Panel in fire rated wall

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JacobiusWrex

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What is the best solution? It is a hotel where each room has a sub panel. If the panel HAD to be located in a wall shared with the hallway, what would be the best way to fire protect the panel? Lots of putty pads?

We have solved this issue once before in a different building, by mounting apiece of drywall to the back of a panel (fire Marshall was happy) but in this case that is not an option because the panel is almost exactly as deep (3-1/2") as the stud cavity.
Is there some listed way to fire protect large object surfaces that is less than 1/4" in depth?
Thanks
Jake


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Welcome to The Forum. I don't know the best way to do this, however I would try to locate the load panels in a non fire rated wall such as the bathroom wall. I've never seen a hotel with individual sub-panels for each room, so I can't help you
 
JacobiusWrex said:
What is the best solution? It is a hotel where each room has a sub panel. If the panel HAD to be located in a wall shared with the hallway, what would be the best way to fire protect the panel? Lots of putty pads?

We have solved this issue once before in a different building, by mounting apiece of drywall to the back of a panel (fire Marshall was happy) but in this case that is not an option because the panel is almost exactly as deep (3-1/2") as the stud cavity.
Is there some listed way to fire protect large object surfaces that is less than 1/4" in depth?
Thanks
Jake


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New Building? Fire sprinklers system, hallway/corridor as well as rooms? I would first start with talking to the General contractor for the job. If the building is sprinkled the corridor maybe just smoke rated and not fire rated. The General will know. Big difference in cost whether he has to install fire rated door frames and doors in the hallway or just smoke rated.
It should also be spelled out in the spec book for the project.


If the corridor is fire rated what ever you come up with I would get a decision ruling from the AHJ building inspection department before starting any install.
 
Jamesco said:
New Building? Fire sprinklers system, hallway/corridor as well as rooms? I would first start with talking to the General contractor for the job. If the building is sprinkled the corridor maybe just smoke rated and not fire rated. The General will know. Big difference in cost whether he has to install fire rated door frames and doors in the hallway or just smoke rated.
It should also be spelled out in the spec book for the project.


If the corridor is fire rated what ever you come up with I would get a decision ruling from the AHJ building inspection department before starting any install.
Click to expand...

Since this is a hotel, it's almost certain that the hallway is considered an exit hallway or exit access. That will require 1 hour fire rating.
 
While many times inspectors will allow you to "wrap" a panel, most do it incorrectly and you will not find a fix in any of the fire rating manuals such as the Gypsum or Hilti ones. So in answer to your question you cannot put a panel in a rated wall.

I agree with others that I have never seen a panel in each room of a hotel and that if nothing else I would try to mount it on a bathroom wall.
 
Thanks for the helpful responses!

I miss spoke when I said "every room", it is actually "every other room" there are 6 panels per floor and multiple floors with the exact same layout (10 I believe). Anyways, that is besides the point.

5 of 6 panels could be located elsewhere with no problem but the layout of this building (remodel) makes it impractical for the remaining 1. We (all trades) are trying to complete one floor before duplicating the process for the rest of the floors so we need to address this situation now.

We are expecting a dedicated fire protection contractor on site today I will ask him.


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JacobiusWrex said:
Thanks for the helpful responses!

I miss spoke when I said "every room", it is actually "every other room" there are 6 panels per floor and multiple floors with the exact same layout (10 I believe). Anyways, that is besides the point.

5 of 6 panels could be located elsewhere with no problem but the layout of this building (remodel) makes it impractical for the remaining 1. We (all trades) are trying to complete one floor before duplicating the process for the rest of the floors so we need to address this situation now.

We are expecting a dedicated fire protection contractor on site today I will ask him.


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Click to expand...

This is still a question that should be addressed by the architect or the engineer, not the trades.
 
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