Wiring of Ambulance shore line

[mahobbs]

Our ambulances have a shore line inlet on them to keep the medical equipment charged, refrigerator, blanked warmer, IV fluid warmer, syringe pumps ect. the vehicle heated or cooled and the battery charged.
the ambulance manufacture has installed the power inlet (Hubble 50A 125V Ship-to-shore inlet HBL503SS 2 Pole 3 Wire) we use 120 volt at 50 Amp to run all of the items
The follow is how the inlet are wired X=hot, Y=neutral, W=ground with jumped to the ground lug.

We now have an ambulance station at an airport, the airport electricians (who I have never meet or talked to) has told the medical staff that the ambulance has to be wired to 240 Volts, because of the type of receptacles.

That has burned out the electrical of 1 ambulance.

An Ambulance does not meet the Definitions in ARTICLE 551 Recreational Vehicles and Recreational Vehicle Parks

What code covers ambulance shore power?

Thanks
Mike

 

[iwire]

Mike in my opinion it is a listed product and 110.3(B) requires it to be used as labeled.

It's a 125 volt 3 wire receptacle, I think these airport guys are wrong to wire it 208.

HBL503SS

 

[barbeer]

Whether or not your ambulance "has to be wired 240" or not:-? it isn't right?

Go to an RV dealer and get an adapter cord to fit both sides(ambulance and shore power).

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Mike,
The voltage is a design issue. The Hubbell inlet is rated for 125 volts so the airport needs to supply you with a 50a 120v circuit. As a side note I cannot imagine anyone installing a twist lock type device on an emergency vehicle...that is just asking for trouble. A lot of them around here use auto-ejects, but the biggest I see listed is a 30 amp.

 

[Rampage_Rick]

The corresponding NEMA selection would be L5-50, but that face doesn't match the Hubbel inlet in question. I however would not hesitate to tell the airport guy that's what you need installed on the wall. Then get a cordset made up to go from the Hubbell to the L5-50.

I've only ever had to deal with one airport sparky, and it was aggrivating at times (all for a small booth: 3 recepts, tel, internet) Of course you have to suck it up because you can't access restricted areas without him.

Sounds to me like your guy had an existing 240V circuit and just plugged in without reading the nameplate. Then he says your buses have to be 240V to cover his ass. I'd say your guy owes you an ambulance...

Ditto on some kind of breakaway disconnect. I've seen a setup similar to the hoses at gas pumps, with some kind of non-latching pin/sleeve connector suspended about 7' off the ground via cabtire drop and chain, and then a cord from the pin/sleeve to the vehicle.

 

[quogueelectric]

Our ambulances have a shore line inlet on them to keep the medical equipment charged, refrigerator, blanked warmer, IV fluid warmer, syringe pumps ect. the vehicle heated or cooled and the battery charged.
the ambulance manufacture has installed the power inlet (Hubble 50A 125V Ship-to-shore inlet HBL503SS 2 Pole 3 Wire) we use 120 volt at 50 Amp to run all of the items
The follow is how the inlet are wired X=hot, Y=neutral, W=ground with jumped to the ground lug.

We now have an ambulance station at an airport, the airport electricians (who I have never meet or talked to) has told the medical staff that the ambulance has to be wired to 240 Volts, because of the type of receptacles.

That has burned out the electrical of 1 ambulance.

An Ambulance does not meet the Definitions in ARTICLE 551 Recreational Vehicles and Recreational Vehicle Parks

What code covers ambulance shore power?

Thanks
Mike

Ask him to put it in writing and if he wont do it go to his boss and explain your situation so the nitwit stops burning up your equipment. How did the 240v setup actually attatch to your 120 setup??? This is specifically designed so that this just cant happen unless someone wires an end in a non code compliant way and I will bet the guy rewired an end and owes you all new equipment.