NEC 695.6 Generator to fire pump encasement

[vanvan]

Hello all! Thanks for looking at this in advance. I see it has come up a few years back in a thread that really left it up to debate- though looks like most installs seem to encase (I have in past As well on last job). My current project has the generator located in parking garage one level below grade (5 stories under ground parking). The generator is not in a separate room, just behind fence. The conduit routing from generator never leaves garage (though does go down a couple levels to get to fire pump room). My question (probably obvious) do I really need to encase our conduit? I am not even sure where I would start the encasement (since generator is just shown behind a fenced off section in garage).
I had encased on my last job, but my Genset sat above grade in rated room on an occupied floor then had to be routed down into garage (while in garage we encased with a column it ran against for reasons I beleived correct and for physical protection from vehicle traffic).
We planned on doing again on this job, but engineer talked me out of for the above stated reasons of being in garage etc. This was the approach we took to our modeling and MEP coordination efforts. Now with all that done engineer has come back and stated he believes we need to encase?! As stated I am not even sure where to start the encasement - just inside the fence?
Any thoughts are truly greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[Travis Hannah]

Behind the fence

Behind the fence

The engineer may be concerned, after the fact, that the inspector will interpret this as requiring encasement, which it may very well need.

 

[RB1]

Vanvan,

Section 9.6.2 of NFPA 20-2013 requires on-site standby generators for fire pumps to meet the requirements of a Level 1, Type 10, Class X system of NFPA 110. For Level 1 systems Section 7.2.1.1 of NFPA 110-2013 requires the generator (EPS) to be separated from the remainder of the building by 2-hour fire-resistant-rated construction. Additionally, Section 695.6(A)(2) of NFPA 70-2014 requires the conductors from the on-site standby generator to be encased in concrete or otherwise protected by a fire-rated assembly or electrical circuit protective system. If this is a new building, I think you are going to have some issues with the installation you described.

RB