Listing of equipment

[ceb58]

Question about listing of equipment. I installed the transfer switch and every thing else for a 60Kw military generator for a fire dept. The fire dept. got the generator for free through a State Agency. When I called for inspection the first thing the inspector ask, was the generator UL listed? That's when the o'h crap bell went off.
No its not. He looked at job and said if the generator was built good enough for the military then he didn't have a problem with it. But this has me thinking. The generator has a data plate on it that states US Dept. of Defense NATO Standard OTAN. From what I can find that is the standards contractors build there equipment too for the military and that it meets ISO 9001 standards.
Question is would that standard transfer over into the civilian world? Reason I ask is I have another fire dept. wanting me to install one for them. They have contacted the inspector asking questions about set back and such and told him they had one of these generators also. His comment was that he allowed one so it would be OK for them also. But I want to know about listing.

 

[mgookin]

The first question to ask is "Does a generator have to be listed?"

 

[iwire]

The first question to ask is "Does a generator have to be listed?"

Yes if it is for article 700 installations.

 

[mgookin]

Yes if it is for article 700 installations.

I'll take that to mean a 702 system does not have to be listed. (correct me if I'm wrong)

If they kept their battery packs in their em lighting this likely is a 702 installation and that should be clarified to the inspector.

Suggested wording when applying for permit "Installation of standby generator"

Does that solve OP's problem?

 

[iwire]

I don't think we know enough about the OPs installation.

 

[ceb58]

The first question to ask is "Does a generator have to be listed?"

In NC all equipment and fixtures must be listed by UL or another 3ed party NRTL

I don't think we know enough about the OPs installation.

The install is a 702 installation. I installed a manual transfer switch because the way the military generator is made there is no way to make it automatic.

But my question is about the NATO standards.

 

[retirede]

Listing of equipment

OTAN is the acronym for the French version of NATO. ISO9001 is a quality certification level of a manufacturing facility and its processes. Neither represent a standard or certification of equipment.


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[mgookin]

...
Question is would that standard transfer over into the civilian world? ...

I'd read the statute which adopts your building codes. I know ours in Florida allows the AHJ to accept anything which meets the intent of the code or is determined to be a suitable replacement for a code requirement.

It may help if you can find out where the genset was made and under what oversight. I know when I worked in defense contracting we had guys in suits from the Navy and the Air Force over our shoulders every step of the way. I could not take a resistor from one project and "lend it" to another project without them threatening to shut the plant down. They were on site every minute our plant was staffed and they watched everything and were present for testing of every system prior to delivery,which was my job. At $2.8MM per system back in the early 1980's they were not flexible one bit. They were not nice people. They were not mean; just not nice, if that makes sense. If that generator was made in the US under DoD oversight it can be argued that it is of a higher standard than any NRTL would hold it to.

I think you're fine. If it helps you sleep at night, ask the fire chief to write a letter to the building official requesting written acceptance of the generator. I just can't imagine any AHJ saying no to a fire dep't who gets a military grade generator.