Windshield Washer Fluid

[fifty60_4802GND]

NFPA 70 511–7 says (paraphrased) that for minor/major garages the filling/servicing of windshield washer fluid does not create a hazardous location. I have often thought about this, and wondered how to apply it.

Does this mean that if I have a filling station that has a 50/50 ethanol mixture of windshield washer fluid, does that still apply? I understand the flashpoint of 50/50 ethanol mixture is 75F...

 

[Buck Parrish]

Did you mean to write Methanol ?

 

[GoldDigger]

In either case, the flashpoint of a 50% by volume mixture is the same.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[rbalex]

NFPA 70 511–7 says (paraphrased) that for minor/major garages the filling/servicing of windshield washer fluid does not create a hazardous location. I have often thought about this, and wondered how to apply it.

Does this mean that if I have a filling station that has a 50/50 ethanol mixture of windshield washer fluid, does that still apply? I understand the flashpoint of 50/50 ethanol mixture is 75F...

Sorry for the late reply. What Section 511.3(E)(2) [NOT 7] actually says is alcohol based windshield washer fluids, used as described in the Section, don't alter a location's electrical area classification. The location may or may not already be classified for other reasons but, the presence of the fluids doesn't change it.

A bit of history. Article 510 basically notes Articles 511 through 517 are specific hazardous location applications. The Informational Notes after the Titles of Articles 511 through 517 indicate that a large part of the Article is extracted from another Standard. The NEC is simply memorializing the content of those external Standards.

In the case of the OP, the "non-effect" of alcohol based windshield washer fluids is the consensus opinion of the NFPA 30A Technical Committee,