rule. But "Life Safety" and "Emergency" are essentially the same thing, as far as this rule goes. Sorry, but I don't have time this morning to look it up. Perhaps someone else will fill in the details.
 
Shockedby277v said:
Is it a new rule though? Ive never had to do this before ....
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Not sure what version of the code applies to your area, but if you look at article 700 of the 2008 NEC, section 700.9(D)(2), it says that emergency equipment such life safety transfer switches, transformers, and panelboards have to be located in spaces fully protected by an automatic fire suppression system OR be located in a space with a 1-hour fire resistance rating. I'm not sure if this requirement was in previous editions of the NEC.

As far as i'm aware, the NEC doesn't say you can't place normal panels and other equipment on normal power in the same room as the emergency equipment. Section 700.9(B) only says that emergency wiring can't be in the same raceway, cable, box, or cabinet as normal wiring. As long as wiring for the emergency loads and normal loads are kept in separate cabinets, conduits, etc., the equipment can still be in the same room. (with the 1-hour fire resistance rating).
 
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charlie b said:
I can't remember the exact reference. It might be in NFPA 101. The rule says something along the lines of you can't put emergency gear in the same room as normal gear. The one-hour barrier requirement is in the same rule. But "Life Safety" and "Emergency" are essentially the same thing, as far as this rule goes. Sorry, but I don't have time this morning to look it up. Perhaps someone else will fill in the details.
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Its in NFPA 110. Cant have level 1 gear in same room as a normal service over 1000 amps.
 
LIM said:
Its in NFPA 110. Cant have level 1 gear in same room as a normal service over 1000 amps.
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7.2.2* Level 1 EPSS equipment shall not be installed in the
same room with the normal service equipment, where the service
equipment is rated over 150 volts to ground and equal to
or greater than 1000 amperes.
 
LIM said:
7.2.2* Level 1 EPSS equipment shall not be installed in the
same room with the normal service equipment, where the service
equipment is rated over 150 volts to ground and equal to
or greater than 1000 amperes.
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Lim, this is new to me actually... this says 'service' equipment. so if you have a 200 amp breaker panel that is not service equipment, i'm assuming this panel can still be in the same 1-hour rated room as the automatic transfer switches or any other emergency equipment?
 
Grouch1980 said:
Lim, this is new to me actually... this says 'service' equipment. so if you have a 200 amp breaker panel that is not service equipment, i'm assuming this panel can still be in the same 1-hour rated room as the automatic transfer switches or any other emergency equipment?
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I would assume so. I think the intent is for an explosion/fire of the normal service not to take out the ability of the emergency power.
 
Grouch1980 said:
Lim, this is new to me actually... this says 'service' equipment. so if you have a 200 amp breaker panel that is not service equipment, i'm assuming this panel can still be in the same 1-hour rated room as the automatic transfer switches or any other emergency equipment?
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I wouldn't read too much into the word "service". I would say any normal power or non-emergency equipment rated at 1000 amps and over 150V to ground would not be allowed in the same room.

In this case, I don't believe "service" means only the main utility service.

But a 200 amp panel would be allowed since its less than 1000 amps.

Note that this does not matter for a 208V service since that would only be 120V to ground. So it really only applies to 480V and higher services.

If I remember right, this paragraph used to allow installations in the same room as long as the normal and emergency equipment wasn't across from each other. So I think it has been changed somewhat.
 
steve66 said:
I wouldn't read too much into the word "service". I would say any normal power or non-emergency equipment rated at 1000 amps and over 150V to ground would not be allowed in the same room.

In this case, I don't believe "service" means only the main utility service.

But a 200 amp panel would be allowed since its less than 1000 amps.

Note that this does not matter for a 208V service since that would only be 120V to ground. So it really only applies to 480V and higher services.

If I remember right, this paragraph used to allow installations in the same room as long as the normal and emergency equipment wasn't across from each other. So I think it has been changed somewhat.
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Hmmmm. I'm scratching my head. :ashamed1::ashamed1::ashamed1: I know each word is there for a reason in the code. If they wrote 'service' equipment, then I assume they mean the actual main utility service. However if we assume the code meant all equipment, and not just service like you say, there's less chance of getting in trouble and yelled at :)
 
Grouch1980 said:
Hmmmm. I'm scratching my head. :ashamed1::ashamed1::ashamed1: I know each word is there for a reason in the code. If they wrote 'service' equipment, then I assume they mean the actual main utility service. However if we assume the code meant all equipment, and not just service like you say, there's less chance of getting in trouble and yelled at :)
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I think it can be read two ways: as "normal service-equipment" or as "normal-service equipment". The difference is in the first case the word service applies to the equipment, and in the second case, the word service applies to normal.

I could be wrong, but I think the second is correct, meaning it applies to any equipment supplied by the normal service (except items also fed by the generator, like the ATS)
 
GoldDigger said:
Which leads to the next question:
Is it the amperage of the equipment that counts or the amperage of the service?
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That's a good point. If my interpretation is correct, why didn't they just say "where the equipment is rated over..." instead of saying "where the service equipment is rated over...."?

At any rate, you can't go wrong if you keep all the normal supply stuff over 1000 amps and 150 volts outside the Life Safety ATS room.
 
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