Picture of the week
This weeks picture comes from Steve in Deerfield Beach, Thanks Steve.
New Code change to 240.87 Arc Energy Reduction
First of all for today I hope you all enjoyed the day off to celebrate the annual Labor Day holiday. You all work so hard an a day off to celebrate that hard work is deserved.
Todays news letter has to do with Arc Flash reduction, which is a requirement of the Code to help reduce an arc flash incident if one was occur when someone was working on a live “Hot” piece of switch gear. The methods described in the article would allow someone to work on a main switch or disconnect that is hot and set the breaker or by-pass switch to maintenance mode so that if an incident was to occur it would clear almost instantaneously reducing the incidents arc flash. Thereby giving the worker added protection from a possible disastrous arc flash incident.
This section first introduced in 2011 has been updated in the 2014 giving us some additional ways to reduce the hazard for workers who are working within the Arc Flash Boundary as defined NFPA 70E. Based on the 2014 guide lines for mitigating the hazards of working on energize switch gear, there are now several ways to limit the time a circuit breaker will take to shut off reducing the arc flash incident. All of these methods will require you to research the methods to find the one that works for your installation.
A few contractors have asked about ways to work around this code article, especially ones who are working on high end residential projects. Homes with 1200 ampere services or larger. One way would be to have multiple mains smaller than 1200 amperes or use fused disconnects for mains, both which are not covered by this article.
When designing and building a service this large you would have to have an engineer involved because of Florida statute 471.003 h which only allows an electrical contractor to design and build a residential services up to 600 amperes at 240 volts, and commercial services up to 800 amperes at 240 volts.. So next time you encounter a large service (1200 amperes or larger) commercial or residential maybe you can suggest a couple of smaller mains rather than going with the larger one.
See the Code section 240.87 below:
240.87 Arc Energy Reduction
Where the highest continuous current trip setting for which the actual overcurrent device installed in a circuit breaker is rated or can be adjusted is 1200 A or higher, 240.87(A) and (B) shall apply.
(A) Documentation. Documentation shall be available to those authorized to design, install, operate, or inspect the installation as to the location of the circuit breaker(s).
(B) Method to Reduce Clearing Time. One of the following or approved equivalent means shall be provided:
(1) Zone-selective interlocking
(2) Differential relaying
(3) Energy-reducing maintenance switching with local status indicator
(4) Energy-reducing active arc flash mitigation system
(5) An approved equivalent means
All of the ways to minimize an arc flash incident will have to be done under engineering supervision in order to meet one of the five methods required in the above Code section.
Till next time be safe work safe.
Jake
CODE CHANGE 2014 680.21 GFCI POTECTION OF POOL PUMPS
For the 2014 Code cycle the 15a and 20a branch circuit requirement for GFCI protection of a pool pump has been taken out. It now requires all 120 volt through 240 volt pool pumps to be GFCI protected. Whether by receptacle outlet or direct connection all pool pumps require GFCI protection.
Till next time Be safe Work safe!
Jake
PICTURE of the WEEK 8/5/18
Would this be considered a branch circuit extension?
This was sent by someone working in Lake Worth.
Till next time
Be safe work safe
Jake
Residential Smoke Alarms Part V
This weeks post deals with battery operated smoke alarms and when you can use them.
Florida building ‘code allows us to use battery operated smoke alarms under certain conditions, the following text is from FBC Resdientila section R314.
