making your own KO's on a FACP cabinet

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nhfire77

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I was told a while back that if you drill out any hole in a fire alarm control panel that is not original (i.e. factory knockouts) that you violate and remove the UL listing of the panel.

I see everyone doing it and am a little concerned about it, as I do not do it myself, but have a situation in which it will allow a much neater more 'workman' like install.

Any comments are appreciated
 
Welcome to the forum.:)

What does the installation instructions say?

Do the installation instructions prohibit field drilling and punching out of holes in the can?

Chris
 
Thank you.

No there are no such prohibitions, its a Silent Knight 5820XL.

Specifically I was told it was a UL de-listing problem. So the drilling out a custom KO would not violate NEC or NFPA 72.

So you drill a hole, loose the UL 864 listing, then what? I wouldn't install a non-UL panel.

You know what I mean, it seems like principal, but I like doing a good job.
 
So you drill a hole, loose the UL 864 listing,
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I don't believe that the enclosure for the fire alarm contol system would be listed under UL 864.

Take a look at the scope of UL 864.

Here is a quote for the scope:

"1.3 These requirements do not cover manual boxes, automatic fire detectors, automatic transmitters, or other initiating devices; nor do they cover notification appliances not provided as part of the product."

Chris
 
Thank you Chris for your help, but I do believe that "manual boxes" refers to the panel. That is another (older) term for pull station
 
nhfire77 said:
Thank you Chris for your help, but I do believe that "manual boxes" refers to the panel. That is another (older) term for pull station
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The panel is not a 'manual box' a manual box is in fact a pull station.

FWIW I often make my own KOs in FACPs.
 
nhfire77 said:
Thank you Chris for your help, but I do believe that "manual boxes" refers to the panel. That is another (older) term for pull station
Click to expand...

OK so a manual box is a pull station (I don't do much fire alarm work:)), I still believe that the fire alarm control panel enclosure is NOT listed to UL 864.

Chris
 
Let me add that I have seen FACPs with labels attached to them that say 'No conduit entry' in certain areas, usually the bottom where the batteries sit.

In that case if you ignore the labeling on the FACP you would in fact be violation 110.3(B).
 
iwire said:
Let me add that I have seen FACPs with labels attached to them that say 'No conduit entry' in certain areas, usually the bottom where the batteries sit.

In that case if you ignore the labeling on the FACP you would in fact be violation 110.3(B).
Click to expand...

I agree, that is why I asked if the installation instructions prohibited punching your own holes.

I also have see FACP enclosures that had a label indicating where openings were prohibited.

Chris
 
iwire said:
FWIW I often make my own KOs in FACPs.
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As do I ....the very first time I made my own KO ~ of course I placed it where I had a choice of:
a) mounting the board
OR
​
b) putting wire in the pipe
...but not both.
:mad:
 
Sometimes we make our own or enlarge the KO's provided and always in the side or bottom never the top of a FACP.
 
infinity said:
Sometimes we make our own or enlarge the KO's provided and always in the side or bottom never the top of a FACP.
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:confused:

I stay away from the bottom and sides ....bottom has the batteries....sides seem too close to the board for my liking.
 
infinity said:
Local code does not permit top entries due to water possibly getting into the panel.
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LOL

I just changed the guts out of an RPS Friday, that was hosed by the plumber. The holes in the front of the FACP and RPSs seem to let the water in well enough. :)

Cables entered the back through holes either I or somebody else drilled.
 
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