Design Electric Inc.
Member
- Location
- Near Tampa Florida
Florida just passed house bill 7121 requiring an alternate power sorce for elevators, common area lighting and Fire Alarm Panels for facilities over 75ft in height. The bill REQUIRES the installation to be per Art. 700.
Many of the high rises as well as the AHJ are asking for genset be sized for both the required loads as well as their Fire Pumps. And if so,fire pumps, unless required by the AHJ would fall under Art. 702.
Now, fortunatly 700,701 and 702 loads are permitted to be supplied concurrently from the same alternate power sorce: thus the sizing of one adequte generator (sized per what ever article is mandatory and it's required loads) is suficient.
DO I believe in the Art. 700 requirments to be justified: NO..
Why: the tapping of unfused utility power conductors that are required.
For a stand alone fire pump perhaps I can concure.
Now, we are required by Fla law to have a Xfer switch's normal power terminations not be protected by a OCD per statue.
Yes, Art. 700 is adiment in identifying and labeling equipment for this purpose for maintenance personal, however, in my 30 yrs +, most facility maintenance personal are general maintenance personal that unfortunatly are not qualified nor educated to this degree to understand that there is still harmfull current available even when they turn off the facilities main disconnect.
Many of the high rises as well as the AHJ are asking for genset be sized for both the required loads as well as their Fire Pumps. And if so,fire pumps, unless required by the AHJ would fall under Art. 702.
Now, fortunatly 700,701 and 702 loads are permitted to be supplied concurrently from the same alternate power sorce: thus the sizing of one adequte generator (sized per what ever article is mandatory and it's required loads) is suficient.
DO I believe in the Art. 700 requirments to be justified: NO..
Why: the tapping of unfused utility power conductors that are required.
For a stand alone fire pump perhaps I can concure.
Now, we are required by Fla law to have a Xfer switch's normal power terminations not be protected by a OCD per statue.
Yes, Art. 700 is adiment in identifying and labeling equipment for this purpose for maintenance personal, however, in my 30 yrs +, most facility maintenance personal are general maintenance personal that unfortunatly are not qualified nor educated to this degree to understand that there is still harmfull current available even when they turn off the facilities main disconnect.