2017 FLORIDA BUILDING CODE RESIDENTIAL
SECTION R314 SMOKE ALARMS¨
One-family and two-family dwellings and townhomes undergoing a repair, or a Level 1 alteration as defined in the Florida Building Code, may use smoke alarms powered by 10-year nonremovable, nonreplaceable batteries in lieu of retrofitting such dwelling with smoke alarms powered by the dwelling’s electrical system. A battery-powered smoke alarm that is newly installed or replaces an existing battery-powered smoke alarm as a result of a Level 1 alteration must be powered by a nonremovable, nonreplaceable battery that powers the alarm for at least 10 years. The battery requirements of this section do not apply to a fire alarm, smoke detector, smoke alarm, or ancillary component that is electronically connected as a part of a centrally monitored or supervised alarm system, that uses a low power, radio frequency wireless communication signal; or that contains multiple sensors, such as a smoke alarm combined with a carbon monoxide alarm or other multisensor devices, and is approved and listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory
Repairs, as defined in Chapter 2, include the patching or restoration or replacement of damaged materials, elements, equipment or fixtures for the purpose of maintaining such components in good or sound condition with respect to existing loads or performance requirements.
Level 1 alterations include the removal and replacement or the covering of existing materials, elements, equipment, or fixtures using new materials, elements, equipment, or fixtures that serve the same purpose.
These just recently showed up in the stores. They are 10 year non-replaceable battery types that do interconnect wirelessly.
The interconnection was always a problem because in NFPA 72 it calls for these to be inter-connected but where not available until recently. They have Carbon monoxide alarms also available with the 10 year battery and it is also interconnectable.
But as stated above they are only allowed in a Level 1 alteration or a repair as defined by FBC.
So if your inspector was requiring the interconnection we now have them available to us. The above package was around $80 for the two-pack., and the carbon monoxide one was $80 each. They can be connected to you phone through another option that costs around $100. So technology if finally catching up to our needs in the field.
Till next time be safe work safe
Jake
Happy fathers day
Just wanted to say Happy fathers day to all of our fathers out there.
Without you we would not be here!!!
Be safe work safe
Jake
PICTURE OF THE WEEK 5/19/2014
This weeks picture comes from John Seegers of WPB,FL.
Great picture, just don’t know what they where thinking!!!!
Yes that is a shower and yes it works!!!! WOW
Thanks John
Jake
Smoke Alarm placement part IV
This weeks post is from NFPA 72 when placing smoke alarms near cooking appliances in dwelling units.
NEW REQUIREMENT FOR 1/1/2019
29.8.3.4 Specific Location Requirements
(5) Effective January 1, 2019 smoke alarms and smoke detectors used in household fire alarm systems installed between 6 ft. and 20 ft. along a horizontal flow path from a stationary or fixed cooking appliance shall be listed for resistance to common nuisance sources from cooking. (2017).
The following is from NFPA 72 appendix “A” 2017
These are four examples that show how to place smoke alarms when encountering cooking appliances within a certain distance. The zone from 6’ to 20’ and what type of smoke alarm needs to be placed in these zones.
Click on each figure to see an enlarged view.
Till next time be safe work safe
Jake
Residential Smoke Alarms Part III
This week we will deal with the locations again, this time it’s for when we place smoke alarms near a ceiling fan, and/or a forced air supply registers.(A/C or Heat)
29.8.3.4 Specific Location Requirements
(7) Smoke alarms and smoke detectors shall not be installed within a 914mm (36 in.) horizontal path from the supply registers of a forced air heating or cooling system and shall be installed outside of the direct airflow from those registers.
(8) Smoke alarms and smoke detectors shall not be installed within a 914 mm (36 in.) horizontal path from the tip of the blade of a ceiling-suspended (paddle) fan.
So if you have a 52” fan then you will need to be 62” away from the box in the ceiling for the fan in order to pass the rough inspection.
Till next time work safe be safe
Jake.
Residential Smoke Alarms Part II
This week we will look at the location for one on each level. Florida Building Code Residential section R314.3 (3).
R314.3 Location. #3
Smoke alarms shall be installed in the following locations:
3.On each additional story of the dwelling, including basements and habitable attics and not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics. In dwellings or dwelling units with split levels and without an intervening door between the adjacent levels, a smoke alarm installed on the upper level shall suffice for the adjacent lower level provided that the lower level is less than one full story below the upper level.
Till next time be safe work safe
Jake
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