Reclassification of Underutilized Equipment

[GotShocked]

Our project has a single 480V, 600A switchboard which is significantly oversized for the actual electrical load it serves. Peak annual load is approximately 130kVA, 160A. NFPA 70B recommends rigorous testing and inspection for switchboards as compared to panelboards, etc. Is it possible or has anyone "reclassified" electrical equipment for the purposes of implementing a more reasonable maintenance program for equipment that is oversized?

 

[petersonra]

Our project has a single 480V, 600A switchboard which is significantly oversized for the actual electrical load it serves. Peak annual load is approximately 130kVA, 160A. NFPA 70B recommends rigorous testing and inspection for switchboards as compared to panelboards, etc. Is it possible or has anyone "reclassified" electrical equipment for the purposes of implementing a more reasonable maintenance program for equipment that is oversized?

I don't see how renaming something as something it is not allows you to do less maintenance on it.

There is nothing that requires you to follow the suggestions in NFPA70B. You can do as little or as much maintenance as you see fit. The maintenance police won't be coming for you.

However, if something goes wrong the lawyers will read this post and use it against your company claiming you knew you were supposed to do a certain level of work on the thing and didn't want to do it so tried to find a way to weasel out of doing it.