Fear not for the answer you seek is found in the code ...............Emphasis in CAPS
2008 NFPA-70 (NEC) 110.26(F) Dedicated Equipment Space. "All SWITCHBOARDS, PANELBOARDS, DISTRIBUTION BOARDS, AND MOTOR CONTROL CENTERS shall be located in dedicated spaces and protected from damage." Article 100 Definitions Motor Control Center. An assembly of one or more enclosed sections having a common power bus and PRINCIPALLY CONTAINING MOTOR CONTROL UNITS. Panelboard. A single panel or group of panel units designed for assembly in the form of a single panel, including buses and automatic overcurrent devices, and equipped with or without switches FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT, HEAT, OR POWER CIRCUITS; designed to be placed in a cabinet or cutout box placed in or against a wall, partition, or other support, and ACCESSIBLE ONLY FROM THE FRONT. Switchboard. A large single panel, frame, or assembly of panels on which are mounted on the face, back, or both, SWITCHES, OVERCURRENT AND OTHER PROTECTIVE DEVICES, BUSES, and usually instruments. Switchboards are GENERALLY ACCESSIBLE FROM THE REAR AS WELL as from the front and are not intended to be installed in cabinets. No definition for Distribution Boards......let's see if another article provides the answer.......... 408.1 Scope. This article covers the following: (1) All switchboards, panelboards, and DISTRIBUTION BOARDS INSTALLED FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT AND POWER CIRCUITS. 90.3 Code Arrangement. This Code is divided into the introduction and nine chapters, as shown in Figure 90.3. CHAPTERS 1, 2, 3, AND 4 APPLY GENERALLY. And last but not least, an online resource with descriptions, photos, etc of panelboards, distribution boards from NEMA http://www.nema.org/prod/be/lvde/panelboard/enclose-pd/ Hope this helps, John Drucker, CET Fire Protection Subcode Official Fire/Building/Electrical Inspector Fire Marshals Office Borough of Red Bank, NJ Not the official position of any agency, association, committee or otherwise. Obtain required applications, permits, inspections and approvals from Authority(s) Having Jurisdiction. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ron Greenman Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 11:07 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Electrical Rooms-Dedicated Equipment Space, Sprinklers and IBC Exemptions Brad, I'll defer to John if he calls me on this, but I don't think those little electrical closets with a single lighting/general purpose sub-panel, a mop sink, and the custodian's collection of porn really count at all, and certainly not for sprinklers. On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 8:01 AM, Brad Casterline <[email protected]> wrote: > It always does help, John, thanks, far more than 'stay out of the air > space'...). I wanted to add for Brian's sake of the original post- it > sounded like he had the many small electrical closets in mind- I offset > around them and stub in a sidewall on my way by. I consider them OHI, and so > I can use standard response, intermediate temp. For the big elect. rooms, > (and elevator equipment) I go in once and never come out :) > > -----Original Message----- > From: John Drucker [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 6:37 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: FW: Electrical Rooms-Dedicated Equipment Space,Sprinklers and IBC > Exemptions > > Members, > > Sprinkler piping is permitted in and through electrical rooms with two > provisions, first the piping cannot be located in the dedicated electrical > space, and second watersheds or other protective devices must be provided > for electrical equipment below when piping is located above the dedicated > electrical space. > > The National Electrical Code (NEC) does not prohibit the installation of > fire sprinklers in electrical rooms, the 2006 and 2009 Editions of the IBC > reinforce the sprinkler requirements; > > 903.3.1.1.1 Exempt locations. "Automatic sprinklers shall not be required in > the following rooms or areas where such rooms or areas are protected with an > approved automatic fire detection system in accordance with Section 907.2 > that will respond to visible or invisible particles of combustion. > SPRINKLERS SHALL NOT BE OMITTED FROM ANY ROOM MERELY BECAUSE IT is damp, of > fire-resistance-rated construction OR CONTAINS ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT." > > However the 2006 and 2009 IBC provides the following sprinkler exemption for > separated and detected GENERATOR AND TRANSFORMER rooms; > > 903.3.1.1. - 3. "GENERATOR AND TRANSFORMER ROOMS separated from the > remainder of the building by walls and floor/ceiling or roof/ceiling > assemblies having a fire-resistance rating of NOT LESS THAN 2 HOURS." > > Keep in mind where this exemption is utilized a fire alarm system pursuant > to 907.2 utilizing smoke detectors located in the generator and or > transformer room(s) must be installed which means the space must be suitable > for smoke detectors in accordance with the products listing and NFPA-72. > > Hope this helps, > > John Drucker, CET > Fire Protection Subcode Official > Fire/Building/Electrical Inspector > > Not the official position of any agency, association, committee or > otherwise. Obtain required applications, permits, inspections and approvals > from Authority(s) Having Jurisdiction. > > -----Original Message----- > Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2011 7:55 PM > Subject: RE: Electrical Rooms > > 2008 NFPA-70 (NEC) 110.26(F) > > (F) Dedicated Equipment Space. All switchboards, panelboards, distribution > boards, and motor control centers shall be located in dedicated spaces and > protected from damage. > > (1) Indoor. Indoor installations shall comply with 110.26(F)(1)(a) through > (F)(1)(d). > > (a) Dedicated Electrical Space. The space equal to the width and depth of > the equipment and extending from the floor to a height of 1.8 m (6 ft) above > the equipment or to the structural ceiling, whichever is lower, shall be > dedicated to the electrical installation. No piping, ducts, leak protection > apparatus, or other equipment foreign to the electrical installation shall > be located in this zone. > > Exception: Suspended ceilings with removable panels shall be permitted > within the 1.8-m (6-ft) zone. > > (b) Foreign Systems. The AREA ABOVE THE DEDICATED SPACE required by > 110.26(F)(1)(a) SHALL BE PERMITTED TO CONTAIN FOREIGN SYSTEMS, provided > PROTECTION IS INSTALLED to > avoid damage to the electrical equipment from condensation, LEAKS, OR BREAKS > IN SUCH FOREIGN SYSTEMS. > > (c) Sprinkler Protection. Sprinkler PROTECTION shall be permitted for the > dedicated space where the piping complies with this section. > > (d) Suspended Ceilings. A dropped, suspended, or similar ceiling that does > not add strength to the building structure shall not be considered a > structural ceiling. > > > In other words the dedicated equipment space is a three dimensional > exclusion zone above and around switchboards, panelboards, distribution > boards, and motor control centers which is reserved for electrical wiring > only. The space begins at the floor, the width and depth of the equipment > and to a height of 6ft above the equipment or to the STRUCTURAL ceiling > whichever is LOWER. So keep out unless you're the electrician. > > Take heed of (C), the operative term is PROTECTION not PIPING. So you can > spray water in the dedicated space, just don't run the pipe in there. > > Hope this helps, > > John Drucker, CET > Fire Protection Subcode Official > Fire/Building/Electrical Inspector > > Not the official position of any agency, association, committee or > otherwise. Obtain required applications, permits, inspections and approvals > from Authority(s) Having Jurisdiction. > > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum > > For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] > > To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] > (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum > > For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] > > To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] > (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) > -- Ron Greenman Instructor Fire Protection Engineering Technology Bates Technical College 1101 So. Yakima Ave. Tacoma, WA 98405 [email protected] http://www.bates.ctc.edu/fireprotection/ 253.680.7346 253.576.9700 (cell) Member: ASEE, SFPE, ASCET, NFPA, AFSA, NFSA, AFAA, NIBS, WSAFM, WFC They are happy men whose natures sort with their vocations. -Francis Bacon, essayist, philosopher, and statesman (1561-1626) _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
