Sterilizer Equipment on Emergency Power?

[hbendillo]

We are having to add steam boilers for an Ambulatory Surgical Center. They are to be electrically powered. They serve sterilizing equipment for the facility. Do these boilers have to be connected to emergency power? I say in this case no but it is not crystal clear. This is really not life support equipment. Most of the equipment for a day's work is already sterilized. It is outpatient surgery.

 

[GoldDigger]

We are having to add steam boilers for an Ambulatory Surgical Center. They are to be electrically powered. They serve sterilizing equipment for the facility. Do these boilers have to be connected to emergency power? I say in this case no but it is not crystal clear. This is really not life support equipment. Most of the equipment for a day's work is already sterilized. It is outpatient surgery.

My humble opinion:

Emergency: NO. Definitely not.

Optional Standby, if intended to let the facility operate for days during a major power outage (think Hurricane Sandy), then YES. But only if the Center would otherwise be able to, and would want to, continue operating.

 

[steve66]

It is permitted, but not required to be connected to the equipment system. 517.34(B) (6).
Its basically the facilities call.

 

[kwired]

I mostly agree with what others have said.

I will say that most anything could be on the equipment branch if not required on the essential branch

Most items on the essential branch will also have other codes governing their status during emergency power situations, and are likely on the essential branch more because of those codes than because of anything in the NEC.